VCA Veterinary Emergency Service & Veterinary Specialty Center

3.5 (302)
4902 E Broadway, Madison, WI 53716, USA

Hours:

Monday: 8:00 AM – 12:00 AM

Tuesday: Open 24 hours

Wednesday: Open 24 hours

Thursday: Open 24 hours

Friday: 12:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Saturday: 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Sunday: 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM

How to Save Money at VCA Veterinary Emergency Service & Veterinary Specialty 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 2025
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 & 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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Staci Erickson

VCA Madison was so great to me when I had to bring my dog in at 10pm on a Tuesday night for vomiting and bloody diarrhea. They triaged us very quickly and were so friendly. Dr. Palmer and Dr. Gunn were especially helpful and took the time to explain everything to me. When I had to bring him back the next day because his symptoms worsened they helped me through a very scary hospitalization. They were so friendly every time I called with question or concern and helped me transfer my pup to the Middleton location when their hours changed.

posted: 11/13/2025

Ashley Olszewski

Recently rushed my baby Kado to this location for severe vomiting, and now that we’re finally home resting and recovering together, I wanted to commend the staff and facility for his care. Big shoutout to the receiving techs working the front desk and doing primary intake evals- they’re so lovely and kind. And the biggest thank you to Dr. Palmer and her fellow staff for not only doing Kado’s surgery and monitoring his care so closely, but listening to all my nervous rambling and answering all the questions I had. Veterinary care is expensive; that’s just the time we live in. But everyone at VCA kept me informed and updated along the whole process so I could be prepared financially and focus on Kado’s recovery. We’re only about 28 hours home and he’s already showing less discomfort after major surgery (attached a pic of him happily interested in one of his chicken/rice/prescription kibble meals from today). Thank you all so much for helping my sweet boy and being so kind to me in the process.

posted: 09/14/2025

Kyle Herman

Even though we lost Marcus, our beloved black-and-white cat, my mother and I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Barreto and her staff at this Vet Emergency Center. Their kindness and quick action helped ease Marcus’s pain in his final moments. His sudden passing was deeply heartbreaking, but we take comfort in knowing he had a wonderful life here on our 40 acres. While our hearts feel the loss, we also recognized the need to open our home to other cats in need of love and care. Somewhere out there, shelter cats were waiting for a warm place to call home and a cozy spot by the Christmas tree. That’s when we found Max and Oliver, and they’ve already brought so much joy to our lives. To anyone visiting this clinic, we hope you never have to say goodbye to your pet, but if you do, rest assured you’ll be surrounded by compassionate and caring people who truly understand.

posted: 12/13/2024

Betsy Kelley

We have had too many visits to this clinic over the years for our senior pets, and we continue to choose them over other clinics because the staff has always been amazing. Specifically, we were there this week with our elderly dog who was so very sick with end stage renal disease. Every interaction we had with every staff member was kind, compassionate, patient and professional. Their jobs are so hard and they do them so well. We appreciate that they made a really hard day a little less awful.

posted: 10/03/2025

Joanne Heil

Dr. Thore and the staff here were wonderful when I needed to bring in my cat at 6:30 am on a Wednesday morning due to him showing signs of a urinary blockage. They took him back right away and kept me up to date on his condition and what to expect. They were very patient and listened as I gave them a quick run down of his health history and medications. The cost is about what I expected for emergency care and surgery. I am grateful they were available, especially since the first ER vet I called was at capacity and they graciously gave me the number for VCA. I don’t think I could have waited for my regular vets office to open.

posted: 09/11/2025