Toronto Veterinarians | Best Toronto Vets
October 15, 2014
Toronto Veterinarians | Best Toronto Vets
When choosing which veterinarian to go to in Toronto there are a lot of things you need to consider and it’s absolutely not a good idea to go to the vet closest to you just out of convenience. Going to a veterinarian at a location closest to you just out of convenience could end up costing you a lot of extra and unnecessary charges and the vet him or herself might be a crook that doesn’t really care all that much about the animals.
5 Best Toronto Veterinarians
According to Yelp reviews of the “Best Veterinarians in Toronto” the following five come out on top:
- Sherbourne Animal Hospital with 5 stars and 17 reviews
- Leslieville Animal Hospital with 4.5 stars and 25 reviews
- Bloor Animal Hospital with 4.5 stars and 11 reviews
- Queen West Animal Hospital with 4 stars and 26 reviews
- Bathurst Dupont Animal Hospital with 4 stars and 23 reviews
I frequent the Cedarvale dog park and I hear time and time again about Bathurst Dupont Animal hospital and how wonderful they are in terms of care, cost and service – I’ll certainly be checking them out next time my precious pooch has a problem!
Unfortunately there isn’t really any kind of regulation when it comes to what a veterinarian can charge you and this is because Toronto veterinarians (and I think vets everywhere) are private institutions. We’ve all heard horror stories when it comes to vet bills and the sometimes horrible care or charging for unnecessary services. So, here are a couple of things to look out for with regard to taking your pet to a veterinarian in Toronto – or anywhere for that matter:
- Call around and get price quotes: If you know exactly what is wrong with your pet and what needs to be done, then call around to local veterinarians to get a price quote. For example, if your pet has already been diagnosed by a veterinarian or the issues is something fairly straightforward like a broken leg – then it’s worth calling around to get quotes, because the pricing could be different by hundreds of dollars!
- Don’t just be concerned about cost – learn about the vet: You do have to be careful though, because you don’t want to just be concerned about cost. Make sure you’ve done some research about the vet you’re considering, ask around at the local dog park or ask your neighbors. You can also check online reviews, but these aren’t always the most accurate since people can say some very mean and irrational things when they’re upset so if you do this make sure you look into them carefully.
- Look out for unnecessary charges: Often vets will “upsell” unnecessary services just to make extra cash (needles that your dog doesn’t need, testing that isn’t needed, et cetera). Make sure you know exactly what it is that your vet is suggesting and exactly why they are suggesting it so that you can make an informed decision.
- Get a second opinion: If you have been told that your pet needs a very expensive surgery or treatment of some kind, it could be worth the extra research to track down a second educated opinion. Sometimes treatments are recommended that aren’t really needed or aren’t necessarily the best option.
While I don’t want to pinpoint any veterinarian in particular – I have gone to a couple in the St. Clair and Bathurst area in particular and I must say I now have an easy time believing the horror stories! Trust your peers and your own research and make sure you make the right choice in a Toronto veterinarian – your little friend and your pocket book will thank you!
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Author: Aileen Schultz
Photo credit: Chuckumentary via photopin cc