Briar Patch Veterinary Hospital

4.7 (96)
706 Elmira Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850, 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: Closed

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Briar Patch Veterinary 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 11,392
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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Judi Gibbs

We have been taking our dog to Briar Patch Veterinary in Ithaca for 6 1/2 years. We have been impressed with the quality of care the Veterinarians and Staff have provided to our dog and us. They are knowledgeable, thoughtful, efficient, caring, kind, gentle, helpful and communicate well. Our dog is 13 1/2 years old and has many health issues. We are quite sure that he would not have been with us the last 5 years if it hadn't been for the knowledge and care that has been provided to him. We highly recommend Briar Patch for your pet/s.

posted: 06/12/2023

Virginia Marques

I'm not a client of BPVH however I was in a hard situation a month ago with my cat Henry who was in distress. My regular vet had covid and it was a Friday afternoon. So we had to take him from the house, which terrified him. I called everywhere, but Briar Patch made room for us and my Henry. Knowing we were there to euthanize him they made such a sweet room, a cozy fleece pink blanket, shades drawn, as close to our living room as can be. They were all so so sweet and kind. Left us to say our goodbyes, hugs, in private. It's really a lovely caring practice. My next cat will be a client for sure. Thank you so much!

posted: 08/24/2023

K
K

Amazing vet. Came here for a second opinion after my last vet had no solutions. They were so kind and laid out prices and options before they did anything. Definitely coming back. Thank you!

posted: 06/23/2023

Nicole Sorce

I’ve been coming here for years - first with my cat and now with two cats and a puppy! Everyone is extremely friendly and knowledgeable. I’ve gone through several surgical procedures and your pets will definitely be in good hands. Thank you Briar Patch for everything!

posted: 04/07/2023

Cate T.

I have been very happy thus far. I am a new client and my little dog, Keely, is a new patient. She may be nearing the end of her life, as she will be 14 and she has Canine Cognitive Disorder or Canine Dementia. Briar Patch will be the vet clinic that will euthanize Keely if need be. They were very helpful and informative even before I officially became a client. I took Keely in recently to meet one of the technicians and Dr. V.. They both spent a considerable amount of time with us, talking to me and getting to know us. Dr. V. told me not to hesitate to contact the office if I have additional questions or concerns. I highly recommend this practice and I am happy that I found them. Update: I continue to be extremely happy with the caring attitude of the entire staff. They have been very supportive and helpful during some difficult times for me and my little Keely. They are very easy to contact via phone, text or e-mail.To get follow-up phonecalls or texts is something I greatly appreciate and was not used to with my previous vet. practice. Last Update: Unfortunately, we had to euthanize our little Keely. Briar Patch and Dr. Visio were so wonderful throughout everything. They gave me many choices on a very sad afternoon. I would not hesitate to recommend them.

posted: 05/29/2019