Spears Animal Hospital

4.6 (144)
3014 S Illinois Ave, Carbondale, IL 62903, USA

Hours:

Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Wednesday: 8:00 – 11:00 AM

Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Spears 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 11,409
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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Nina

Dr Tichacek is a very caring veterinarian. He was understanding of my anxiety as we worked through steps to diagnose my dog. As test results came in, he called personally to tell me results, his diagnosis and next steps. She’s on the mend now, which is the best review of their services.

posted: 05/07/2023

plumfairy28

My dogs have always been treated with great care. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

posted: 08/08/2023

Douglas Ridings

They got us in the same day we called. Dr.Placek was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. She walked us through a few options and let us choose what was best for our dog. They are very reasonable on price as well.

posted: 04/21/2023

Amy Frailey

My dog, Lilly was misdiagnosed by Spears. They said she had a 5/6 heart murmur and was in congestive heart failure. Lilly ended up getting sick (prob from all the heart medication she was on) and we had to go to a different vet. They couldn’t hear a heart murmur at all, so we got another opinion and they couldn’t heart it either. Both vets wouldn’t recommend she be on heart medication because no one could even hear a heart murmur. I’m so mad at Spears, how could they misdiagnosed my dog and have us on $200+ heart medication for no reason? I will never go to spears again and I have advised all my friends and family to do the same. We had 2 cats and 2 dogs going to spears for years but we immediately switched to lakeside in herrin (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

posted: 05/10/2023

Chelsea Czirr

Very good business. I had to put my cat down and they were very professional and emotionally understanding. I will continue to bring my other animals here.

posted: 05/25/2023