Veterinary Emergency Clinic of Central Florida

4 (477)
16369 W Colonial Dr, Oakland, FL 34787, USA

Hours:

Monday: 6:00 PM – 7:30 AM

Tuesday: 6:00 PM – 7:30 AM

Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 7:30 AM

Thursday: 6:00 PM – 7:30 AM

Friday: 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM

Saturday: Open 24 hours

Sunday: Open 24 hours

How to Save Money at Veterinary Emergency Clinic of Central Florida

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?

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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Karina Reyes

I went here for my cat that kept getting worse over the course of a few days. I had taken her two days prior to another hospital whose treatment did not work besides the fact I had waited for over 8 hours. Here, however, they immediately put us in a room, the technicians were nice and helpful and the vet came in around the hour. They were transparent the whole way. At around hour 3 when all tests were ran and they told us the situation, my cat was hospitalized for a day. I had no problem calling asking about her and they allowed me to visit her. They were very nice to my cat and helped her get out of her lethargic state and gave me an action plan with my vet. Overall, my experience was positive and my cat was minimally stressed while we waited and seemed so much better once she was discharged. I am grateful to them for saving my cat who is recovering well.

posted: 10/09/2023

Amanda Wahrer

Dr. Merritt and all of the staff at the Oakland clinic went above and beyond to save my dog’s life. She had a dental procedure earlier in the week and originally was doing well but days later had a reaction to one of the post op meds (carprofen). They diagnosed her very quickly and reassured me it was treatable. The vomiting blood ‘crime scene’ back at home in the middle of the night had led me to believe otherwise. The process to pick my pup up in the morning to transfer to her regular vet for continued care was well organized and I’m happy to report she is doing well and back to her happy, eating (dare I say even begging for food again) self. I also want to note the staff did a great job communicating and triaging all pets that arrived. The nature of an emergency vet is that some patients are higher priority despite all owners believing their pet is most important which is understandable in an emotional expensive experience. I also felt the pricing was quite reasonable given the emergency nature of the care and appreciated that the total came in under the estimate provided. Thank you again to the entire staff. I am forever grateful for the care we received 🩷.

posted: 08/19/2023

Laura

I brought my chihuahua here for the first time and had a great experience. We waited a little longer than other cases as they triage by acuity.. Everyone was professional and attentive, and my Chi is much better.

posted: 09/12/2023

Tessa Wolfe

Laura was the sweetest technician who showed us so much compassion as we had to lay our sweet Bella to rest. Highly recommend for anyone who is looking for a veterinarian, all the staff made us feel so at ease and felt so much comfort during such a hard time for us. They even sent a sympathy letter to my home that was handwritten and all the staff signed it, truly shows how much they love animals.

posted: 10/06/2023

Thomas

I had to come here because my dog had an intestinal blockage and she needed emergency surgery. I must say I had the best experience I have ever received at any emergency vet before. The staff and doctor were extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. I have to say that I especially loved the help and attention from the vet tech Manny. He was always ready to help us. He worked with us and the doctor to get a treatment that was effective and cost efficient. He helped us as if we were family and made the over all experience ten times better. I can’t possibly explain how great he was me and my son helping us get through some tough times with our dog Chanel late at night. He took all his time to explain and translate everything were we all were able to be knowledgeable. He would give us frequent updates on her condition and status. The attention, treatment, support is something that I have never seen anywhere else. I would definitely recommend that you take you pets here if you have an emergency and make sure to ask for Manny.

posted: 05/25/2023