VCA Lake Shore Animal Hospital
4 (191) 960 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60642, USAHours:
Monday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday: Closed
Friday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
How to Save Money at VCA Lake Shore 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:
| 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
This place used to be good a long time ago, but now they’re just difficult to deal with (and it’s hard to get an appointment). On top of that, one of the vets (I won’t name him on here) misdiagnosed our French Bulldog, sent her into Addison’s Disease, and almost killed her. 12k in hospital bills later, and no apologies. Their front desk staff is terrible on top of everything. IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR PET’S LIFE, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THEM HERE! Take your pet to MedVet or a reputable vet.
posted: 09/09/2023
Don’t bring your animals here if you want to live!!! They killed a cat without any explanation. Cat was PERFECTLY healthy before coming there and moments later a “sudden heart attack”. Like what?! If you want to see your animals alive please avoid this death trap at all costs.
posted: 09/11/2023
We have taken our pets here for many years. We used to have a great experience with caring vets and competent staff. In the past two years, the decline in care and professionalism is astonishing. They do not answer their phones or return messages most of the time and have excuses that the weather disrupts their phone lines. My cat suddenly was found to have an aggressive tumor. They sent us to get an ultrasound at another practice and then never called me to discuss the results. I had to call and literally beg to speak to a dr. multiple times for two weeks and finally I had to ask for the medical director to talk to me to explain the findings, which were terminal. The final straw is that when I called to set up my cat's euthanization, they gave me the run around about appt availaiblity for me to put my cat to sleep! They have no care or compassion and everything is a hassle to them. I am disgusted and would never take my pet there. I will have to find another vet to end my poor cat's life.
posted: 09/08/2023
We’ve been going to VCA for about a year and half and have always had a great experience. After a recent dog attack they rushed us in and took care of my little girl with care. Dr Diaz and our Vet Tech (i believe her name was Jenny) were utterly amazing and comforting. I am beyond grateful for their time and attention.
posted: 04/26/2023
After leaving VCA in 2020 I decided to let bygones be bygones and not post a negative review about VCA lakeshore. But after seeing on NextDoor that you guys killed someone’s cat during a routine rabies vaccine when you took her in back for 5 minutes with their 8 year old child in the office. The demeanor and complete lack of empathy described was on par with my past experiences. Not to mention how disgusting this facility is. Stay away from this place.
posted: 09/11/2023
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