VCA County West Animal Hospital

4.2 (59)
1709 W Merchant St, Kankakee, IL 60901, USA

Hours:

Monday: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Wednesday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Thursday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Friday: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday: 7:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at VCA County West 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 11,392
4.9 Embrace 14,179
4.9 Fetch 1,995
4.4 Figo 2,561
4.7 Hartville 164
4.9 Healthy Paws 7,475
4.9 Lemonade 781
3.2 ManyPets 2,145
4.6 MetLife 487
4.8 Nationwide 21,391
4.3 Pet Assure 12
4.7 PetPartners 110
4.5 Pets Best 7,194
4.3 Pumpkin 1,131
4.7 Spot 5,194
4.9 Trupanion 60,280
4.8 Prudent Pet 124

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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Kelly Chandler

I absolutely LOVE VCA COUNTY WEST in Kankakee, Il! We have 2 dogs that we’ve been bringing them to since they were puppies ! One of our fur babies isn’t quite “ normal” we got him when he was only 2 weeks old . He was raised by humans and it shows . He has HUGE HUGE anxiety and fear that everyone is out to hurt him or us , his mom and dad ..He’s very scared when it comes to “strangers” and when he’s scared he sometimes can even act “ aggesive” . Anyway , our baby ( he’s 95 lbs ) had a seizure.. still unknown why.. all his blood work came back normal.. but I just want to give a HUGE thank you to his tech , Melinda Montgomery, otherwise known as Mindy .. she made this difficult visit so much easier by being very knowledgeable about Migo’s anxiety issues . She was very comforting to Migo and made him feel more at ease. And Dr B was also amazing !!! She also saw Migo’s fear and handled the situation so well !! We didn’t even have to put a muzzle on him ! I can’t say enough about VCA county West !! I love them !! Highly recommend!! The black and white one is Migo ! But thank you again Melinda and Dr B !! You guys have one of the hardest jobs ever ! You never know when a bite is coming 😭😭 . I will always bring my fur babies to VCA !!

posted: 02/20/2022

Lauren

The staff at VCA is phenomenal. They were always willing to take the time to explain all options available for treatment, and I never felt like they were pushy. They took wonderful care of my Louie every time we had a visit. Unfortunately, Lou passed last year, but VCA is still at the top of my list. I will be bringing the newest feline addition to our family to see them soon!

posted: 10/04/2019

Steve

Took my 14 year old dog to VCA after being misdiagnosed at another Vet. VCA was great;, the vets all top notch, inside is very clean and welcoming. They all went above and beyond caring for Jake. My vet was Dr. G.

posted: 02/20/2019

Kyle H

Dr. McClaughry and her staff always take excellent care of our pets.

posted: 07/22/2023

Brianne Boehrnsen

I love Dr Finks and Lacy at VCA. They have been incredibly supportive and loving of my Sarah dog. Both have taken amazing care of her and genuinely care for her. All of the staff at the front are so kind and accommodating. It’s a wonderful feeling to walk in and Sarah dog is treated with the biggest welcome. I am obviously too but they are so excited to see her each time which makes the appointments that much easier.

posted: 08/20/2021