Hillcrest Animal Hospital

4.2 (754)
227 N Alpine Rd, Rockford, IL 61107, USA

Hours:

Monday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Thursday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Friday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Hillcrest 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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Janice Woolsey

I have been going to Hillcrest for nearly 40 years. They have taken excellent care of all my fur babies. My kids now take their fur kids their too. I'm so glad they went to appointments. It cuts down on the wait time. I wouldn't take my babies anywhere else. Dr Long is the Best!!

posted: 08/09/2022

Mallory V

Consistently having me make appointments, telling me that there could be something very life threatening going on with my dog which is incredibly stress inducing to hear, just to have me spend in total 374$ to say that everything is fine anyways. I will unfortunately be going to a new vet from now on, I cannot afford to dump money into anymore "we aren't really sure" sentiments. Other than that, the staff is at least very friendly.

posted: 09/12/2023

Pauliana Landreth

I cannot say enough good things about this place. The staff, vet techs and doctors are exceptional. They are helpers and healers and have the best intentions when it comes to your pets. 10/10 would recommend to anyone.

posted: 06/28/2023

Judy Castrey

Love all appointments bookings...no waiting in line. Took a cat I recently rescued from the humane society for a wellness check and staff was very efficient and friendly. Vet was awesome. Been going here over 30 years and it's very well ran now.

posted: 09/23/2022

C. S. Stardy

My cat, a rescue, starting getting a hot spot April 2022. I tried things like prescription and over-the-counter creams, but she would lick them off and continue to scratch the hot spot on her leg as well as other parts of her body. I ended up putting her in an e-collar and pet shirt, which helped but still did not completely prevent her from scratching herself to the point of bleeding. There were times that the wound would heal for a bit, but then she would scratch it all over again, especially after I took off the cone and shirt. So, I would put her back into the e-collar and shirt. It was a frustrating, never-ending cycle for over a year. Due to financial constraints, I couldn't keep taking her to the vet every few weeks. Dr. Hall figured out that my cat has a sensitivity to mites and prescribed Credelio (~$20/mo). About 2 months into the treatment, she stopped scratching herself and her wound started healing. At the last appointment, Dr. Hall suggested that I try leaving the cone and shirt off and give her a bath. It's been 2 days and my cat has not scratched herself! Thank you, Dr. Hall! You really know your stuff. Attached is a picture of my grateful cat sunning.

posted: 08/24/2023