West Lake Animal Hospital

4.9 (372)
3220 Horizon Dr, Springfield, IL 62703, USA

Hours:

Monday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Tuesday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Wednesday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Thursday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Friday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at West Lake 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

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Debbie Davis

Dr Houmes always spends a good amount of time on the phone, explaining the diagnosis and all the options for treatment for me and my dog. I have the utmost faith in her ability. She has an immense amount of compassion when my pets are in the final stages of their life. I highly recommend this veterinary office, and all their staff who have been very kind and friendly at the front desk, and this means a lot because this is the first impression you have when you walk in. It will be a shame for Dr. Hill to be gone, but I understand she is more than due for her retirement. I wish her the best future.

posted: 05/18/2023

Susie Schrader

My recent visit to Westlake Animal Hospital was very positive. My Dixie Lou was very comfortable during the examination and certainly enjoyed all the loving attention and treats given to her by Dr. Hill and Liz, the Vet Tech! The cheese plate is her favorite.She remembered from her last visit right where it was. She made new friends and enjoyed showing them all how she can “sit pretty”. Thank you so much for your kindness towards her!

posted: 03/24/2023

Gwynne Nation

We just recently started going to this vet. It was highly recommended by many friends. It’s a very clean, friendly place. We really like the staff, the vet techs were very patient and kind with our senior dog. Dr Janet Hill was very good with our dog, asked many questions and made us feel right at home there. We have already highly recommended this vet to our family and friends!!

posted: 12/23/2021

Tammy Shures

Dr Hill and all her staff are the absolute best. We love her so much and appreciate all her care and concern for our 2 elderly dogs, Ella & Manny. She also previously cared for our cat Callie too. She is the most compassionate veterinarian I’ve ever met and truly cares about your beloved pets. Simply the Best sums it up. Thank you for all you do Dr Hill. ❤️

posted: 01/17/2023

Annabelle Hulett

Great Staff that work fast and efficiently. I can really tell that they care about their patients. They let me come in late to an emergency appointment this past Friday. The whole time they made sure to be as transparent as possible as to what they were doing/thinking and the price of things. They made sure that I was given several options and that I was in charge of my Dog's health.

posted: 02/26/2023