Heartland Animal Hospital

4.8 (141)
203 Illinois Ave # A, Council, ID 83612, USA

Hours:

Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Heartland Animal Hospital

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 11,411
4.9 Embrace 14,234
4.9 Fetch 2,051
4.4 Figo 2,579
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 21,393
4.3 Pet Assure 12
4.7 PetPartners 110
4.5 Pets Best 7,196
4.3 Pumpkin 1,163
4.7 Spot 5,260
4.9 Trupanion 60,297
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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Melissa Page

I just want to give a shout out to Heartland Animal Hospital Council Idaho and Bruce D. Gardner, DVM for helping our Sweet Monkey bird get back to feeling like herself! 🗣️ Local friends with exotic pets 👉🏻if you didn’t already know that they can be seen in Council, THEY CAN!!! and I highly recommend!!! 🙌🏻 A few of my friends that own exotics were not aware, so I wanted to spread the word. Friday morning, while getting ready to leave for a camping weekend, Jake noticed she was keeping one eye closed. We observed her for a bit and felt better when we saw her open it. Nothing appeared abnormal, so we chalked it up to her just being goofy, or maybe there was something in it. We came back Sunday to find the same side nostril was enlarged with a bit of clear discharged as well as her eye appeared to be slightly swollen. Monday Morning, it seemed worse and she was not her normal self with her usual happy chatter/extra sleeping. 🥺 I had stayed up late looking up reviews and locations for Avian veterinarians, knowing she needed to be seen, (thanks Dr Google!) 🤣 and decided to try Council, knowing the chances were slim, since I have tried to find more local resources for her in the past. They were able to get her in early the next day and the entire staff were so kind and friendly! When I heard that there are two Macaws of his own that live in his office, I knew that he would be knowledgable in Avian care and able to help. After a quick test and a shot for a bacterial infection, we were on our way and she was back to her perky self the next day! This saved me at least 2 hrs of driving in traffic and was WAY more affordable then it would have been if I had chosen to take her to Nampa. (Trust me on this!) I got quotes.🤣 So thankful I checked first, before just assuming that we would have to travel to have her seen. 💕🙏💕

posted: 08/17/2023

Julie

Dr. Gardner is amazing! Moving back up, I was expecting vet visits to be in Boise. Our business of ferrets are considered exotic. So, my family was relieved that Heartland Animal Hospital accepted us! Dr. Gardner is personable, professional, and informative. The staff are wonderful as well! They are so polite and prompt! I am very thankful for everything ya'll do!

posted: 12/27/2022

Elizabeth Mace

Bruce is holding my puppies captive and refuses to work out a payment plan for my puppies to come home they're miserable there not only is he keeping them from me he refuses to even let me see them, so instead of working something out he instead decides to charge an extra 100$ per day making it Impossible for me too get them out!! Is this even legal? Because I didn't sign anything stating that he has the right to keep my dogs from me, not did I sign anything agreeing that he can then sell them if I can't pay him

posted: 07/26/2023

Alon Shurtz

Bruce and his staff are like family to me and my fur babies... always kind and caring. Going the extra mile to make sure all is well..

posted: 07/16/2023

Kyleigh Foster

This is Fawn and Willow 🐾 Willow came into our family very fragile and sick at 1.2 pounds and dropped weight that was very dangerous..... Dr. Bruce and the staff welcomed her with the best care and love. You can tell that they truly love what they do in this small community and for all pets big.... And very very small. Thank you for welcoming us and for your amazing care.

posted: 09/30/2022