Alhambra Animal Hospital: Heidi Henstra & Christine Carrillo, DVM

4.8 (25)
1501 W Mission Rd, Alhambra, CA 91803, USA

Hours:

Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Thursday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Alhambra Animal Hospital: Heidi Henstra & Christine Carrillo, DVM

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 893
4.5 ASPCA 11,887
4.9 Embrace 18,563
4.9 Fetch 26,402
4.2 Figo 2,619
4.6 Hartville 171
4.9 Healthy Paws 10,207
4.9 Lemonade 808
4.6 ManyPets 2,384
3.8 MetLife 743
4.8 Nationwide 21,412
4.0 Pet Assure 13
4.5 PetPartners 115
4.3 Pets Best 13,008
4.6 Pumpkin 1,697
4.6 Spot 8,173
4.9 Trupanion 60,968
4.8 Prudent Pet 1,838

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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Michelle Lynn

I'm not sure why this place is listed twice, but I think the other listing has more accurate reviews. This place is impossible to get information from or make an appointment with. I called last Thurs (it is now Mon) and waited 40 min on hold to finally talk to someone. I had a couple simple enough questions to ask before making an appointment (something I've asked every other vet I've taken my pets to and the receptionist has always been able to answer). The receptionist asked to put me on hold again so that she could ask the vet... Sure, I don't mind someone getting confirmation. 10 min goes by. She finally picks up and asks if I'm waiting for "Bailey".... I have no idea who that is... Turns out she had picked up another call instead of asking the vet my question. She puts me back on hold. My phone ended up losing signal and dropping the call. I emailed figuring maybe they would be more responsive and asked my questions there. Never heard anything. No idea what their deal is, but I definitely don't recommend a place that seems to have no idea what their clinic is capable of and is incapable of answering questions.

posted: 07/29/2024

Jason Ramirez

I've been going here for years and doctor Carrillo has always treated my dog and me with great care and when I come back for a follow up on my dog she doesn't charge me. The price is very affordable and fair. I recommend to everyone to take your pets here for good health.

posted: 06/18/2013

Al Zequeira

We've been bringing our pets here for the past 20-plus years. Highly recommended couldn't think of going anywhere else. Always willing to go that extra mile...

posted: 06/08/2022

Ron Reyes

We took our dog Leia in for a check up and Dr henstra took care of our dog thank you she is a great veterinarian

posted: 04/04/2023

JoAn Merino

Super nice vets and great local vet office. Prices are within reason. Vets are very thorough.

posted: 07/07/2021