Animal Care Hospital of Walnut Creek

4.6 (93)
130 La Casa Via Suite 103A, Walnut Creek, CA 94598, USA

Hours:

Monday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Thursday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Friday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Saturday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Sunday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

How to Save Money at Animal Care Hospital of Walnut Creek

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 11,392
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 & 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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brooklyn davis

Unbelievably disappointed in this office. We had gone in before and had annual vaccines administered, everything was fine and the vet was lovely. We took our cat (almost a year and half years old) in this week due to a breathing concern and the vet (a different one than before) was really no help, he even stared at the cat and just said “hm that’s odd” and compared him to a car, saying “you wouldn’t expect a brand new car to have engine problems”. He did some blood work, but aside from that sent him home. Today we went to another office and they found a mass blocking his air, and we needed to have him put down. We are just so upset that this vet was so careless. Not to mention the absurd bill for this minimalistic work.

posted: 07/17/2023

Iain

Great people. Took my dogs Freya and Oshi here after moving recently and was worried about finding a vet as good as my previous one. Appointment was pretty easy to get, within a couple days of my call and I hardly waited while I was there. They let my dogs roam around the exam area and let me stay in with them and help keep them calm. Only took them away to get their shots which I'm fine with since for one I hate needles and two I don't want them to associate me with that. But I doubt that would have mattered because she came back with a wagging tail. They referred to them as my children and I thought that was cute as that's basically what they are to us haha. Another thing I really liked was that they called the next day to check up on them and ask how they were doing. I only listened to the voicemail but it I appreciated the sentiment none the less. Prices so far seem reasonable. Definitely not anything I'm opposed to spending for quality care which I'm confident after our first meeting my dogs will receive. Highly recommended.

posted: 05/05/2023

An & Nathan

A wonderful vet that Walnut Creek is lucky to have!! We feel so so grateful to have come across this vet. I have no idea how Dr. Nakamura and staff manage such a busy location and still are able to accept emergency appointments - but I'm glad they do, because our cat Lily would not be here today if it weren't for ACH. Lily was having a flare up of IBD, or so we thought. She was not eating, throwing up, and looking uncomfortable and lethargic. We brought her to her usual 24/7 emergency vet but were facing a wait of 4-6 hours in the parking lot (no knock against that vet, who is also great). Frantically searching for other emergency vets, I called ACH and they said they could get me in within the hour. We came by at the appointment time and were immediately taken in with no wait. The doctor's first guess was pancreatitis and Lily needed fluids plus anti-nausea drugs. Things looked ok that night. Following that, we were hoping things would get better... Unfortunately after that incident, we've been back to ACH almost 10 times now within the month. She's undergone multiple hospitalization days on IV fluids, had an ultrasound, numerous blood and urine tests, and a feeding tube inserted. She's had new issues come up secondary to the pancreatitis. Every single time, Dr. Nakamura and ACH patiently listen to us list off her symptoms, take detailed notes, make the right calls, and clearly explain what we need to do to keep Lily going. I can't overstate how much I appreciate this. They even go the extra mile by following up over phone and email. Diagnostics are thorough and immediate, as there are many tests available on-site. Records are always available and passed on to other vets that we've needed to see. Everyone at ACH is kind to the animals, understanding of the owners, and willing to help. These people are literally angels sent here to save our loved ones. We love Lily with all our heart and we owe everything to this vet. Thank you for being lifesavers, ACH!

posted: 06/08/2022

Molly Blevins

ACH Walnut Creek has the BEST veteranian team I've ever had the pleasure of going to. Although this is not the closest vet in my vicinity, I bring all of my dogs here due to the high quality of care, both medically and customer-service wise. I have had one of my pups neutered here, tick removal, and other routine checkups and shots. Christine at the front desk makes every visit an absolute joy with her upbeat and positive attitude, and Dr. Nakamura and her team are incredibly knowledgable and professional. They also somehow always can make time for urgent appointments and have great hours for working professionals (evenings and weekends). Our dogs are our world, and we fully trust the team at ACH Walnut Creek to take the absolute best care of them. Thank you for all that you do, and for taking such good care of our fur babies! [Silly picture of my pup attached post-anesthesia after X-rays]

posted: 03/27/2022

Brittney Braselton

We love Animal Care Hospital! They always take good care of our cat Buster (even if he isn't very grateful about it) and their pricing is very fair. Thank you ACH!

posted: 05/10/2023