North Alabama Veterinary Emergency & Specialty

4.7 (25)
164 John Thomas Dr, Madison, AL 35757, USA

Hours:

Monday: 2:00 PM – 12:00 AM

Tuesday: 2:00 PM – 12:00 AM

Wednesday: 2:00 PM – 12:00 AM

Thursday: 2:00 PM – 12:00 AM

Friday: 2:00 PM – 12:00 AM

Saturday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Sunday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

How to Save Money at North Alabama Veterinary Emergency & Specialty

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.

Thinking of insuring your pet?

Get Quotes & Compare

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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Kathia Ocasio

A few days ago I had an emergency with my pet, a beautiful cat, who had been showing symptoms that seemed to be constipation for some time. It was already nighttime and the vets were closed so we looked for a pet hospital and the closest one was North Alabama Veterinary Emergency & Specialty, so my husband and I decided not to wait any longer and take our pet Nala who already looked weak and was in pain. We arrived at the emergency hospital and they received us kindly and worried about the situation of our cat Nala, not even an hour had passed and they had already told us what Nala had and that she was between life and death due to a serious urinary obstruction. Because of everything Nala means to us, we decided to take care of our pet's life and the specialists began to work on the case, Nala had two surgeries and was under medication to improve and correct the obstruction and other damages caused. Anyway, we are grateful and very happy for the management and their great professionalism, it is something incredible to find a place and such wonderful people, at all times there was good communication, we felt very comfortable visiting Nala and happy to see her improvement. Thanks to Dr. Armes, Dr. Castro, Dr. Corneliux and all the others on the North Alabama Veterinary Emergency & Specialty work team, thank you! I especially want to thank Dr. Castro who helped us a lot since we are from Puerto Rico and although we understand English, speaking it is somewhat complicated for us and more so for situations like this, so we are grateful for your diligence, you are all professionals and thanks to you and God today my beautiful cat is at home with his brother Simba ❤️🐱🐱. Robert & Kathia

posted: 12/17/2024

Maureen

The staff here show exceptional care in the moments of need for your animals. We were so impressed with Dr. CJ — she showed an immense amount of compassion, integrity, care and thoroughness. We cannot thank you enough for your kindness in a great time of need for our pet. Christmas Day is never the time you want to have an emergency for your vet — I cannot express enough our gratitude for Dr. CJ and the staff.

posted: 12/25/2024

Christina Barribeau

Unfortunately we had to use North Alabama Veterinary Emergency Services yesterday. Our 10-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier Sage had to come in due to pale gums and not getting comfortable. Something told me something was wrong. When she came in they did an ultrasound and it turns out she had a very large liver mass that had ruptured. No sign of any issue prior until that point. Unfortunately there was nothing anyone could do and we had to let her go. The staff and vet were wonderful. Very understanding and sympathetic.

posted: 09/30/2024

Nicole Onuszkanycz

We had to bring one of our dogs in because she had a really scary seizure last night. The staff and doctor were amazing and answered all our questions and took great care of our fur baby! The facility was clean and calm and I highly recommend if you find yourself in need of an er vet!

posted: 11/10/2024

Linda Muzquiz

I’m so happy that North Alabama veterinary emergency and specialty opened up! It’s so close to my home and when one of my pups has an issue, it’s very convenient to take them here! Like when my dachshund had something wrong with his foot… I was worried and did not want to risk waiting for it to get better l…so I called and told them I was coming with my dachshund who may have been bitten on his foot. I did not wait long and they looked at him and found him to be perfectly healthy… I was relieved to know that they did not see a bite, puncture wound, or any other sign of injury. It put my mind at ease and I was so happy to hear their full report. The Veterinarian (Dr CJ) was very comprehensive, and gave me a full review of her examination and findings (or lack there). Nevertheless, she made me feel comfortable, knowing that my pup was OK. I’m so thankful and recommend them with two enthusiastic thumbs up!

posted: 09/09/2024