Brainerd Animal Health Center

4.9 (93)
County Rd A28, Sapello, NM 87745, 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: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

How to Save Money at Brainerd Animal Health Center

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
Sharon Sandoval

Where to start... Dr Brainerd has been my doggies vet going on three years. We have had our dog Oreo seen when her two back legs were broken. Most vets would have said it would be best to put her down. When he seen my daughter sad and crying he said he would do everything he could to fix her she is now a cyborg and happy and walking and running and playing. My doggie Blue was first seen when he was a pup and had parvo Doc took him over the weekend and gave him IVs and in no time Blue was healthy just yesterday Blue was worked on when he dislocated his leg jumping out of the truck and he is healing perfectly. Doc, Amber and of course Gary have always been so nice to our pups. Thank you for being awesome!

posted: 03/09/2023

Leo
Leo

Best vet in northern nm , Dr Brainerd has been our family's pet health care provider for years,.

posted: 04/29/2023

Randy Turpin

By far the best Vet I have ever went to. The whole staff is amazing.

posted: 05/17/2023

Matthew La Vigne

BEST veterinary clinic in the San Miguel area! Dr Brainerd is excellent in every way shape and form and great with your pet! His staff is outstanding as well. I won't take my dogs or any animal to anybody else but to the wonderful folks at Brainerd Animal Health Center

posted: 09/05/2022

Terry Randall

Dr. Brainard is a great vet. He and his staff were wonderful when my senior companion, Chase, had cancer. The hardest day of my life to say farewell to such a wonderful friend, she was just shy of her 12th birthday...I owed her so much for all those years of protection and unconditional love, Dr. Brainard gave me my time for one last 'Thank you' and a very painful day. But i promised that my vain would never cloud my judgement to let her go when it was time...

posted: 10/13/2019