Southeast Animal Clinic

4.8 (215)
3316 53rd Ave E, Bradenton, FL 34203, USA

Hours:

Monday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Thursday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Friday: Closed

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Southeast Animal Clinic

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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Genevieve Reinkemeyer

My dad recommended this place when we moved here from Ohio. I am so grateful that he did. We have tried other vets and I always have to remind them who I am my dog's names. But not here. If I bring in one of my dogs they even ask about the other one and how they're doing. Recently. My 15-year-old dog was having some issues. And they squeezed us in and took her straight back for surgery. She's doing amazing. It's almost like they gave her five six years of her life back with the way her energy is. Not only that, in the 5 years we've been down here and going to them, they helped us say goodbye to two of her previous pets. And the compassion, empathy and personalization that they do at their practice makes them stand out from all the rest. I could never express how grateful I am for them. The entire office staff is absolutely amazing.

posted: 07/16/2023

Andria Marshall

The staff and Dr Chris are so friendly. Dr Chris was very thorough, patient, and gentle with my dog, I’ve never seen my dog so calm during her annual exam. Best vet experience on every front.

posted: 12/08/2022

Candace Reedy-Soehnel

We have gone to Dr. Besset for the past twenty-five years! Over time people, places, and things change but his quality of care and his dedication to our pets has been a constant! He has evolved to expanding his practice to boarding precious pets in his property behind his building but doesn't advertise. He remembers all his pet patients and what kind of care each needed over the years. We had our pug's hip replaced after a car hit her. He came to our home and had to put down our very loved golden retriever in the comfort of his own bed. He has made house calls twice for situations that warranted the privacy of our pet and the need of a doctor. He has nurtured pets and throughout their life span helped them stay healthy until some passed but our pug is now twelve years old and her hip is going strong! She can keep her young feisty "brother" our two year old chihuahua in place! We added a new pet and Dr. Besset is here for us and I hope he stays around for a very long time because we trust him! He is not the cheapest vet around but we can depend on him no matter what happens good and sad to our pets! He has cared for my sisters pets as long too!

posted: 06/21/2018

Sandra Otero

I have decided to write this review to pay it forward. Yes, I know that the meaning is normally used when someone does something for you, instead of paying that person back directly, you pass it on to another person instead. I moved here from Miami in May and did not have a vet for my dog, Luna. A few weeks after moving to Sarasota Luna stool had blood in it. I was freaked out and knew I had to find a vet. I started looking for a vet by asking people on the Next-Door app. I received a few suggestions and decided to researched the vets that were recommended. Started looking on google and Yelp, reading reviews. This how I found out about Southeast Animal Clinic with veterinarians Mark Bessette and Christopher Bessette. Almost all the reviews spoke highly about them; they were compassion, kind and fair in price. My experience from the moment I called the office in tear because I was scared that something bad was happening to my 15-year-old baby. The admin on the phone helped calmed me down by asking me questions of what I was seeing and how my dog was acting. The day of my appointment they were on time, professional and kind to me and Luna. They took the sample of stool, which was recommended on a review that I bring. This was a good idea because they were able to check the stool at their lab and found she had worms which was causing the bleeding. Dr. Mark Bessette was gentle with Luna when he examined her. He explained she had hip luxation; her hind leg can pop out of the socket easily which will cause pain and leaping. He had told me she had arthritis which most likely cause by the luxation and that she had a couple of small fatty tumor (lipoma). Lipoma tumor tend to be benign. She also had one small cyst which he recommended I watch for size increase. He did not try and get me to do a bunch of tests. He gave me medication to take care of the worms and anti-inflammatory for arthritis pain. A few months later I made an appointment for Luna’s yearly blood work. This time Christopher Bessette did the examine and tests. He was also kind and gentle with Luna pointed out a couple of more Lipoma that I had not seen. He told me to watch for any growth on the tumors, but not to worry that it was normal on older dogs. He called me the next day to tell me the blood tests were normal. Today I experienced the compassion that Mark Bessette has for clients and patients. When I showed up at his practice all upset because Luna stool had a lot of blood. I knew the office was open until 6 pm. I decided to take a chance and drive there, hoping they would see Luna. When I got to the clinic Mark Bessette was at the front desk. He told me they were closed and that he had to leave for an appointment. I told him that the stool was bloody and could I please leave it. He saw how upset I was and told me he would put the stool sample in to be tested, since it takes 5 minutes. He ended examining Luna; I think out of empathy for me since I was crying and a mess. He asked me a few questions on what I saw in Luna’s behavior and examined her. Her glands were full so he extracted them and explained that mostly was causing the bleeding because she may have an infection. From his experienced he did not believe anything was internally wrong with her. He gave me some antibiotic and told me to watch Luna for other signs that would indicate that she was sick. He would then run some tests. Mark took the time to see Luna, which I am sure made him late to his appointment. I am so grateful for his empathy and the kindness he showed toward me. These are wonderful qualities in a person and a vet. I paying it forward is by writing this review. The people who took time to write reviews helped me to make the decision to take Luna to Southeast Animal Clinic. If you are looking for a veterinarian to take care of your loving pet Southeast Animal Clinic is my recommendation.

posted: 10/29/2022

kyle conway

This is hands down the best vet in the area. Sadly, I have been to many and 90% are no more than used car salesman, Dr. Bassette is far from this and is very knowledgeable. If you are struggling to find a great vet, look no further. He is a great vet and all across the board from knowledge and pricing as well. Very glad we found him.

posted: 03/23/2023