Torch Lake Veterinary Clinic

4.2 (94)
6855 Rapid City Rd NW, Rapid City, MI 49676, USA

Hours:

Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

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 Torch Lake Veterinary Clinic

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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Sean

Sadly, I had to put my 13 year old dog down, as she was in a lot of pain. She had seen this vet for many of those years. I called and was told that I would need to wait until next week when the vet would be available. Fortunately, I found a local clinic that was able to get me in that day and do a fantastic job in a very difficult situation. I did call and strongly suggest that in the future, they establish a connection with another vet so that they may refer people in desperate need of a service.

posted: 08/07/2023

Melissa Daniels

I brought my pet on a recommendation from another vet ( who is also receiving g a poor review) for an ultrasound to better check a mass.I was told my dog had a large mass surrounding her spleen. I was told my dog was FULL of cancer, would not likely tolerate the surgery, and if she did make it would have a horrible recovery. Dog should be put down.I decided to get a different opinion. Emergency vet said dog is a prime candidate for surgery. With nothing left to do besides let the dog starve to death, bleed to death or euthanize - we decided to try out hand On a surgery. Come to find out - no cancer at all. A begine hematoma and the dog is doing absolutely wonderful. Would never come nor recommend this place

posted: 07/21/2023

Lorie Compton

It is very hard to get ahold of them but the doctor is good i just think her business grew faster than she could

posted: 07/26/2023

Stephanie McCown

In June 2022 we took our 14 year old dog, Princess, to see the vet when it appeared she had injured her eye. Her eye had been bleeding profusely, and she would not allow us to clean her up enough to see what happened. So, off to the vet we go. The doctor gave her a brief exam, then took her to clean up her eye a bit to determine what happened. A few minutes later, she brought her back, all cleaned up. She didn't tell us what happened until asked, at which point she said it looks like there was a small abrasion. I could see no obvious injury, but took her word for it. On our way home, my dad, who I had accompanied to the appointment, thought he better ask the doctor about Princess's quality of life and at what point she would be put down. He pulled over and called the clinic. Now, admittedly, my dad is a straight shooter and not always tactful, so his questions were blunt. The doctor told him that even if Princess were completely blind, they wouldn't automatically put her down, because they look at quality of life and Princess seemed healthy. Mind you, the doctor had spent less than half an hour with Princess. She asked no questions concerning her quality of life, and didn't recommend a quality of life appointment even as my dad inquired about putting her down. My niece was at the clinic with her own dog at the time of the phone call, and said that after the phone call, the doctor was basically saying my dad was crazy and just wanted to put down a healthy dog. Fast forward to November. Shortly before Thanksgiving, an awful smell suddenly starting coming off of Princess. The next day, her eye started bleeding again. She allowed my dad and my niece to clean her up, at which point my niece discovered the blood was coming from behind her eye. There was no abrasion in November, just as there hadn't been one in June. We called another vet, who immediately suggested a quality of life check, which would happen the very next morning. The vet took the time to talk with my niece and understand what Princess's life was like day to day, and determined it would be merciful to put her down. The day before Thanksgiving, Princess crossed the Rainbow Bridge. It is our belief that Princess had a tumor or cyst of some kind behind the eye that was bleeding, and the bleeding was caused by something rupturing. Had the vet at the Torch Lake clinic taken the time to ask questions and understand my dad's concerns, Princess may not have had to endure several more months of suffering. She was not the same dog after the initial incident in June, and she suffered needlessly because the doctor made assumptions about my dad. I will never recommend Torch Lake Vet Clinic to anyone. The dismissive, unprofessional conduct of the doctor caused a sweet pup needless pain.

posted: 01/03/2023

Taylor Baker

If I could choose 0 stars as an option I would. When I first came to Torch Lake Veterinary Clinic I was so happy. In May of 2022 I brought our, at the time, 4 month old puppy in for his initial exam and to meet the vet, Dr. Waffle. At our first appointment with our dog she stated, "Look at these dewclaws, they look like they are about to fall right off." She then told me not to worry about getting them removed because when she neuters him they will take them off. We set a date for my puppy when he is 8 months old to be neutered. A day after he was neutered and at home recovering I noticed that he still has his dewclaws.I called the vet before they closed 4 times and the first time I left a voicemail requesting someone call me back. On my fourth call the receptionist talked to me and was extremely unprofessional and made it seem like my fault that his dewclaws were not removed as it was not in their notes and I did not say anything on the day of surgery. Please note that this is my first dog I have owed and will now know better in the future however it is not my fault that the conversation with the vet was not in their notes and I was told not to worry about it. The receptionist on that phone call also told me that the vet was not in the rest of the week due to her being at a conference. I followed up the next week multiple times requesting the vet to call me to further discuss what to do next. Dr. Waffle not once called me back and instead had her employees call me back to tell me they would not help with the situation and I would have to pay another $300.00 to have them taken off. I am extremely disappointed with this situation and the lack of accountability and integrity of Dr. Waffle and will no longer be going to Torch Lake Veterinary Clinic.

posted: 10/07/2022