Thomas Veterinary Clinic

4.8 (101)
17591 US-34, Ottumwa, IA 52501, 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: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Thomas Veterinary 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 11,409
4.9 Embrace 14,230
4.9 Fetch 2,045
4.4 Figo 2,578
4.7 Hartville 164
4.9 Healthy Paws 7,477
4.9 Lemonade 783
3.2 ManyPets 2,153
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 1,163
4.7 Spot 5,259
4.9 Trupanion 60,296
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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Bethany Smith

Thomas vet took me in as a new client for an emergency with my cat flash. They were super helpful and considerate they were even cheaper than that I had went to beforehand, who sent me home, saying he would just be sore. Thomas ended up keeping him overnight and doing everything they could and he still passed away. Although he passed away, I have nothing bad to say, and only praised them for being such kind people they were considerate enough to take paw prints and a nose print. That left me crying. when asking to cremate him I didn’t even think about that. They also were not in any rush to get their money and let me wait until I picked his remains up. Although it’s an hour from my house, I plan on taking all my other pets here from now on. I write through happy tears of having the prints and plan on telling everyone how great they are.

posted: 08/15/2023

Amanda Pearson

Thomas vet has been taking car of my fur babies for 25+ years. I had an experience on 5/28 that reminded me why I'll never go anywhere else. I came home from work on Sunday, the day before memorial day, to find my youngest kitty having urinary issues. I called the emergency number and in less than 15mins I received a call from Dr. Emily. I explained the issue with my kitty and asked for her recommendation. She was completely honest about what she thought I should do and the approximate pricing of the emergency visit. Since I live over an hour away we set the soonest time to meet at the office. Dr. Emily was amazing! She treated my baby like her own, despite having her vacation interrupted. She answered all the questions I had as to why the issue occurred so quickly and what could cause it. She even offered to send me literature on it as well as a preventative measure. Thank you so much, Dr Emily!

posted: 05/30/2023

Ashlyn Chance

I seriously can not thank Thomas vet enough, had a very frustrating situation happening and Dr. Emily literally was a life saver and was very caring and did an amazing job fixing something from a previous vet. I can not thank her enough!! She’s amazing!

posted: 05/09/2023

EMO girl

Got myself a new little pupper and was totally convinced that he was breathing too fast. Called Dr. Thomas and she got me in and like and hour. She listened to his heart and said "he's fine". Lol. I appreciate SO MUCH that they got me in so fast!!!!!!!!!!!! I love this vet! Update: may 30, 2022 Took my chonky pupper back for his booster shots. He learned about heart worm, and even found a Bassett on the dog chart.

posted: 06/03/2022

Laura Laughlin

My dog got hit by a car and they were so warming to me and my baby, they helped put me at ease that he was gonna be okay and handle him so well. As small as he is. The staff was fantastic. I refuse to go anywhere else.

posted: 03/17/2023