Vetco Total Care Animal Hospital

4.5 (63)
990 Brook Forest Ave, Shorewood, IL 60404, 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: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sunday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

How to Save Money at Vetco Total Care 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 11,414
4.9 Embrace 14,242
4.9 Fetch 2,055
4.4 Figo 2,580
4.7 Hartville 164
4.9 Healthy Paws 7,477
4.9 Lemonade 783
3.2 ManyPets 2,156
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 5,275
4.9 Trupanion 60,301
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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Annie Monninger

Dr. Otto and his assistant were warm, kind, patient, and caring. They answered all my questions and I felt a million times better after my visit—I know my Sunny Girl did, too! I’ve also seen Dr. Otto for my Nolan and my Kozmo— in all cases, he made everything better. His kindness and openness, along with his personal experience as a cat owner himself, saved my nerves. I could not be happier with Dr. Otto. He is an absolutely amazing vet that truly understands our animals and our love for them!

posted: 12/02/2023

Robert Carlson

Hello Dr Otto and Staff, All I can say is Dr.Otto and His staff are very good people with your pets. I was concerned about my Poncho and The staff was very kind in such a way to make you feel as if it was there pet they where taking care of. Dr.Otto is a very professional that loves his job. Thank you so much Dr. And staff for reaching out to us in a couple of days with it's good results. Thank you Bob Carlson

posted: 03/22/2024

Debbie G

Took care of me a few minutes earlier than expected time. Doctor Otto gave me a brief about my Lunari. Efficient service and quick as well. Took my Lunari back so I wouldn't have to see her get shots. Doctor told me where immunization was located and what to expect the next few hours.

posted: 03/11/2024

Timberly Busby

This review is in no way reflective of the medical care my dog received. Dr. Otto & Nurse Xan are amazing. I drive all the way from Oakbrook to Shorewood to see Dr. Otto for both my pets because of his true interest and care for animals. However, the vetco hospital manager is the sole reason why I have rated this clinic experience 1 star. I made an emergency appointment for 10:30am Tuesday morning and took time off from work to take care of my dog's ear infection. When I got there, there was a different doctor there but there was no reason to believe the attending vet couldn't handle an ear exam & claro ear drop. Typically we muzzle my dog during this exam, because well... he's a dog with an ear infection and he doesn't like his ears messed with when they're in pain. Once he was muzzled the nurse took him back to the exam room. She came back rather quick and said the vet felt my dog was a bit difficult to deal with and he wasn't able to do the ear exam. I asked the nurse if i could be present for the exam to possibly calm him down. She went to ask the vet if that was ok but instead of coming back with an answer the Hospital "manager" came into the exam room and said we need to come back another day and my dog had to take a mild sedative in order to do the exam. I told the hospital "manager" that Dr. Otto was able to do the exam before without the sedative so we'll come back tomorrow when Dr. Otto is in and forego the sedative. She said NO doctor or nurse in the hospital will see my dog unless he has taken the sedative prior to his visit. I asked her does she speak for all the doctors and nurses and she said "yes i do, im the hospital manager". I said ok and came back the next day. Nurse Xan & Dr. Otto informed me that she cant and shouldn't have spoken on their behalf. Not only did she speak for Dr. Otto but she tried to keep Nurse Xan from helping with my dog during the ear examination. She also put on his chart that he was an aggressive dog. This "manager" was way out of line. How can a manager dictate what a licensed veterinarian can and cannot handle?? Also the sedative she FORCED us to buy and administer to my dog made him lethargic for the rest of the day and night. He didn't need to take the dosage suggested all for an ear exam and an updated rabies shot. Furthermore its a far reach to add "aggressive" to my dogs chart when we've been to this hospital before with no issues. If you muzzle a dog they're going to freak out. Also I don't quite understand individuals who go to school to become vets and then get nervous when a dog is scared and uncomfortable. Im disappointed with our experience here and if Dr. Otto didnt work there we would never come back.

posted: 01/21/2024

Suzanne Roark

The people who worked with us were, to begin with, very friendly. I wish I remembered the lady who was with us in the room at first because she’s who we talked with the most. She wasn’t just informative, but talked about extras that we asked about. I’ve already recommended your vet to a coworker.

posted: 01/28/2024