Lake Area Animal Hospital

4.6 (264)
8762 State Rd 21, Melrose, FL 32666, USA

Hours:

Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Saturday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Lake Area 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 11,756
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

hand swipe
Sandra Florer

Our visit here was right after another vet had harshly turned us away and scared the pants off of me.!! They took us right in and I just had a sense of calmness and trust. The got my total loyalty that day. We will continue to be a patient at Lake area hospital. I truly believe my sweetheart willow is in the best hands.

posted: 06/25/2023

Billy Shriver

On July 9th 2023 I had to put my puppy Ford down due to cancer. That in itself is a very trying episode. Dr. Hughes and her staff were very helpful through the whole process and made it easier and kinder for Ford to cross rainbow bridge. I really appreciate all I did for my family and for my puppy whom I miss a lot.

posted: 07/13/2023

CHRISTYTOD

Five stars because everyone there seems to genuinely care about their four-legged customers. Staff members are kind, the Melrose location is super clean, our dog has gotten very good care there. This is not a deal-breaker, but I would love to have a more familiar feel, doctor-wise. We have probably been there 4-5 times, and each time, we have a different doctor coming in the room. It's a little bit different for us as we come from a place where our pet's doctor was the same yesterday, today and tomorrow! I guess we are just in a more populated place here, and that is how it goes! Again: not a deal breaker because good care and quality customer service have been provided time and time again! :)

posted: 12/28/2022

Susan James

My very first visit to Lake Area Veterinarians was as a walk -In. I was very impressed with the Staff, making sure that my kitten (Solo) would be seen. (Solo) will be seeing his new Vet on his July appointment . Dr. Antz retired on (Solo's) first appointment. She was very nice. I wish her all the best.

posted: 06/12/2023

Thomas Evans

We dropped our dog off there on 4/20 for them to board her for a few days while we were out of town. We picked her up on 4/24. The staff there was extremely nice. They took really good care of our puppy dog.

posted: 04/24/2023