VCA San Carlos Animal Hospital

4 (45)
718 El Camino Real, San Carlos, CA 94070, USA

Hours:

Monday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Thursday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Friday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

How to Save Money at VCA San Carlos Animal 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 11,713
4.9 Embrace 16,627
4.9 Fetch 10,616
4.2 Figo 2,598
4.7 Hartville 164
4.9 Healthy Paws 9,975
4.9 Lemonade 805
4.6 ManyPets 2,332
4.0 MetLife 625
4.8 Nationwide 21,404
4.3 Pet Assure 12
4.5 PetPartners 112
4.3 Pets Best 12,053
4.6 Pumpkin 1,425
4.6 Spot 6,829
4.9 Trupanion 67,550
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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J DeLaCruz

Wow. I cannot express how thankful I am to have this hospital. They were very attentive and was able to see my pet the same day I called! When I wasn’t sure if it was urgent, they were able to ask thorough questions to help determine if my pet should be seen now or wait for an appointment. The appointment was an easy process for me. All I had to do was wait in my car and wait for a phone call. Everything was contactless which obviously is important to me given covid. Even when I arrived my pet did not hesitate to go with the nurses, you could tell she trusted them! Thanks VCA San Carlos for going above and beyond!

posted: 09/26/2020

PJ Thurston

When my 17-year old cat became suddenly ill my regular Vet was unable to schedule an appointment with us and I tried Veterinary Wellness Center in an emergency. The staff was amazing, saw us right away, were so compassionate to our poor kitty, and she received immediate and quality veterinary care and attention. The fact that the Wellness Center is open 24 hours a day/night and 7 days a week ensures that all my pets are seen whenever they have a need and scheduling is not dependent on an 8-hour work day. Frankly, I don't know why anyone wouldn't want this care for their pet, especially considering the superior veterinary services provided at the Wellness Center.

posted: 06/25/2014

Greta

One more update...the owner of the clinic was kind enough to contact me to discuss my concerns. She did address them with the staff. __ I will leave my previous, glowing review, but in recent months we have not been as pleased with the care. Our dog was unusually lethargic, and while we are grateful the VCA diagnosed her with hypothyroidism, there were two instances of tests we declined that they proceeded with and charged us. Additionally we are not receiving written summaries or itemized invoices. The thing that concerns us most is we strongly feel our dog is receiving too high of a dose of medication as we are seeing adverse reactions. Instead of investigating our concerns, we were assured that we needed to continue with the higher dose based on lab results (my dad was a medical researcher, I get this, but labs vs. symptoms, please be curious). I simply don't feel they are taking the time to care for our concerns and questions. __ 6 Years Earlier Thank you doesn’t even begin to express our gratitude for what Dr Haddad and staff did for our dog. Our dog sitter notified us that our dog Matilda had been sick to her stomach since our departure. First day we thought it was nerves, but by the 2nd day, we realized something serious was wrong. Our dog sitter took Matilda to San Carlos Pet Hospital (referral from a friend). We were 2000 miles away at a family reunion ( a short 4 day trip), and the staff kept in frequent contact with us on her condition. They were very practical with the tests which were run and reasonable with the charges. After a few inconclusive tests (important ones to rule out illness), the doctors felt it was likely there was an obstruction in her GI which wasn't showing up on x-ray. Having a father who was a medical researcher I understood how this was possible, so when they suggested ultra-sound, we proceeded. The staff moved forward with calling every possible resource for the ultrasound in the Bay Area. Once they secured an appointment, (but with only an hours notice and, again, being 2000 miles away), we were unable to transport Matilda to her ultrasound appointment. We called friends, pet taxi services and couldn't find anyone to transport her. So the owner took it upon herself to transport Matilda to the other clinic. (We are still so grateful for this!!!) Obstruction was found and Dr Haddad, came in after hours to perform her surgery. In total, 5 doctors attended to Matilda, kept us posted around the clock (literally we received a call at 3:30 am when Matilda was not doing well). With so much that happened in those few days, in the end, we feel the billing was also reasonable. Truly, we will never go to another vet. This is our vet clinic going forward. They are remarkable. Message to Dr Haddad and staff "Your treatment of Matilda was outstanding and to say you went above and beyond is an understatement. This sort of dedication to your patients makes you all exceptional vets. You saved our dogs life and provided her with affection and comfort in our absence. (Tearful) Our sincere thanks to all of you."

posted: 11/24/2020

Deborah Stevens-Sterling

I had the misfortune of having the same doc for both visits for 2 different cats. It was like being at a car dealership... didn’t give me options at all . I realized later I paid the highest rate for both cats. I had to have one of my babies put to sleep yesterday and chose to go to another clinic in Redwood City. Now This is where I should have gone initially. Health options were discussed, pricing options... they were amazing.

posted: 06/18/2020

Vicki Gariffo

I've been bringing my dogs here for years and have had only positive experiences. Recently one of my dogs swallowed an entire banana, with the skin and stem. I called the office and was told to bring him right in. He was treated almost immediately and was fine and ready to come home in around an hour and a half. The vets we've seen, Dr. Haddad and Dr. Stauber, are both friendly and professional. The nurse is wonderful. I'm happy they've become a 24 hour emergency center so I would no longer have to drive to Palo Alto for after-hours care.

posted: 06/24/2014