James Farese, DVM, DACVS, North Bay Veterinary Surgical Services

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4460 Redwood Hwy Suite 11, San Rafael, CA 94903, USA

Best Pet Insurance in San Rafael, California 2024

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How to Save Money at James Farese, DVM, DACVS, North Bay Veterinary Surgical Services

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 2024
Rating	Provider	Total Review
4.4	AKC	889
4.7	ASPCA	11,414
4.9	Embrace	14,242
4.9	Fetch	2,055
4.4	Figo	2,580
4.7	Hartville	164
4.9	Healthy Paws	7,477
4.9	Lemonade	783
3.2	ManyPets	2,156
4.6	MetLife	493
4.8	Nationwide	21,393
4.3	Pet Assure	12
4.7	PetPartners	110
4.5	Pets Best	7,196
4.3	Pumpkin	1,163
4.7	Spot	5,275
4.9	Trupanion	60,301
4.8	Prudent Pet	125

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

Thinking of insuring your pet?

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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

Sheryl Carlucci

My 12 year old "big dog", with heart issues, developed a big mass on his spleen and it needed to come out - now. My regular vet (Dr. Erteman) spoke very highly of Jim Farese's skills and recommended I use him for Chamberlain's surgery. Dr. Farese responded quickly; became totally accessible via phone, text and email. He patiently took time to answer all our questions. Prior to Chambie's big surgery, he made a point of speaking directly with the cardiologist to be well apprised of his heart issues, beyond what the reports in hand stated. As soon as the surgery was completed, Dr. Farese called us, and, in great detail, described what he saw, what he did, and then gave us time to ask questions, and just chat about what we were feeling. Dr. Farese recognized my angst, never rushed me, and listened like a caring member of my family, not just a specialist called in to do a job. I read the other reviewers negative comment. It doesn't remotely sound like the Dr. Farese we've come to know. My regular vet has high regard for Dr. Farese and would never recommend someone he felt did not meet the high level of care we want for our fur-babies. There are always three sides to every story. Without a doubt, I give Dr. Farese my highest regards, and would never hesitate to recommend him. Five Star surgeon, to whom I am most grateful, and say, thank -you, with all my heart.

posted: 05/03/2017

James Dittmar

Dr. Farese performed an FHO for one of our dogs because she had severe hip dysplasia. He was patient, kind, and knowledgable. He answered all of our questions and went above and beyond in terms of making us feel comfortable about the procedure and the alternatives. The surgery went very well and we are happy with the results. I would highly recommend him.

posted: 03/31/2020

chris prevost

When the vet at the emergency hospital gave us the seemingly perilous CT scan results of our dog's head, (Rusty) the resident surgeon at the hospital said it was pretty much inoperable. Devastated, we called our regular vet to see what's next, if anything. Without hesitation, Dr. Landman (excellent vet, San Anselmo Animal Hospital) recommended we call specialty surgeon, Dr. James Farese. Dr. Farese met us at the emergency hospital for a consult. He was patient, allowing us time to process, as he slowly went through the CT scan with us. His bedside manner is gentle, caring and again, patient. I would undoubtedly say he "gets it" when it comes to owners and their beloved pets. He exuded a "do no harm" approach, meaning he's only going to do what's best for the animal, Rusty. A little over four hours was this giant, invasive surgery; debulking the tumor, removing the inner ear and ear canal. He made sure Rusty's pain was well managed and checked on him, and us, frequently. That surgery was March 6th. Today, Ruby-doo, as we call him, is eating, drinking, wiggling his little rear-end... a great success, for all of us. Of course a malignant tumor still needs radiation therapy, but UC Davis examined Dr. Farese's handiwork, gave us the green light and is ready for us.... wish our little man good luck! An extraordinarily difficult circumstance led us to an extraordinary human being - Dr. James Farese. We rescue dogs, usually older ones, and with Dr. Farese just a phone call away (he is very responsive to emails, texts and phone calls), we rest a little easier knowing we can call upon him for future surgical needs.

posted: 05/05/2017

Nia Miller

We were heartbroken when our Bernese Mountain puppy was diagnosed with elbow dysplasia at just a few months old. When it became clear that he would need surgery to alleviate his discomfort, our Vet recommended that we see Dr. Farese. From the initial consultation, through tricky surgery and recovery, Dr. Farese has taken the time to patiently explain all that we needed to know about Fen’s condition and prognosis. His reach out and support during recovery have been fantastic and he always makes time to answer any questions and hear about how Fen is doing and we are delighted with how Fen’s recovery is going so far. Dr. Farese is a deft surgeon and compassionate human being. Highly recommend.

posted: 04/20/2018