Santa Cruz Veterinary Hospital

4.5 (296)
1980 41st Ave, Capitola, CA 95010, 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: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Santa Cruz 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 891
4.5 ASPCA 11,756
4.9 Embrace 17,140
4.9 Fetch 18,308
4.2 Figo 2,602
4.7 Hartville 165
4.9 Healthy Paws 10,008
4.9 Lemonade 805
4.6 ManyPets 2,343
4.0 MetLife 652
4.8 Nationwide 21,407
4.3 Pet Assure 12
4.5 PetPartners 113
4.3 Pets Best 12,229
4.6 Pumpkin 1,473
4.6 Spot 7,024
4.9 Trupanion 73,550
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?

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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Laurel Altigar

I was visiting family in the area when my dog, a Standard Poodle was attacked by a Black Lab. My dog is NOT aggressive in the least and both dogs were leashed but the other owner was very irresponsible and had an aggressive dog that she could not control out for the Memorial Day holiday events where there were lots of people and many other friendly doggos. My guy got hurt pretty bad and because it was the Holiday weekend, no one was open or would you take us in until I called Santa Cruz Veterinary Hospital. They were so kind when I was frantic and panicking and agreed to treat my guy even though they were already very busy. From that first phone call, until I picked him up once he was all stitched back up, they were INCREDIBLE!! Dr. Nicola Mohr and all of the staff there were the kindest and most caring I could have ever asked for. I felt confident leaving him in their care even though we had never been there before. They took very good care of both of us. Dr Mohr kept me informed all through his treatment and made sure I had no unanswered questions. And bonus, the office was clean too! I would highly recommend them to everyone looking for a great veterinary clinic! Thank you to everyone at Santa Cruz Veterinary Hospital!!!

posted: 05/28/2023

Marguerite Morris

SCVH has always treated my pets with the utmost love and care. During all stages of my pets life they have given my them the best care and kindness.

posted: 03/30/2023

Jenny Morales

Dr. Douglas is my cats veterinarian and they both really like him they don’t hiss or try to bite him like everyone else. I do recommend this place they are very quick. The assistants are super nice and gentle the front desk is lovely

posted: 11/16/2022

Christopher Harrington

Happily greeted by Lay, the technician, who immediately put me at ease as this was Clyde’s first visit. Lay has a beautiful energy and did a great job soothing Clyde! The veterinarian was equally pleasant and informative, and took time explaining the details of Clyde’s care. So happy I chose this place!

posted: 08/13/2022

Carla Braden

I am a dog trainer who has been trusting Santa Cruz Veterinary Hospital with my dogs for many years. Many thanks to them for saving my previous border collie when she had a hole in her lung and came way too close to not making it, and for getting my current border collie's troublesome teeth and a foxtail out. Thanks for being there!

posted: 05/17/2022