Bellson Animal Hospital
4.6 (109) 1400 Columbia Centre Dr Drive, Columbia, IL 62236, USAHours:
Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
How to Save Money at Bellson 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
Amazing experience over the past week with Bellson and all staff. Multiple visits and many hours spent with a caring crew. They accommodated to our crazy schedule and short notice. Also went above and beyond answering questions and top notch care. Medication was explained thoroughly and treatment was specific towards our dog Moose. We will ALWAYS be taking our animals to Bellson. Can't thank them enough
posted: 09/29/2023
DO NOT TAKE YOUR PETS HERE! They do not care about your pet, just your money. Me and my family have been taking our pets here for YEARS! My family dog was on his deathbed dying in the car and they took too long to see him and he died in the car. Our other dog caught some type of flu or virus, was not eating or moving and burning up with a fever, and we had to pay for emergency care on the spot before they would treat him. He stayed in the hospital for 7 hours unnecessarily! They would not tell us what was wrong with him because they had to run "more tests" and so me and my family were worried sick all day thinking our beloved dog was very sick with no word or updates. They could have called us to inform us on his treatment and condition. But no, we got nothing. Turns out, he just sat in their care for five hours doing nothing for him, not running tests like they said they were doing, and he could have just went home and be with his family. They couldn't even tell us what he was sick with unless we agreed to do very expensive tests. They just gave us medication and let him go. We paid $150 for them to treat him for 2 hours and then unnecessarily hold him for 5 hours. Then, I rescued another dog who was covered in fleas and ticks and had worms, AND THEY WOULD NOT SEE HER! THEIR NEXT AVAILABILITY WAS IN TWO WEEKS! They were "fully booked." Ridiculous. We would have to pay for emergency care, which we refused to do again. So we called another vet and they treated her right away! Like wow, they could just do that? It was a miracle! We finally had the care we needed! Never go to this place. Go somewhere else. Literally, anywhere else.
posted: 10/08/2023
I started going to Bellson animal hospital a few years ago. This clinic is wonderful! My cats have had a few procedures. The vet always calls after to see how they are doing and truly seem to care. Recently my hairless cat climbed into the dryer. They saw her immediately, treated her and did not charge me an enormous emergency fee. They were extremely fair. Overall this place has great prices, friendly staff and vets that care!
posted: 04/04/2023
Bellson is great, especially Dr. Clinebell but Dr. Ryerson has done well with my diabetic dog. I have been going to him there for about 20 years.
posted: 06/19/2023
They always take good care of not only my animals but me as well they had to put down my cat and they made sure I was good before I left. They are super friendly and have great service!!
posted: 01/18/2023