Castlegar Veterinary Hospital
4 (68) 4340 Minto Rd, Castlegar, BC V1N 4B3, CanadaHours:
Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
How to Save Money at Castlegar 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:
| Rating | Provider | Total Review |
|---|---|---|
| 4.9 | Fetch Canada | 166 |
| 4.9 | Furkin | 348 |
| 4.1 | Pets Plus Us | 863 |
| 4.3 | PHI Direct | 31 |
| 4.8 | Spot Canada | 149 |
| 4.8 | Trupanion Canada | 25,888 |
| 1.0 | Desjardins | 1 |
| 5.0 | OVMA | 1 |
| 3.3 | Peppermint | 3 |
| 2.5 | Petsecure | 226 |
| 0.0 | Sonnet | 0 |
Or, you can simply get a fast quote from multiple providers and go from there.
Thinking of insuring your pet?
Get Quotes & CompareGetting 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
The entire team at Castlegar Veterinary Hospital are excellent. They are caring, compassionate, and very client focused. When I write the word clients, it refers to both your pet and we as humans. We recently had the joys of introducing two kittens into our home, and they were taken care of and given their first medical exam with frying colors. On the other end of the spectrum, we sadly had to help our 15 year old lady across the Rainbow Bridge. The staff were ready for our arrival, a quite darkened room with a lightly scented candle. The compassion and care they all showed was exceptional. True care from the heart. It made saying farewell a little easier. Thank you.
posted: 12/09/2023
I can't in good conscience continue to support Castlegar Veterinary Hospital even though many of my family's pets have been patients here since the days of Dr Williams. At one point during Covid we received a letter stating that if we did not bring our healthy senior cat in for a check up every six months, we would no longer be eligible for emergency services if/when needed. I understand Covid times were difficult for a lot of business, but I'm not sure when extortion became acceptable veterinary practice? On our most recent visit, Dr Zarn recommended that we euthenize our cat immediately based on findings during her exam, stating that the cat was most likely in pain. Needless to say, we were devastated. Not once at home have we noticed any signs of distress due to pain symptoms. We immediately sought out another reputable veteranaian in the area for a second opinion, who after performing a thoughrough exam, was unable to find anything out of the ordinary with our 17 year old animal other than normal signs of aging. I can't say if Dr Zarn needs more time to hone her craft or if an honest misdiagnosis was made, but this is the last straw with this clinic for us. If it was possible to give a rating lower than one star, I would. This is a far cry from the practice Dr Williams worked hard to build.
posted: 03/21/2024
Always the most helpful and informative veterinary hospital. The best for our little puppy.
posted: 12/16/2023
Fantastic service! Beth is very responsive, patient and helpful. She calls regularly to check in on our cat's progress as we adjust his regimen. Dr. Ayers took the time to answer all of our questions and provided a clear treatment plan. Highly recommend this vet!
posted: 10/29/2020
Reception was kind and helpful in getting my dog in as quickly as possible. Both the veterinarian and her assistant were professional, courteous, and thorough with the examination. They put effort into making sure that my dog was comfortable and not stressed. Examination was meticulous and I was provided with options as to how I could proceed. At no point did I feel pushed or coerced into suggested possible procedures. This was important to me as my dog is quite old and I feel very strongly about not putting him through stressful situations unless absolutely necessary. I felt respected in my choice to choose quality of life over longevity beyond his natural lifetime. Bandit was prescribed medications that do improve the quality of his existence and we are grateful for that. Two thumbs up and five stars for Castlegar Veterinarian Hospital.
posted: 11/15/2019