VCA Lakeside Animal Hospital
4.4 (216) 42160 N Shore Dr, Big Bear, CA 92314, USAHours:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
How to Save Money at VCA Lakeside Animal 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 4.4 | AKC | 889 |
| 4.7 | ASPCA | 11,392 |
| 4.9 | Embrace | 14,179 |
| 4.9 | Fetch | 1,995 |
| 4.4 | Figo | 2,561 |
| 4.7 | Hartville | 164 |
| 4.9 | Healthy Paws | 7,475 |
| 4.9 | Lemonade | 781 |
| 3.2 | ManyPets | 2,145 |
| 4.6 | MetLife | 487 |
| 4.8 | Nationwide | 21,391 |
| 4.3 | Pet Assure | 12 |
| 4.7 | PetPartners | 110 |
| 4.5 | Pets Best | 7,194 |
| 4.3 | Pumpkin | 1,131 |
| 4.7 | Spot | 5,194 |
| 4.9 | Trupanion | 60,280 |
| 4.8 | Prudent Pet | 124 |
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
Veronica, director of dog boarding, was wonderful and very accommodating with my schedule to fit in my furry son Maximus Maximillian into an evaluation appointment as well as getting him a reservation spot for three days of playground time at the Big Bear VCA. Friendly staff and nice neat facility for all the visiting pups. We look forward to seeing you soon!
posted: 10/11/2019
The staff and doctors here really care for our fur baby! When he was getting puppy shots but was too big for us to carry in, they would bring the vaccines to our car so that Kona wouldn't get exposed to any infections like parvovirus. They have an app which allows for 24/7 vet consult via messenger if you have a pet care plan. This has helped us on quite a few occasions when Kona ate some questionable things. We love Dr. D, and surprisingly Kona does not get scared at all when we go for check ups! He is our first dog and we have been able to keep him nice and healthy with the advice on feeding and general health from the VCA.
posted: 03/12/2020
We took 2 service dogs in for their rabies shots today and it went very well. The staff were polite and friendly. Also very efficient. We were in and out in about 30 minutes
posted: 04/03/2019
Dr D. is flat out the best and most knowledgeable vet I've ever been to. I had my bay Crocodile for over 12 years. He was my world!!! He got real sick a months ago, his regular vet , (Dr kim) didn't catch what needed to be caught in the blood tests. Although she is very compassionate and attentive during our visits, she just does not have the qualifications of Dr D. Why wouldn't any intelligent veterinarian take a dog having diarrhea for 6 flippin months seriously!?!?? 😞😓 I finally got tired of her just switchin from 1 med to another, went to VCA. Within a week of tests, they were able to diagnose his serious Intestinal/ bowel issues, (due to lymphoma) & from day 1 took my baby's illness VERY seriously. He tried everything he could... but unfortunately, because of the severity and how long he'd already been suffering from the other vet's MIS-DIAGNOSIS, he passed away. Dr. D. saw signs of serious issues in his blood work, where Dr Kim ...only 1 month prior had said his bloodwork was perfect and he was healthy!!???? Meanwhile he had cancer!?? Sorry this was so long, but Crock was like a child to me. The staff and Dr D was sooooo very Caring, concerned & accommodating. He had several in depth phone calls with us, explaining every little thing, and never got impatient... no matter how many questions we had or how long we kept him on the phone. & all the girls there were never rude, even though I was calling Several x's a day... buggin with my concerns about my sick boy. They were always sweet, & understood why I was frantic. So all in all ....I definitely felt the love and the individual attention to the heath of my dog, and yeah the prices are a bit higher than the only other vet up here, but the knowledge & experience is worth it! Not trying to b mean, but if u look on the lobby wall of Dr. KIM'S office, her certificate is from a low level (probably online) "HOLISTIC" vet school????? Nice woman... but my dog wud still b alive had I started taking him to VCA, when symptoms 1st started. I'm sure of it! I now have a new dog & that will b his forever vet. Pic is my Crocodile ..RIP baby boy.
posted: 04/29/2021
I love this place i had to put my best friend my child down her name is kona she was the best pit i could of asked for my 2 little girl's and me give her the best fun loving life a dog could have.... She had a massive tumor that she opened up there was nothing we could have done it would of just cam back she was in pain just sad to see her like that i so i new we had to put her down i called they took me in right away the lady's where so so sweet Loving and caring they really maid you feel welcome shared some of there stories they even gave kona attention an love it was sweet.... I was so heart broken when i picked up her ashes but kinda happy cause i know she is home with us so THANK YOU too all of you it's not an easy job and if wasn't for all of you and your great help my kona wouldn't be home with us so much love and respect thank you again to 2 lady's that where there they really touched my heart ❤❤❤
posted: 02/11/2020
Veterinarians in Big Bear, California
Bear City Animal Hospital
214 W Big Bear Blvd, Big Bear, CA 92314, USA(909) 585-7808
Delandtsheer Johnny DVM
42160 N Shore Dr, Big Bear, CA 92314, USA(909) 866-2021
Hough J D DVM
42160 N Shore Dr, Big Bear, CA 92314, USA(909) 866-2021
VCA Lakeside Animal Hospital
42160 N Shore Dr, Big Bear, CA 92314, USA(909) 866-2021