Chicago Veterinary Geriatrics
5 (19) 6800 N Oakley Ave, Chicago, IL 60645, USAHours:
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: Closed
Sunday: Closed
How to Save Money at Chicago Veterinary Geriatrics
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:
| Rating | Provider | Total Review |
|---|---|---|
| 4.4 | AKC | 895 |
| 4.5 | ASPCA | 12,067 |
| 4.9 | Embrace | 19,675 |
| 4.9 | Fetch | 5,109 |
| 4.1 | Figo | 2,814 |
| 4.5 | Hartville | 179 |
| 4.9 | Healthy Paws | 10,919 |
| 4.8 | Lemonade | 819 |
| 4.6 | ManyPets | 2,413 |
| 4.6 | MetLife | 7,195 |
| 4.8 | Nationwide | 21,418 |
| 3.9 | Pet Assure | 15 |
| 4.3 | PetPartners | 120 |
| 4.9 | Pets Best | 14,554 |
| 4.8 | Pumpkin | 2,913 |
| 4.6 | Spot | 10,498 |
| 4.9 | Trupanion | 58,886 |
| 4.8 | Prudent Pet | 2,601 |
Or, you can simply get a fast quote from multiple providers and go from there.
Thinking of insuring your pet?
Get Quotes & CompareGetting 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
Dr. Cook immediately put to rest any concerns I had with a decision this important. From the moment we made the appointment to put our dog down, him and his staff were so incredibly helpful. Taking us through everything that he was doing, and especially how our dog was going to feel. Taking his time to answer any questions or concerns we had, but more importantly giving us any extra time we wanted with our dog, who he could tell was such an important part of our family. His expertise and experience was shown through every action he took to make sure it was as peaceful and effortless as it could be for us.
posted: 02/06/2026
Recently had to schedule a euthanasia for my dog. I can’t say enough how WONDERFUL the service was. My dog Zz was a very nervous dog and hated going to the vets office. She was dog reactive and always shaking like a leaf when we would go in. Learning about an at home euthanasia what a game changer, I had no idea this was an option. This is how I would continue putting my pets down. CVG/Dr. Cook and staff were the kindest and most thorough team I’ve ever encountered. Everything was listed out and explained over to me. What options I had in terms of burial/cremation, keepsakes and clear price listing. Also, very informative on what to expect before, during and after the appointment. Dr. Cooks’ calm demeanor was felt and appreciated in the home. Zz was relaxed the whole time. Everything was explained to me clearly and was not rushed during the appointment. Afterwards, the handling of her was with such care. You can tell how much love and respect he has for animals. Her passing truly felt like she was just going to sleep. He even provided me resources to navigate my grief, that was such a kind touch. In contrast to what it’s like going to a euthanasia, this option has made my grieving process so much easier and smoother. 10/10 would always recommend, especially if you have an anxious dog like mine. I only wish I would have started meeting with a geriatric vet sooner. But with this being my first time, I was very impressed and couldn’t be happier with how Zz met her next stage in life.
posted: 02/05/2026
Dr Cook was extremely kind and patient with us and very gentle with our sweet little Lilly. He made a horrible situation better than it otherwise would have been. We highly recommend him.
posted: 03/21/2023
I don’t even know how to begin to thank Dr. Cook and his team for what they’ve done for my family—not once, but twice. He first came into our lives to help my beloved senior dog, Pearl, pass peacefully at home. It was one of the hardest days of my life, and his compassion and gentleness stayed with me long after. I never imagined our paths would cross again—but a few months later, I adopted a puppy who turned out to be very sick. When multiple vets told us we should consider euthanasia, we brought her home and called Dr. Cook. He didn’t just treat Opal—he believed in her. He saw her fight to live when no one else did. He helped us find a medication plan that gave her real quality of life. He saw her regularly over the next several months, and it was clear he truly cared about her. No matter the hour, he would sit with us on the phone and walk us through her protocol when we were desperate and scared. He didn’t just help Opal—he helped us, too. When Opal passed away, he went above and beyond—offering grief resources and sending sincere condolences. Even though our hearts are broken, I keep thinking about how important it is to write this—my very first Google review. If you’re finding Dr. Cook under circumstances like ours, my heart goes out to you. Just know your pet is in the most capable, compassionate hands. Dr. Cook and his entire team are truly extraordinary.
posted: 04/16/2025
My baby Noodle (ferret 3yo male) was diagnosed with metastatic lymphoma out of the blue after finding him one morning unable to walk, he had no prior warning signs and had just been to the vet 1 month prior. After rushing him to the ER, visiting multiple specialists, various tests, imaging and doing all we could diagnostically it was determined it was terminal and he had hours-days to live. With such a short period of hospice before he would be in pain and his "exotic" species there was large concern for his quality of life and if euthanasia could even be performed at home. But I had made a promise to noodle that he would stay with his family until the end and so we took him home for hospice. After researching and calling at least 5 services over the course of 2 days there was no one that could service exotic pets and none within the short time frame noodle was given. As noodles condition deteriorated we became frantic trying to keep our promise and keep him from suffering, I was referred to CVG and Dr.cook by other services who couldn't assist and within the hour CVG responded and became our saving grace. After scheduling his goodbye, noodle deteriorated further and Dr.cook was able to fit-us in even-earlier in order to keep noodle from suffering. The CVG staff were kind and informative, and even given the gravity of the situation made the process as easy as possible. Dr.cook himself was kind, compassionate and was an advocate for both noodle and his paw-rents. Nothing can make saying goodbye easy, but Dr.Cook was equally knowledgeable about veterinary care as with emotional advocacy and allowed our goodbye to be the best it could possible be. CVG saved us when no-one could and it was the best possible decision we could have made. Even after our goodbye to noodle CVG was there to support us. I cannot recommend them strongly enough especially for Exotic care. CVG and dr.cook are heros in the worst of times.
posted: 03/28/2025
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