Critters & Such Pet Care

4.2 (46)
2339 172nd Ave, Decorah, IA 52101, USA

Hours:

Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday: 10:00 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: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Critters & Such Pet Care

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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cyndy wulfsberg

Loyal customer for 14 years. Wonderful caring staff that knows their furry clients and human caretakers. Have moved and will miss them. Vet care out of Iowa costs a fortune. I just hope it is as good!

posted: 01/07/2022

Todd Burrichter

I don't know what these haters are talking about. Maybe they had unrealistic expectations or (perhaps) they caught a staff member on a bad day (we all have them from time to time). Critters and Such has been a great place for us to take our dogs and we would recommend them to anyone. Yes, a little more expensive than our last vet, but they treat us and our dogs like family. We've had nothing but positive experiences and have found the people to be kind, caring, and compassionate. God bless you and the work you do.

posted: 01/28/2021

Holly Andersen

Very caring and got us right in. My kitty got his leg stuck in a fence and was hanging there (by his leg) until I found him. They made him comfortable and took excellent care of him. Did everything they could for him. Even red light therapy to help it heal faster. All of it was a little pricey, but we'll worth it. He made a full recovery and is in excellent health... No lasting effects to his leg. They treated him as if he was there own. Excellent place to take pets.

posted: 06/10/2017

Pam Long

Great Vet and great staff. ❤️

posted: 06/29/2023

Kelsey Schumacher

I have done dog rescue for 20 yrs. I took in a rescue pup and vetted him at my husband's vet clinic, as my husband who works for a vet out of state. I turned over all records to the rescue who was awesome. Today my husband gets a phone call from a Mackenzie at Critters and Such at his vet clinic about this rescue dog. She was beyond rude and unprofessional. Someone better teach that girl how to interact with the public. If she acts that way on the phone, I would hate to see how she treats the animals there.

posted: 08/24/2020