Click below to listen to our Consumerpedia podcast episode on how to find a good vet and the pros and cons of pet health insurance.
A recent Swedish study found that owning a dog significantly decreases your risk of early death. Even your cat, Mr. Fluffy, calms you down (and cracks you up) after a grueling day. Pets really can be our best friends, which may be why Americans spend $38 billion a year on veterinary care. A good vet can keep your fur babies purring and wagging. But you also want a practice that is convenient and cost-effective.
To determine the quality of a vet, make an appointment and pay attention to how well staff listens and communicates with you, and whether treatments and exams seem thorough. Ask yourself whether the vet provides sufficient and useful advice on preventing diseases, treatments you can administer on your own, and warning signs of problems. Also consider the office’s customer service and whether it has a convenient location and hours.
Our Ratings Tables summarize the judgments of consumers on Chicago area veterinary practices. We discovered significant differences: Some vets receive “superior” ratings on many aspects of care from at least 95 percent of their surveyed customers, while others receive “superior” ratings from fewer than 60 percent of theirs.
There are also big price differences. For example, to spay a seven-month-old, 25-pound dog, our undercover shoppers were quoted fees ranging from $315 to $1,596. And for lab analysis of a dog’s stool for worms, quoted fees ranged from $25 to $152. Fortunately, since many of the lowest-priced vets received very high ratings from their surveyed customers, you can save moolah without sacrificing quality care.
Using a facility that charges low fees is just one way to control veterinary costs. Getting—and following—sound advice on prevention and pet care practices also reduces bills. And avoid pros who push unnecessary services that increase their income but provide little benefit to your cat, dog, hedgehog, or whatever.
Considering buying pet insurance? Despite companies’ promises of affordable plans, most limit coverage—and all sell expensive policies. Our evaluation of insurers found that most families will do better paying veterinary costs out-of-pocket.
