Blue Lake Animal Care Center
4.7 (197) 1154 Emerald Bay Rd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, USAHours:
Monday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
How to Save Money at Blue Lake Animal Care 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:
| 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 & CompareGetting 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
I hate this place. We really liked the doctor we had but then the office suddenly let her go. Our cat was diagnosed with diabetes and the doctor told us she'd send us with home with insulin so we could begin treatment right away, but then they suddenly changed their minds by the time we left the office and wouldn't let us have any insulin. We had to order through CHEWY but the office took almost a week (and several phone calls) to approve the prescription on the portal. Every time I call this office I wind up getting stuck on hold for 5-10 minutes - one time it was more than 10 minutes and I think they straight up forgot about me and I had to call back. The doctor told me to fill a prescription for a "freestyle libre" which monitors blood sugar levels on our cat so we can deliver the right insulin. She explained to get the prescription filled and then come back and they'll quickly install it. Now that I'm trying to do that, they won't get me in quickly. First of all, the front desk didn't know what that was so I had to explain it to her. Then after 10 minutes on hold, they said the new doctor has to review my chart first and call me back (WHY?!) and they don't have any availability for at least a week. This place is just so disorganized... it doesn't feel like it's about helping animals at all. Terrible process and bureaucracy.
posted: 08/08/2023
A great team of vets and nurses, very skilled and compassionate. I entrusted my beloved dog into their care including a recent cancer removal surgery and although he unfortunately succumbed to the side effects from that surgery, I know Dr Powell did a great job operating on him and the whole team was always available when I had questions after the surgery and made sure we were promptly seen for any after care needs. Thank you.
posted: 06/19/2023
Excellent experience bringing my extremely dog-reactive dog here for a check up and a few shots. They made sure there were no other dogs around when we came in, and were so nice and made me and my dog feel safe and comfortable. I really felt like this place cared a lot more than other vets we had talked to. Would recommend to anyone, especially those with difficult/reactive dogs who need special accommodation!
posted: 04/27/2023
Dr. Powell is amazing. As arecall the girls down there at Blue Lake Animal Care. They have always taken great care of my dogs. We just got a new puppy and it will be another several years with that team taking care of them.
posted: 06/11/2023
I've been bringing both my dogs there since I moved to the area. Staff are super friendly and helpful. Front desk are very flexible and able to accommodate last minute visits and emergencies. It's clear all the staff love animals (dogs esp)!!! For treatments and medication, the vets and vet assistants give you options that include efficacy and cost considerations. I strongly recommend Blue Lake for your furry and feathered family and friends.
posted: 02/03/2023
Veterinarians in South Lake Tahoe, California
Alpine Animal Hospital
921 Emerald Bay Rd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, USA(530) 541-4040
Blue Lake Animal Care Center
1154 Emerald Bay Rd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, USA(530) 600-3911
Henry Kostecki, DVM - Natural Pet Vet
964 Rubicon Trail, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, USA(775) 762-2899
Homeopathic Veterinarian
964 Rubicon Trail, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, USA(775) 762-2899
Monroe David DVM
3095 Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, USASierra Veterinary Hospital
3095 Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, USA(530) 542-1952