Upstate Veterinary Specialties

4.3 (774)
152 Sparrowbush Rd, Latham, NY 12110, USA

Hours:

Monday: Open 24 hours

Tuesday: Open 24 hours

Wednesday: Open 24 hours

Thursday: Open 24 hours

Friday: Open 24 hours

Saturday: Open 24 hours

Sunday: Open 24 hours

How to Save Money at Upstate Veterinary Specialties

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 11,757
4.9 Embrace 17,158
4.9 Fetch 18,571
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 12,232
4.6 Pumpkin 1,473
4.6 Spot 7,033
4.9 Trupanion 73,743
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

hand swipe
nicole paige

Friendly front staff, greeted right away. Wait wasn’t too long. Ashley, the room technician, was friendly and made us feel very comfortable. Dr Bishop was great. Very kind and knowledgeable. Spent the time talking to me and answering all my questions. I didn’t feel rushed once. Overall, a great first experience here.

posted: 09/26/2023

Caitlin Hedayat

We had to bring our puppy in today for an emergency visit. Upon arrival we were immediately greeted and checked in with friendly and upbeat faces. Despite being a wreck worrying about our puppy we were put at ease, and in a timely manner put in back. Dr. Riggs was very personable and took his time explaining everything so we understood all options and outcome. Once it was time for us to receive our quote we were very taken aback due to it being quite high(to be expected), we were told half of the payment would be due today and the rest upon checkout tomorrow. When we were brought out up front to make payment, there was a clear miscommunication between the front and back staff regarding amounts being due day of, care credit, and what will be paid during checkout. Speaking from experience working in an office setting, there needs to be clear communication within the whole office. ESPECIALLY when it comes to finances and people’s money. I think if financial quotes are to be given, the front end should solely be responsible to verbalize that to pet parents and not have the back end staff give them. I want to express extreme gratitude for all front staff, especially Hannah for being more than kind and understanding to our situation and going above and beyond to help us anyway she possibly could. Luckily we won’t need to be back for an emergency visit but if we do, we would certainly come back here!

posted: 07/05/2023

Laura McMorris

Last Friday, my cat Mangos health drastically declined after a day and a half of vomiting, not eating or drinking and inability to empty his bladder. I brought him early in the morning to Upstate Veterinary Specialties, where he was very quickly triaged. Dr. O'Brien met me in a separate room and explained that my cats condition was critical due to a severe urinary blockage. He was going to need emergency treatment in order stabilize him and treat the blockage. By late afternoon, I received a call from her stating that he was able to clear the blockage and that his vitals and potassium levels were stabilizing. The following day, I spoke with Dr. Scott who also delivered some really great news regarding Mangos progress and let me know that he could have visitors that afternoon. When I arrived, my sweet cat was so happy. Mango was able to be discharged later on, Saturday evening. He is recovering well at home. From the very second I stepped into this building ,until we left with Mango Saturday, we received such compassion and understanding. The staff worked so hard and quickly. They literally saved his life. Mango had the best team in his corner. Dr. O'Brien, Dr. Scott, Rose, Colleen....anyone that we didn't get to meet......thank you. You are all amazing. This happened so quickly and I could have lost my baby cat that day. The confidence and skills delivered by the whole team, is something I will never forget.

posted: 09/11/2023

Amanda Hillerman

Went in today with my cat. She’s been sick for a while and other vets wasn’t sure what it could be. When I got there check in was fast, everyone was super nice and professional. After check in I got in within about 15 minutes. I did go early morning around 10am. The vet was super nice and definitely knew what she was doing. Her name was Rachel. She helped out my baby Luna the best that she could. I’m so relieved to know she really only has allergies and nothing serious. They were able to do blood work and get it back within 20 minutes. I’m very relieved because any vet I tried to take her to wouldn’t give her an appointment for two months. Relieved they listened to my concerns about her and was able to come up with a solution. Thank you very much for the kind and professional service. 😊😊 below I attached a photo of her and you’re welcome to use if you’d like!

posted: 04/26/2023

Anne DeSimone

Simply the best! Dr Kent and her staff are incredibly knowledgeable and gentle with both pets and humans. They gave us hope and advice which has made a difference in our dog’s life.

posted: 05/30/2023