Hickman Road Veterinary Clinic
4.6 (53) 6301 Hickman Rd, Des Moines, IA 50322, USAHours:
Monday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Tuesday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Wednesday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Thursday: Closed
Friday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday: 7:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
How to Save Money at Hickman Road Veterinary Clinic
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 | 11,713 |
| 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 & 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
We brought our kitty here for the first time today, my dad recommended this vet because he had such a great relationship with them when he had our dog. We were very impressed. Very humble, very honest. Our cat absolutely loved them! She came home very happy! Amazing.
posted: 04/04/2023
We have my doctoring for our cats with Hickman Road Vet for several years now and we love them! They take great care of our cats and are incredibly affordable even without pet insurance! We will continue to doctor here as long as possible and we recommend them to friends and family. We love the staff and that they think of us (sending us cards and whatnot during the holidays).
posted: 12/27/2022
My pets have had a great experience with Dr. Thatcher and her team. When either walking in the clinic, or meeting in the parking lot during COVID, I always felt the team cared about my pets. They took the time to answer all my questions, and when my senior pets required specialty services they referred me to resources in the community that were high quality, and met our needs. At our first appointment with Dr. Thatcher, my senior cat had a blast exploring the exam room prior to his check-up. He climbed on the bench to watch the fish, then peeped out the window to see the birds at the feeder. They put a cozy non-slip mat on the metal exam table to keep my kitty from slipping and sliding, then they even sent him home with a toy! At Hickman Road Veterinary Clinic they do a lot to help your pets feel safe, and that means a lot to me!
posted: 11/19/2020
So I just got off the phone with one of the employees. I have never been more angry my cat dislocated her jaw yesterday and I was trying to call and see what my options where she didn't answer any of my questions, she told me if I couldn't afford the surgery I should take her to an animal shelter. I am really really angry with this place they have no idea how to help or answer important questions. I got no help with my situation I will never come here again.
posted: 08/16/2021
My partner called this clinic today so we could get a second opinion about the meds my cat had been prescribed due to him excessively drooling, loss of appetite, tearing up, etc. And the person who picked up not only stated they aren’t seeing new animals which would have been fine, I understand, but she laughed at him and made him feel like our animal was not worth their time. That is not professional. We are somewhat new pet owners and we felt that what was happening was not ok but our current vet kept telling us it was. We wanted a second opinion to make sure that he was ok. To be laughed at and feeling like an animals pain is funny and not worth a vets time is not ok. I will NEVER come here.
posted: 06/08/2020
Veterinarians in Des Moines, Iowa
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Heartland Animal Hospital
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