Gast Animal Hospital

4.3 (82)
258 N 475 W, Valparaiso, IN 46385, USA

Hours:

Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Wednesday: Closed

Thursday: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday: 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Gast 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 2025
Rating Provider Total Review
4.4 AKC 893
4.5 ASPCA 11,860
4.9 Embrace 18,246
4.9 Fetch 26,234
4.2 Figo 2,614
4.6 Hartville 169
4.9 Healthy Paws 10,159
4.9 Lemonade 809
4.6 ManyPets 2,377
3.9 MetLife 728
4.8 Nationwide 21,410
4.0 Pet Assure 13
4.5 PetPartners 115
4.3 Pets Best 12,820
4.6 Pumpkin 1,642
4.6 Spot 7,858
4.9 Trupanion 60,839
4.8 Prudent Pet 1,732

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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CINDY WHITESIDE

Techs and front office staff are great. Female vet not so much. Very disappointed with her approach on handling my dogs testing. She called me to see how my dog was doing and I told her my dog was very lethargic and barely moving after they had put him on a new medication. I told her I stopped the medication and she told me to cuddle him and keep the meds going. She had no clue and thank goodness I listened to my gut and withdrew the med. We are now going to a new animal hospital and they said the dose was way to high for his 12 pound body.

posted: 07/15/2024

Reid Rothrock

We have a 16 week Shorkie, Maverick. We decided to come to Gast based on great recommendations from others in the area. With the puppy shots, we have had several visits so far. Every time we are in and out. Today there was a small wait and we received nothing but apologies and Maverick even got a toy! This is great customer service. Not to mention Dr.Gast really knows her stuff and takes her time with our doggo.

posted: 08/22/2022

Mikey likes it !!!!

Prices are nuts 500 for blood test and check up taking my dog to illinois would saved 300 indiana is insane

posted: 12/02/2024

Darren Beck

Wife and I love the staff! I reccomend taking your pet there! Very reasonable

posted: 02/25/2022

Andrew Vauter

I made an appointment and 10 minutes later a company texted and emailed me offering pet insurance to my cat by name. They sell your data, don't go here

posted: 08/12/2024