South Carolina Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Care
4.2 (1037) 3924 Fernandina Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, USAHours:
Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours
How to Save Money at South Carolina Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Care
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:
| Rating | Provider | Total Review |
|---|---|---|
| 4.4 | AKC | 894 |
| 4.5 | ASPCA | 12,057 |
| 4.9 | Embrace | 20,305 |
| 4.9 | Fetch | 27,409 |
| 4.1 | Figo | 2,786 |
| 4.5 | Hartville | 177 |
| 4.9 | Healthy Paws | 10,736 |
| 4.8 | Lemonade | 815 |
| 4.6 | ManyPets | 2,428 |
| 4.6 | MetLife | 5,637 |
| 4.8 | Nationwide | 21,417 |
| 3.9 | Pet Assure | 15 |
| 4.4 | PetPartners | 117 |
| 4.3 | Pets Best | 14,113 |
| 4.7 | Pumpkin | 2,549 |
| 4.6 | Spot | 9,855 |
| 4.8 | Trupanion | 62,914 |
| 4.8 | Prudent Pet | 2,445 |
Or, you can simply get a fast quote from multiple providers and go from there.
Thinking of insuring your pet?
Get Quotes & CompareGetting 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
During such a confusing & difficult time with our sweet baby boy’s decline in his health everyone was so very caring & compassionate. The genuine kindness and sincere sympathy helping us navigate & make very hard decisions for our precious fur baby will always be a positive & appreciated experience. We thank everyone from the front administrative staff to the triage, & the experienced veterinarians!!! Your kindness will never be forgotten.
posted: 03/08/2025
So grateful to the staff (especially Sidney and the lady who made the paw print, I'm sorry I didn't catch her name) and doctors of this incredibly important establishment for helping make the passing of my sweet Rosie a little more bearable. This is unfortunately the 3rd pet I've had to say goodbye to here this year (the first was my mom's dog, the second a neighborhood cat) and though it never gets any easier to say goodbye, the compassion and care we have received each time makes it a little easier. The fact that these wonderful people were having to work on Christmas and still being present 100% means so much. Thank you for easing my concerns that she may have been in pain, and thank you for releasing her from her old, failing body. I will always be grateful to you all. ❤️
posted: 12/28/2024
Dr. Dietrich, and other Drs. and staff took great care of Ricky during his emergency visit for a urinary tract blockage. Always stressful when something happens to your pet. They are an emergency clinic so you have to be aware everything will be twice as expensive. Ricky my cat has a really difficult time at the vets always has he just gets really scared. I honestly think he enjoyed his time at SCVS tho😆 He was content and happy and received the best care and attention and is doing really well. They are extremely thorough attentive and caring and I would definitely recommend using them in scary situations. Facility is beautiful and clean. Thanks Everyone! Kelle
posted: 02/27/2025
I cannot say enough about the compassion, care and expertise of the Vets and staff. I recently had a very sick GSD. Unfortunately, he was too sick and suffering. It came on very suddenly. They gave him the utmost in care but in the end I chose to let him suffer no more. It was so apparent that my pain was also theirs. They helped me through the process and my baby left with dignity and love. I hope you never have to go here but if you do, know your fur baby is in good, loving hands. RIP Scout.
posted: 01/24/2025
My family and I unfortunately had to make the hard decision to put our childhood dog to sleep this past week. I want to thank all of the staff especially Dr. Dietrich and Ryan, who were so kind to our family during such a hard time! They were compassionate and attentive. They walked us through a hard situation while also listening to us talk and laugh about our sweet pippin. We were given as much space as we needed to make this decision and had lots of time to sit with our baby and give him lots of love before having to let him go. He was with us for 16 years and lived a happy and full life. Making this decision was awful, but im glad we were in the right hands and I knew our pippy would not be suffering anymore. We had a team of great people handle him with love and care and that means the world to our family because he was so special to us. We just got his ashes back and everything turned out wonderful❤️. We will miss pippin forever.
posted: 12/11/2024
Veterinarians in Columbia, South Carolina
Ambassador Animal Hospital
5317 Forest Dr, Columbia, SC 29206, USA(803) 787-3840
Animal Dermatology Clinic
1321 Oakcrest Dr, Columbia, SC 29223, USA(803) 999-1838
Banfield Pet Hospital
4400 Fort Jackson Blvd Ste 300, Columbia, SC 29209, USA(803) 738-3763
Banks Animal Hospital
6070 St Andrews Rd, Columbia, SC 29212, USA(803) 798-6252
BluePearl Pet Hospital
3912 Fernandina Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, USA(803) 798-0803
Cabe Robert L DVM
124 Stonemark Ln, Columbia, SC 29210, USA(803) 750-7387
Capital Animal Hospital
511 Beltline Blvd, Columbia, SC 29205, USA(803) 722-1738
Care-A-Van
1275 Bower Pkwy, Columbia, SC 29212, USA(803) 465-9196