PetsMart or a Vet office?

• PetsMart or a Vet office? D B Posted : 7/24/2006 11:07:15 AM someone at my wife's workplace recommended we go to petsmart instead of a veterinarian since vet offices charge you per line item while petsmart charges you based on package deals.   what do you guys think? LIKE 33 REPLIES 5790 VIEWS LAST POST CHRISTI Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• anne Posted : 7/24/2006 11:30:39 AM You are talking about vet fees? It depends on the vets. You might have a horrible vet who does shoddy work at petsmart. My suggestion would be to see if you can find someone who has taken their dog to petsmart & get their opinions. Personally, it seems to me that petsmart would be more expensive than a vet. There are always good vets at a low cost. My vet is an excellent vet and he is extremely reasonable! You might be able to talk to a normal vet too and see if they offer any package deals, I know some of them in my area do. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• rwbeagles Posted : 7/24/2006 11:46:37 AM I personally wouldn't give Banfield any of my money. I've not heard much aside from bad things about them...from experimenting on abandoned animals left at one clinic to rude service at another to insistence on giving certain drugs counter to owners wishes at another.  All heresay of course...freely admit that.   From personal experience the one time I took a dog there all they did was try to get me to switch to Petsmart's Authority dog food.   I'd do as stated and get a referral from a happy pet owner in your area. Doesn't matter what it costs if they aren't willing to listen to you or treat you badly, or worse still, mistreat your pet. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Terri Posted : 7/24/2006 12:05:17 PM We had pretty good luck with Loki at Banfield. We signed up for the puppy wellness plan. It was $99 to sign up ant $20/month for 1 year. That included all vaccinations (they over-vaccinate), worming, his neuter surgery and all office visits. We could go in anytime to see the vet for free, and we got 10% any services/medicine that we needed. The vet at our office was great and the plan definitely paid for itself. As first time dog owners, we loved being able to walk in for any reason and not have to pay unless something was wrong. Just my [sm=2cents.gif]. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• meilani Posted : 7/24/2006 12:11:00 PM Based on *my* experiences, I have found that Banfield is more expensive than going to a regular vet. This is based on conversations with friends and family who take their pets to Banfield. Another interesting thing is at my pharmacy, we are constantly selling medications to Banfield. You'd think they'd just send the customer down to us but I'm sure the reason that they don't is because if they buy the drugs from us, they can mark it up insanely to make a profit. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Julitza Posted : 7/24/2006 1:16:59 PM Whats Banfield? Is that the same as PetsMart? Why is it called Banfield? 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• minimom Posted : 7/24/2006 1:22:37 PM Banfield is the name of the animal hospitals/veterinary offices which are located inside the Petsmart stores.  [linkhttp://www.petsmart.com/banfield/]http://www.petsmart.com/banfield/[/link] I've never used them, but I know a couple of people who have.  One has been very happy, the other was not at all happy with them.  0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• D B Posted : 7/24/2006 2:05:09 PM now i'm confused. on one side of the street, we have a petsmart, on the other, there's an vet office called banfield. both in seperate structures.   and it's not like petsmart doesn't conduct veterinary services in-house, because everytime i go inside, they have a waiting room full of people waiting to be attended. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• rwbeagles Posted : 7/24/2006 2:12:54 PM Banfield is every clinic inside Petsmart to my knowledge. I think it's also something any vet can buy into like a franchise or "chain", like McDonald's. That is probably the one across the street....a free standing franchise. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• D B Posted : 7/24/2006 2:50:39 PM hmm, odd. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• marynh Posted : 7/24/2006 3:21:43 PM I'll stick with my private vet clinic - where everybody knows my name [8D] No petsmart or Banfields around anyway...but I've never heard anyone speak fondly of a Banfields 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• marlania Posted : 7/24/2006 5:01:43 PM I prefer a private clinic as well, although I worked with one vet who was looking into Banfield. I don't know if she ever made the move, but she was a very good vet. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• jjsmom06 Posted : 7/24/2006 5:18:38 PM I would ask other pet owners in the area what vet they use and what they think of them. Also ask them what they think of their prices.   Also, if you own a purebreed ask the local rescues (or a local breeder) if they have someone they would recommend that has a lot of experience with that particular breed. With some breeds it is nice to have someone that knows more about the problems that can arise within the breed itself. My last dog might have been misdiagnosed with bone cancer when it could have been a human disease that sometimes occurs in that breed and can be treated with a pill a day. Maybe I wouldn't have had to put him to sleep at only 10 years of age. Who knows??? But now I use a vet that I really trust and knows all about my breed of dog. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Terri Posted : 7/24/2006 6:11:11 PM ORIGINAL: marynh I'll stick with my private vet clinic - where everybody knows my name [8D] No petsmart or Banfields around anyway...but I've never heard anyone speak fondly of a Banfields   I'm not trying to be contradictory, but Loki went to Banfield in our local Petsmart for a year and hasn't gone for 4 months (we switched to the vet on base, when we got a second dog). From the beginning every time we walk in the store, all of the vet techs run over and say "Loki, it's so good to see you!" and pet him for a few minutes. The staff at our Banfield is absolutely wonderful.   However, the comment that it can be more expensive is true. For a new puppy, it was great because of everything that was covered. As an adult (and especially with two adults), we didn't think it would be worth it. So we are taking them to the military vet, where by the way, no one remembers our names or cares too much about us. But it is very cheap. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• noblewoman Posted : 7/24/2006 7:00:52 PM I think that any vet worth a damn wouldn't be with Banfield. Just my [sm=2cents.gif] If you were a vet, would you go with Banfield's? I certainly wouldn't. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login