Vets Near Me > Illinois > Rockford > Stephenson Veterinary Hospital

Stephenson Veterinary Hospital

4.5
1211 11th St, Rockford, IL 61104, USA

Best Pet Insurance in Rockford, Illinois 2025

Hours:

How to Save Money at Stephenson Veterinary Hospital

Schedule Regular Vet Visits

One of the best ways to save on vet bills is to prevent expensive health issues before they develop. By scheduling regular wellness checkups, your vet can detect health issues early, helping you to avoid costly treatments and surgeries down the road.

Price Shop for Pet Prescriptions

Oftentimes our fur babies are prescribed human drugs off-label. Your vet is apt to charge more for these medications than you would pay at your local pharmacy. In fact, big-box or chain pharmacies can offer steep discounts. So it’s best to price shop.

Pet Insurance

Most pet insurance providers will pay between 80% and 90% of the vet bill. You can even get coverage for routine care and things like vaccinations and dental cleanings. If you do the math, you’ll most likely find that pet insurance makes financial sense in the long run as well as gives you peace of mind.

How Do You Choose the Right Pet Insurance Provider?

Pet Insurance Review makes it incredibly easy for pet parents to select an insurance provider they feel good about. You can use our handy comparison tool to get the gist of what a company offers. We’ve also collected over 150,000 reviews of insurance companies from real pet parents like you to rank the top providers in the market. Here is the current ranking of each:

Top Pet Insurance Providers of 2025
Rating Provider Total Review
4.4 AKC 894
4.5 ASPCA 12,057
4.9 Embrace 20,305
4.9 Fetch 27,409
4.1 Figo 2,786
4.5 Hartville 177
4.9 Healthy Paws 10,736
4.8 Lemonade 815
4.6 ManyPets 2,428
4.6 MetLife 5,637
4.8 Nationwide 21,417
3.9 Pet Assure 15
4.4 PetPartners 117
4.3 Pets Best 14,113
4.7 Pumpkin 2,549
4.6 Spot 9,855
4.8 Trupanion 62,914
4.8 Prudent Pet 2,445

Or, you can simply get a fast quote from multiple providers and go from there.

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Getting to Know Your New Vet: Essential Questions to Ask

Choosing a new veterinarian is an important decision for any pet owner. You want to find someone who is competent, compassionate, and a good fit for you and your fur baby. To help you get the most out of your first appointment, here's a list of essential questions to ask your new vet:

Tell me about your experience with [pet type].

Different vets have different areas of specialization. Some are experts with cats, some dogs, some pocket pets, and some horses. Knowing that your vet has vast experience treating your specific type of pet can bring you peace of mind.

How do you handle emergencies?

You must know what to do in case of a pet medical emergency. Inquire what after-hours policy the clinic has, whether they have on-site emergency care available, and if they have a relationship with any nearby emergency animal hospitals.

How do you communicate with pet owners?

Good communication is key to building a trusting relationship with your vet. Ask how they prefer to communicate (phone calls, emails, online portal) and how often you can expect to hear from them.

Are there any breed-specific health concerns I should be aware of?

Some breeds are predisposed to certain health conditions. Knowing what to watch out for can help you catch problems early and get your pet the treatment they need.

Do you have any questions for me about my pet?

This is a great question to ask because the answer will show that the vet is interested in getting to know your pet as an individual and is willing to listen to your concerns.

Bonus question: Can I take a tour of your facility?

Getting a feel for the clinic's environment can help you and your pet feel more comfortable during your visits. Remember, you’re not just looking for a veterinarian, you’re looking for a partnership. Do not be afraid to ask these questions and any others you can think of. Any vet worth their salt will be happy to answer them. Because the more informed you are, the better equipped you'll be to make decisions about your pet's care! And that should be every vet’s top priority.

Reviews from Google

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Wendy Morton

The nurses are sweet and kind. The Dr. is so nice and very gentle. My lil dog Cody has a bad back and they took the best care of him.

Kittai Kat

We have seen 2 doctors at this clinic. For multiple cats and my dog. The staff is very friendly! They take the time to explain all treatment options, all things medically wrong with your pet in full detail, can get your animal in quickly and spend as much time as it takes to make sure your pet is okay. I highly recommend them! They are great! They are also reasonably priced for office visits/shots. They are also the only vet clinic I have taken my pit to that didn't require sedation, which is a relief on my end as I don't like drugging my babies. They are always so gentle with my animals, and I really appreciate that. Thanks again guys! :D

Casey Sheetz

It feels almost impossible to find a good vet in Rockford. The vet was rude, he coldly waved his hand at us to signal he was ready for us, with a sigh. It was clear he didn't want to be there. He didn't communicate very well. Our pitbull had a bad flu and he told us to just keep doing what we were doing and gave him a shot for nausea. He vaguely answered any questions we had, and left us not asking if we had any final questions. The vet tech had to call his name to tell him we had a question. I simply did not like his "I know better" attitude. The only thing that was okay was that they wanted to avoid unnecessary costs, and the vet techs were very nice.

Jennifer Sheets

My family and I have been using Dr. Etheridge as our vet for 25+ years and couldn't be happier. When I eventually moved out of my parents and got my own dog I knew that I would not be able to take her somewhere else. I drive 25 minutes across town because that is how comfortable and happy I am with Stephenson. The staff is extremely friendly, quick to get my dogs in when there is an emergency and have even called after a few days of my dog's spay surgery to check in on her and see how she was doing. I have no idea what these other reviews are talking about when they say "they're out for your money!" when Stephenson has saved me HUNDREDS of dollars. Their prices are so incredibly cheap and Dr. Etheridge tells us when we can save money on meds by giving my dogs comparable doses of human meds. Dr. Etheridge tells it like it is and has a dry, sarcastic sense of humor that apparently some people don't understand. There is no BS and schemes to get your money, just an honest one man vet hospital. He has taken great care of every dog I've had the past 25 years and I will continue to take my pets there until he retires.

Bruce Lee

Had my black GSD puppy in for undescended testicle removal. Doctor did a great job and the staff was really nice. I have been going there and trusting them with my beloved dogs for years.

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