Collar City Animal Hospital

4.4 (136)
499 2nd Ave, Troy, NY 12182, USA

Hours:

Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Thursday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Collar City 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 11,757
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

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Andrea Lucarelli

This vet save my cat. She got a fishing hook in her mouth and the side of her mouth. I been going here for 2 years now. They are very nice and did a wonderful job on our cat and saved us some money from the emergency Vet. I recommend this place to everybody.

posted: 08/21/2023

Angela Pitruzzella

I've had varied experiences here. From feeling as though the techs we're a bit condescending and judgmental, to being appreciative of them, back to feeling as if they have no regard for the owner at all. I brought a pet there a 6-week-old puppy from a letter I was raising, to be put to sleep because I did not see any solution that I was going to be able to afford and she was rapidly declining . I asked why there had to be two texts in there because it seemed as though they were just being cheerful and coddling the poor puppy who was not there for any treatment. Maybe to relax the puppy, but she was already relaxed, they gave her cat food, and sweet. Talk to her as if she was perfectly fine. She was already having a hard time, She was on her way out that's why I brought her there to die. When I talk to the vet I asked her if anything else could be done besides putting her to sleep and she reassured me that I was doing the right thing but also told me that if I had done the diagnostic testing on her heart it may have been able to find out what was wrong with her heart that they could treat it and then it would have in turn affect her liver in a positive way. Her liver was swollen and I was not informed of this until I went to the emergency vet after first visiting with the primary vet. I was not given any inclination that there was anything that I could do. I even asked. Should I go back to the emergency vet and get the diagnostic testing done? And veterinarian told me it may not even work and it would be expensive, and again reassured me that I was doing the right thing. As soon as the procedure was over as soon as she was dead I immediately regretted it. I immediately said I wish I didn't do that. It's been 6 days and I have felt that way ever since. The point with the techs was that when I asked that question and told them it's not like it's a spectator event. She got very defensive coming at me in a very stern and hostile way back explaining that she's the tech and that's her assistant, she's assisting me. This is how we always do it and I do this all the time and there's nothing funny about it .head tilts in all. I just did not think it was right for her to put me in my place at a time like this or for the vet to not realize how much the puppy meant to me and want to try to save her. She did tell me to go to the ER after the 1st appointment which I did the following day after increasing my care credit so that I could afford to. But the other problem was with the emergency vet because she mentioned some surgery on her liver that would cost $10,000 which primary vet said that she may have not needed if we treated the heart. Emergency vet did not explain that to me. I was just under the impression that if I needed a $10,000 surgery for her liver, what would be the sense of doing diagnostic testing on her heart if I am unable to treat the liver? So all in all I was uninformed, and I made a horrible decision that nobody objected to. I feel like the puppies best interest was not at heart, but maybe say time's sake, since I made an appointment to have her put to sleep. Vet seemed to just want to go through with it no matter what. Now knowing all the information it would have been worthwhile to pursue doing the diagnostic testing and seeing what's really going on with her heart seeing if it's something I can treat financially speaking. Her name was Josie. Another experience that I had was a lot better. My dog Jericho as a puppy's swallowed a rock and they made me an appointment for later that afternoon. She saw the rock in there and said he needs emergency surgery and that she could do it there to save me costs. She did it and took the rest of her appointments off to accommodate it. She let me take him home overnight for his postcare, and bring him back the next morning so that they could keep him for monitoring, instead of having him go to the ER and stay overnight, to save costs. I appreciated that.

posted: 07/11/2023

Rhandy Smith

I’m very happy to bring my animals here. Dr. Linendoll is very sweet and welcoming, so is her staff. Couldn’t ask for a better place to bring our pets.

posted: 07/26/2023

Patricia Kelly

Love the people there. They took care of Oreo like it's one of there own. Thank you so much for caring and giving us support. My baby girl got hit by a car. And I was a reck. But they were so supportive. I just love going to them. Thanks again for everything you done. Pattie Kelly

posted: 12/29/2021

GG Newell

I've been bringing my cat here for the last 10 years. The staff is so nice, and I know my pet is in great hands and receiving great care.

posted: 07/18/2023