Iowa Veterinary Specialties

3.5 (290 reviews)
6110 Creston Ave, Des Moines, IA 50321, USA

Hours

Monday Open 24 hours Tuesday Open 24 hours Wednesday Open 24 hours Thursday Open 24 hours Friday Open 24 hours Saturday Open 24 hours Sunday Open 24 hours

How to Save on Veterinary Costs at Iowa Veterinary Specialties

Preventive care

Routine wellness exams can help identify health issues early, often before they become more serious or expensive to treat. Regular checkups are one of the most effective ways to manage long term veterinary costs.

Compare prescription pricing

Some pet medications prescribed at veterinary clinics may also be available through local or online pharmacies. It can be helpful to compare pricing when appropriate to reduce ongoing medication costs.

Consider pet insurance

Pet insurance may help cover a portion of eligible veterinary expenses depending on the plan, including accidents, illnesses, and in some cases preventive care. Coverage details, reimbursement levels, and deductibles vary by provider.

Why Pet Insurance Information Appears on This Page

Looking for information about Iowa Veterinary Specialties? This page also includes pet insurance resources to help pet parents understand how to prepare for unexpected veterinary expenses.

Veterinary care costs can vary widely depending on the type of visit, treatment, or emergency. Many pet parents explore pet insurance before they need it so they are better prepared when unexpected situations arise.

How to Choose a Pet Insurance Provider

Pet Insurance Review helps pet parents compare insurance providers using verified customer reviews and real-world experiences. Our tools make it easier to evaluate providers based on claims experience, service quality, and overall satisfaction.

We have collected more than 220,000 reviews from pet parents, creating one of the largest independent databases of pet insurance feedback available.

How rankings are determined

Unexpected veterinary expenses can happen at any clinic. The providers below are ranked using verified reviews submitted by real pet parents through Pet Insurance Review. Results reflect overall satisfaction, claims experience, and value based on real world feedback. Rankings are updated regularly as new reviews are submitted.

Top Pet Insurance Providers of 2026
Rating Provider Total Review
4.8 Adoro 19
4.5 AKC 1,801
4.4 ASPCA 12,241
4.9 Embrace 19,993
4.9 Fetch 5,953
4.1 Figo 2,872
4.4 Hartville 183
4.9 Healthy Paws 11,393
4.8 Lemonade 833
4.6 ManyPets 2,416
4.7 MetLife 11,391
4.8 Nationwide 25,758
3.9 Pet Assure 15
4.3 PetPartners 121
4.9 Pets Best 15,384
4.8 Prudent Pet 2,878
4.7 Pumpkin 3,592
4.6 Spot 11,639
4.9 Trupanion 55,033

Compare Pet Insurance Plans

You can compare coverage options from multiple providers to find a plan that fits your budget and your pet’s healthcare needs.


Getting to Know Your Veterinarian

Choosing a veterinarian is an important decision for pet parents. A strong vet relationship is built on trust, communication, and understanding your pet’s individual needs.

Experience

Ask whether the clinic has experience treating your specific type of pet, since care can vary between dogs, cats, and pocket pets.

Emergency Care Procedures

It’s helpful to understand how the clinic handles after-hours emergencies, including whether they provide emergency services or refer to nearby emergency hospitals.

Communication Preferences

Ask how the clinic communicates with pet parents, including updates, test results, and follow up questions.

Breed Specific Health Considerations

Some breeds may be more prone to certain health conditions. Early awareness can help with prevention and early treatment.

Facility Tour

If available, touring the clinic can help you and your pet feel more comfortable before the first visit.


Final Note

Pet care decisions often involve both medical and financial considerations. Having access to trusted veterinary information alongside pet insurance comparisons can help pet parents feel more confident when planning for their pet’s health and wellbeing.

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Reviews from Google

3.5

290 reviews

I was super impressed with this service. The staff was so very empathetic and understanding. Our 14 year old Rottie had passed in the parking lot and we were allowed a room to grieve. Blue Pearl would have charged us $1200 for euthanasia (without memorabilia) whilst IVS was quoting a little under $600 (with memorabilia). Much more reasonable pricing and a truly lovely staff. Should I ever be caught in an emergency with my pets again, this is where I’ll be coming. Thank you to the front desk lady and the nurse who helped us. With all the chaos I missed your names. Thanks for your understanding and patience for us and Rogue.

Jan 11, 2024

The staff and vet were incredible in what was the hardest decision I ever had to make. My sweet Bandit ended up having a seizure and they took care of Bandit from the moment they helped get him out of the car. Unfortunately, Bandit had a brain tumor and I had to make the decision to put him to sleep. The staff was compassionate and let me have as much time as I needed. I picked up Bandit's ashes today and he came home in a beautiful box with a loving card.

Jan 17, 2024

Couldn’t say enough good things about the staff here we had to take my daughters 17 year old cat here late at night to be put to sleep cuz he was passing from as soon as walked in door staff was amazing they gave us time to say our good byes even understood my daughter on phone from across the country wanted to be involved in process of saying good bye

Nov 17, 2023

I brought my Guinea pig in around 12am-1am due to I believe having bloat. Was extremely puffy which was indicating pain and just overall not doing okay. The vet that had seen her didn’t do anything for her and didn’t really know too much about Guinea pigs in general in my opinion. I had to ask her if she had a feel around her belly instead of her coming in and telling me what she found during her exam. I feel like she did not take me seriously. She also told me to stop using meloxicam when it’s very obvious she was in a lot of pain. When I asked what else I should do for pain management she said “why exactly do you think she’s in pain?” After I had already explained numerous times she was very puffy in pain. In Guinea pigs, sitting puffy is one of the number one signs of pain. I also had to mention using cisapride along side metaclopromide as they target two different parts of the gut. Not sure why the vet wouldn’t have brought it up instead of me but she had okayed it. They didn’t have any in stock so I was told to call my regular vet. I called the following day to talk to them about getting cisapride from another vet and the lady I talked to was very rude. She told me they don’t “normally do that.” I asked what she was referring to and she said it seemed like I was the one asking for the medication and they don’t just give out medications. Except the night prior, the doctor agreed to give me some cisapride but they just happened to be out of stock. I really needed an X-ray to determine what was going on and X-rays were $700 dollars. It was also a $179 dollar fee just to be seen. I understand emergency clinics are more expensive but it gets to a point where the prices are unreasonable. I pay 40 dollars for an X-ray at my vet. Again, understand it is an emergency clinic but 700 for X-rays is absurd. I am now without any answers except for the knowledge I have myself & out basically $200 for nothing. The last tech I had talked to was very very nice though. Did not catch her name but she was very friendly. I do not recommend this place.

Feb 17, 2024

Waited three plus hours for vet to present an over one thousand dollar estimate for treatment. In that three plus hour time period nothing was done. Nothing. Another two plus hours lapsed and then a bill was presented. Focus of this review is the bill and time spent, as the first was the priority for this place and the second was not. Treatment was definitely not a priority.

Jan 6, 2024