Howdershell Animal Clinic

4.7 (432)
440 Howdershell Rd, Florissant, MO 63031, USA

Hours:

Monday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Thursday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Friday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Saturday: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Howdershell Animal 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 5,697
4.9 Embrace 10,255
4.9 Fetch 174
4.4 Figo 587
4.7 Hartville 164
4.9 Healthy Paws 7,475
4.9 Lemonade 781
3.2 ManyPets 11
4.6 MetLife 424
4.8 Nationwide 21,391
4.3 Pet Assure 12
4.7 PetPartners 98
4.5 Pets Best 7,194
4.3 Pumpkin 54
4.7 Spot 160
4.8 Trupanion 55,007
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

hand swipe
lauren friedline

My family has been taking our pets here for a number of years. They used to be fantastic. Lately, the service has gone downhill. The front desk staff is disorganized. The vet we've had seems like she doesn't even like to be around dogs, and is an awkward experience. The only good thing I have to say is the vet assistants have still been nice. When leaving my last appointment, I told the vet I didn't need flea and tick treatment, just heartworm. When I left I was given and charged for all of the above. My fault for not checking--but after waiting around to be checked out, I just wanted to leave. I returned the flea and tick product. Instead of crediting me $220, they CHARGED me another $220. Note: they did not TELL me this receptionist messed up. Had I not looked at my statement, I may have missed it. So now I have close to $800 of charges from the vet and waiting 3-5 days for my multiple refunds. There was absolutely zero concern about this, and was just told like that wasn't a big deal or something to apologize for. I was already planning on not returning to this vet, but this has definitely solidified it. I would not recommend this vet at all.

posted: 08/24/2023

Steve Dallape

Our pets have all been patients here, and we have always been extremely pleased with the care they have received. The doctors and staff are all very pleasant, friendly and professional. They put one of our beloved dogs down for us, and could not have been more understanding, compassionate or accommodating.

posted: 06/28/2022

Shizu the devil slayer

My family and I had been going here for years and they use to be amazing but the level of quality has definitely dropped in the following years. First off one of my dogs that I’ve had ever since I was 12 had a bleeding nose, I called these people and it took them over an hour to get back to me only for them to send me somewhere else. Only took the other vet 10mins to diagnose him and prescribe him some antibiotics that they said I could get online and some medicine along with the antibiotics. Then there was another time where one of my other dogs had to go see. She got checked and was prescribed her meds, but my problem this time was with the lady at the front desk who thought talking with her friends was more important than dealing with someone who was ready to pay and leave. So I walked out and paid over the phone since my dog’s health was and still is more important than waiting for lady at front desk to finish tell her friends a story then doing her job. Now comes my last and final problem with them is that when I called them and it was nowhere near f their closing time no one picked up. Long story short, would not recommend them to anyone, would put zero stars if I could.

posted: 08/31/2023

Sass Boutique

I have been going to Howdershell Animal Clinic for 21 years for my pet needs. I have had several special needs rescue pets through the years. The doctors were able to help me provide quality care and quality of life. Each of them is very compassionate and dedicated to their work to help pets and parents. Their staff is also something they should be proud of. They work together as a cohesive team. They provide TLC to every pet they touch. I recommend them to anyone that needs help. They also work with several of our specialty care clinics for complex health cases, again as one cohesive team. Thank you to this incredible clinic for helping my fur babies stay happy and healthy. It means so very much to me! Photos of my dogs through the years are below.

posted: 12/08/2018

Jeff Murphy

The employees here have always taken great care of my dogs for the last 18 years

posted: 09/24/2023