Carter Animal Hospital

4.4 (240 reviews)
36701 Date Palm Dr, Cathedral City, CA 92234, USA

Hours

Monday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Tuesday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Wednesday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Thursday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Friday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Saturday Closed Sunday Closed

How to Save on Veterinary Costs at Carter Animal Hospital

Preventive care

Routine wellness exams can help identify health issues early, often before they become more serious or expensive to treat. Regular checkups are one of the most effective ways to manage long term veterinary costs.

Compare prescription pricing

Some pet medications prescribed at veterinary clinics may also be available through local or online pharmacies. It can be helpful to compare pricing when appropriate to reduce ongoing medication costs.

Consider pet insurance

Pet insurance may help cover a portion of eligible veterinary expenses depending on the plan, including accidents, illnesses, and in some cases preventive care. Coverage details, reimbursement levels, and deductibles vary by provider.

Why Pet Insurance Information Appears on This Page

Looking for information about Carter Animal Hospital? This page also includes pet insurance resources to help pet parents understand how to prepare for unexpected veterinary expenses.

Veterinary care costs can vary widely depending on the type of visit, treatment, or emergency. Many pet parents explore pet insurance before they need it so they are better prepared when unexpected situations arise.

How to Choose a Pet Insurance Provider

Pet Insurance Review helps pet parents compare insurance providers using verified customer reviews and real-world experiences. Our tools make it easier to evaluate providers based on claims experience, service quality, and overall satisfaction.

We have collected more than 220,000 reviews from pet parents, creating one of the largest independent databases of pet insurance feedback available.

How rankings are determined

Unexpected veterinary expenses can happen at any clinic. The providers below are ranked using verified reviews submitted by real pet parents through Pet Insurance Review. Results reflect overall satisfaction, claims experience, and value based on real world feedback. Rankings are updated regularly as new reviews are submitted.

Top Pet Insurance Providers of 2026
Rating Provider Total Review
4.8 Adoro 19
4.5 AKC 1,801
4.4 ASPCA 12,221
4.9 Embrace 19,969
4.9 Fetch 5,895
4.1 Figo 2,868
4.4 Hartville 183
4.9 Healthy Paws 11,362
4.8 Lemonade 833
4.6 ManyPets 2,416
4.7 MetLife 11,182
4.8 Nationwide 25,675
3.9 Pet Assure 15
4.3 PetPartners 121
4.9 Pets Best 15,323
4.8 Prudent Pet 2,859
4.7 Pumpkin 3,525
4.6 Spot 11,551
4.9 Trupanion 55,033

Compare Pet Insurance Plans

You can compare coverage options from multiple providers to find a plan that fits your budget and your pet’s healthcare needs.


Getting to Know Your Veterinarian

Choosing a veterinarian is an important decision for pet parents. A strong vet relationship is built on trust, communication, and understanding your pet’s individual needs.

Experience

Ask whether the clinic has experience treating your specific type of pet, since care can vary between dogs, cats, and pocket pets.

Emergency Care Procedures

It’s helpful to understand how the clinic handles after-hours emergencies, including whether they provide emergency services or refer to nearby emergency hospitals.

Communication Preferences

Ask how the clinic communicates with pet parents, including updates, test results, and follow up questions.

Breed Specific Health Considerations

Some breeds may be more prone to certain health conditions. Early awareness can help with prevention and early treatment.

Facility Tour

If available, touring the clinic can help you and your pet feel more comfortable before the first visit.


Final Note

Pet care decisions often involve both medical and financial considerations. Having access to trusted veterinary information alongside pet insurance comparisons can help pet parents feel more confident when planning for their pet’s health and wellbeing.

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Reviews from Google

4.4

240 reviews

Dr. Carter is very kind and professional as is the fabulous Vet Tech Martha. Dr Carter & Martha were so caring when I thought I would lose my 14 year old JakeRyan. They also took care of my 11 year old Sasha, who has an enlarged heart when she needed severe dental surgery. They BOTH are happy and healthy.

Jun 1, 2022

I been calling for 3 days and no one answers the phone. I decided to stop by and make an appointment yesterday at 4:30 pm and this clinic was closed., when it closes at 5:00 pm. The posted sign on the door indicated they do close at five but it looked like an abandoned clinic. I finally stopped this morning and even with a live person it was a struggle to get some help. My pet is updated with all the shots but the individual insisted she need one. I presented my pets historical shots and still insisted on giving a shot to my pet. PETCO now has a veterinarian and that’s where we are head now. The doctor was great when we took our pet for the first time. He was caring and informative with me. But the receptionists were no help. Good luck if you decide to take your best friend here.

May 17, 2023

Women at the front desk aren't very friendly. 1st visit went okay, tried to call back 3 times, leaving two messages about my sick puppy and never received a return response. Not very happy with the customer service here, lacks a whole lot.

Jun 13, 2023

Very pleasent staff and nice facility. The Dr. always provides the blood work and also a invoice draft showing break down of pricing of services to decide what I wanted taken care of first for either my dogs or cat.

Apr 1, 2019

*** Updating to Zero Stars - Janine hung up on me twice. Then got her again and she said, ooooh, sorry thought the conversation was over. 😳 Someone in management needs to address this person. *** Dr Carter is amazing. Great service and fast. There’s a front desk woman that is lovely and I think her name is Lori, the other one, Janine, should be fired. I overheard her on the phone when checking in with Lori…and I was appalled at how rude she was. Thought thank goodness I didn’t get her. Even murmuring negative things out loud after the call ended. Tried to give her the benefit of the doubt thinking that it was the caller being rude and she was just reacting (which is still not ok). Since visiting there in person, I’ve called the vet 3 separate times and have had the unfortunate luck of getting her for every call. She’s AWFUL, rude, snarky and very sincerely should be fired. The worst front desk experience person there could be (a High School kid would be a better hire!). If you keep her on staff, do your clients a favor and move her out of customer contact!! She’s the reason I can’t give 5 stars. She makes me want to leave 0 stars.

Feb 6, 2023