Elk Park Animal Hospital

4.6 (118)
9572 W Hwy #160, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147, USA

Hours:

Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Elk Park 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:

Top Pet Insurance Providers of 2024
Rating Provider Total Review
4.4 AKC 889
4.7 ASPCA 11,404
4.9 Embrace 14,218
4.9 Fetch 2,038
4.4 Figo 2,577
4.7 Hartville 164
4.9 Healthy Paws 7,477
4.9 Lemonade 783
3.2 ManyPets 2,152
4.6 MetLife 493
4.8 Nationwide 21,392
4.3 Pet Assure 12
4.7 PetPartners 110
4.5 Pets Best 7,196
4.3 Pumpkin 1,161
4.7 Spot 5,258
4.9 Trupanion 60,294
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?

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

hand swipe
Candace Krol

Dr. Don and team provide excellent care for our dog, Molly as they did for our late dog, Samantha, who died at 15 of natural causes. I like that Eastern and Western medicine are combined to provide individualized care. No matter how busy he is, Dr. Don takes the time to explain what he is doing and why he is doing it, I have never felt rushed or pressured to buy products. He is very caring, personable and intelligent. We feel lucky to have him in Pagosa!

posted: 05/30/2023

Jo Hately

Dr. Thompson and his staff are top notch! He has cared for our 4 Chesapeakes, 6 Llamas and our children's dogs and cats for the last 6 years. His professionalism, knowledge, skills and relationship with both us and our beloved animals has always been genuine and heartfelt. We cannot thank him enough for being our veterinary and great friend!

posted: 08/14/2023

Jane Peterson

Dr Thompson, at Elk Park, has been our Vet for over 7 years since he came to Pagosa Springs. He not only knows his profession well but he also has great customer service skills and compassion. So many people choose him as their vet so he works long hours and all week to take care of existing and new customers that he can't turn away, because he cares about them and their pet. He saved our little "girl," who had liver enzymes 10x the highest they should be, with herbal meds. She's still with us 4 years later. We could go on more but that's a sample of the great vet we have and are so grateful.

posted: 07/30/2023

Ronda Connolly

THANK YOU DR. THOMPSON!! While traveling in our RV, our cat suffered some sort of injury to her eye. Without hesitation, Dr. Thompson met us on a Sunday to get her treated. We are not residents of Pagosa Springs, nor previous clients of Elk Park Animal Hospital but Dr. Thompson went out of his way to get us the help we needed. Although we don't live close, my husband and I hope to cross paths with Dr. Thompson again under better circumstances and take him to dinner! He's a fabulous veterinarian and even better person.

posted: 07/17/2023

McKayla Miller

Dr. Thompson came and fixed my year old colt and shots for my 6 month old puppy in the same farm call. The idea that he was willing to do both of these and they made it work with my time was really great. This is the first horse of my own and going for the whole training journey. Dr. Thompson took this into account and walked me through the process and explained what was expected after (to me that was a cool addition to having him come). He and his vet tech were great with both my colt and me. Also, the vet office was able to make my schedule work even later in the day . I work a 7:30-3:30/4 job and it is hard to take off, so this was really appreciated! He is honest and transparent about bills and what he thinks is needed and what’s more optional. I really like this. Thank you, Dr. Thompson and the Elk park vet team!

posted: 04/29/2023