Vets Near Me > Louisiana > New Orleans > Gulf South Veterinary Dental Specialties

Gulf South Veterinary Dental Specialties

4.7
8300 Earhart Blvd Suite 101, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA

Best Pet Insurance in New Orleans, Louisiana 2025

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 Gulf South Veterinary Dental Specialties

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 891
4.5 ASPCA 11,779
4.9 Embrace 17,292
4.9 Fetch 21,986
4.2 Figo 2,603
4.7 Hartville 165
4.9 Healthy Paws 10,011
4.9 Lemonade 805
4.6 ManyPets 2,346
4.0 MetLife 658
4.8 Nationwide 21,407
4.3 Pet Assure 12
4.5 PetPartners 113
4.3 Pets Best 12,254
4.6 Pumpkin 1,477
4.6 Spot 7,087
4.9 Trupanion 76,215
4.8 Prudent Pet 125

Or, you can simply get a fast quote from multiple providers and go from there.

Thinking of insuring your pet?

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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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Mike Licari

Dr. Ribka was a godsend for us & our dog Bentley (13). After we noticed an abnormal growth on Bentley’s gums we took him to or normal vet, which did not have the equipment to give Bentley a proper diagnosis at their facility. So they referred us to Gulf South Dental Specialties & we could not have landed in a better spot. Dr. Ribka was amazingly kind & informative from the first visit. She was very honest, but not an alarmist. We felt extremely informed from start to finish. Not only was she able to diagnose his growth as a cancerous tumor, she removed everything that she needed to & after surgery came out & explained what she had done, step by step. On top of that, she also gave us a heads up that Bentley’s blood tests showed signs that he likely had hypothyroidism. She was 100% correct. We got a more extensive blood panel, he was diagnosed, & we have begun treatment for that. Hypothyroidism pills paired w/ his tumor extraction has turned him into a new dog. He has more energy, has lost weight, & also just moves about his daily routine so much more comfortably. We would recommend Gulf South Dental Specialties to anyone that values their pets health to the highest level. I will not lie, the cost of services is extremely hefty, & not everyone will have the option to utilize Dr. Ribka’s expertise. We likely could have found someone that would have completed our procedures for a lower cost, but honestly there’s no way I would ever want to put the life of our pet in the hands of someone less experienced & knowledgeable than Dr. Ribka, & I’m really glad we weren’t forced to. This experience was worth every penny. Thanks for everything Dr. Ribka. -Bentley, Mike, & Andrea

Erin Troendle

Dr. Ribka & her staff are beyond professional & compassionate. My cat was diagnosed with Feline Stomatitis, and Dr. Ribka was communicative about all of my options, patient with my anxiety, & came up with the best treatment plan I could have asked for. We decided to go forward with a Full Mouth Extraction, which can be a complicated surgery. Her thoroughness & attention to detail gave me confidence. She also utilizes a board-certified anesthesiologist, which is a major advantage over most vet clinics. My cat is recovering now, but I have optimism that after this surgery, he will have a much better quality of life. I cannot recommend or thank Dr. Ribka and her staff enough for all they have done for my cat & I! If your animal has a condition that requires a dental specialist, there is no better option than Gulf South. I’ve included photos of Toulouse post-op. He’s doing so well!

Colin Beyer

Dr. Ribka went above and beyond for our australian shepherd, Sheba. Sheba had a rare condition with her bone structure in her upper jaw, on top of having underlying chronic renal issues. Dr. Ribka was very thorough in explaining our options to us. She was very confident in her abilities to help our dog. We were quite impressed with how comfortable Sheba was made before and after the procedure. Sheba is now 2 weeks post operation and is better than ever.

Zeligman RVT

Dr. Ribka looked carefully over my dog "Dolly" and asked, "has she ever had a dental before??" Slightly embarrassed I replied, "yes, by ME six months ago". My name is Arianna and I am Registered Veterinary Technician student graduating this December! For a senior project I chose to use my poodle "Dolly" to learn how the professionals tackle teeth! I have been a technician for over 10 years, and I have never learned SO MUCH about veterinary dental care than with Dr. Ribka! When I arrived I was VERY impressed at the modern interior and equipment. The areas provided for the animals are over-the-top comfortable. Thick padded dog beds for everyone (large or small) in an area free from loud noise with cloth privacy screens that resemble pool-side cabanas. After meeting Dr. Ribka and her talented technicians Carli and Traci I could tell right away that they LOVE what they do!! Dr. Ribka and the technicians were very gentle and handled all the animals with an abundance of TLC. They were very attentive to the animals comfort level... emotionally and physically. Pain medications and nerve-blocks were administered to patients and they were offered head pillows, blanket swaddling and warming devices during and after surgery. When Dr. Ribka evaluated Dolly I learned that besides having periodontal disease and gingivitis, she also had over 20 uncomplicated crown fractures! WOW. The awesome staff showed me how to clean under her gums better and what products they like. They also smoothed out her fractures and used a high-tech sealant to protect them. I've attached a few pictures I took during my visit with my dog. They are NOT in order. I really DO recommend Gulf South Veterinary Dentistry & Oral Surgery in New Orleans. I would recommend this hospital to my clients in Baton Rouge, or to veterinarians in the area. The team here is EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!

Gerry

Cat teeth problems fixed, no following problems. Veterinarian Doctor and staff were polite and responsive.

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