Trailside Animal Hospital

4.9 (114)
4103 W Vawter School Rd Suite 109, Columbia, MO 65203, 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: 7:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Trailside 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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D Wilbs

The entire staff at Trailside is awesome! Our little Jazzy pulls us to the door because she can't wait to see everyone there. On two different occasions Jazzy had to stay over night on the weekends and the owners where nice enough to allow us to come and pick her up on a Sunday afternoon. Wouldn't think of taking Jazzy to another Vet.

posted: 08/11/2023

Megan

This is the best clinic I have ever dealt with. Overall, the front desk staff is friendly and welcoming, and the doctors and techs go above and beyond to care for my pets. My cat has always had to be sedated to get his vaccines because he’s not very nice… but not here! They were patient and gentle with him, which I greatly appreciated. On another occasion where I experienced an emergency situation with my cat, they were able to get him in right away. After dropping him off, I received updates almost immediately. It doesn’t get much better than that! Thank you Trailside for being so awesome to Oliver and Scout!

posted: 02/02/2023

T&M Gadbois

Dr Julie and her staff are nothing short of miracle workers. Our cat was lost for two years. When she was turned into the humane shelter she was missing over half of her fur and was covered with scabs. Dr Julie has worked tirelessly over the last year and dealt with frantic late night calls and text messages to bring our cat back to health. We will always use Trailside for all of our pets. Thanks so much for giving us back our Callie.

posted: 06/29/2023

Carrie Custard

I just switched my Yorkie to Dr Brandon at Trailside and I cannot say enough positive about our experience! The entire staff was fantastic, attentive and aware of my dog’s apprehension. Reasonably prices as well!

posted: 07/06/2023

Cassie Harter

The staff at Trailside is amazing! The Vets and Vet Techs work really well with our cats, and they help keep them calm during stressful situations

posted: 08/01/2023