Banfield (Petsmart Vets)
Does anyone have any experience with Banfield? I'm trying to pick a veternarian for my new puppy, and have been looking at them. Do they overcharge? Are they realiable? Do they seem to genuinely care? Any feedback would be great.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Cindi on
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I am a trainer for PetSmart and my partner, CorgiMom, is a pet nurse for Banfield. Just like every veterinarian you visit is different, so is each Banfield. They are a corporation which leases space inside PetSmart stores and are not owned by PetSmart.
As for care, that depends on the vet. I suggest you make a consultation appointment (on Tues/Thurs from 2-4p they have wellness hours where you don't pay an office visit), bring your pup, and spend a few minutes talking to the vet. Find out about him/her. Where'd they go to school? When did they graduate? Do they have pets of their own? What is their treatment philosophy? You can learn a lot and get a general feel for a vet just by talking to them...and seeing how they treat your pet while you're there. Also check out the front desk staff. Are they friendly? Do they show care for your pet? How about the pet nurses? How are they with your pup?
As for cost, they may be a bit more than other vets in your area. It depends. Call around. Pick something common like a set of shots and call several vets for prices. Also, Banfield has a "wellness" plan - kind of like an insurance program - where you pay so much a month and it covers the usual things you need like vaccinations, spay/neuter, comp exams, etc. We have one of the dogs on the plan and another will be going on the plan next month. If you don't have a chunk of change to plunk down a couple of times a year, the monthly payment makes things a bit easier.
Hope all of that helps!
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Permalink Reply by Judy and Jason on
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We use Banfield at a Petsmart in Southern California. It really depends on the vet that works there. It is pricey though. We paid for the cheaper of the two plans but we still feel like we were ripped off. The care is only a wellness plan- puppy shots included but if the puppy gets sick they charge you for all these medicine -very expensive...even with the 5% discount from the plan. The only good thing is that it's convenient- close to home and the nurses there are nice, at least at our place. You should talk to other dog owners in your area (neighbors? ) for any suggestions before you decide. You should also make sure the vet knows about corgis because they're not your regular dog...herding breed= mouthy and could be hyper... Good Luck!
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Permalink Reply by Sarah C. on
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If you're not getting the insurance be prepared to hear about it, at length, every time. Every banfield I've been in they're VERY pushy. It's like a high pressure sales pitch every time you go in.
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Sure, they sell their product. That's part of their job. All I do is thank them for mentioning it again and say no thank you. They're not trying to be pushy; just do their job.
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Permalink Reply by Yogi on
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i noticed most ppl are saying that banfield is more expensive compared to regular vets, but this wasn't the case for us. when we got yogi i shopped around for vet care as well as pet insurance. pet insurance was out the window after a few calls. it ddnt make sense and seemed like i would be paying way more regardless.
as for preventative care, i wanted yogi to get all the possible shots he can get at a reasonable price. he got sick the 4th week home and i just wanted him protected from all the common bugs that linger around. banfield was the only one with a wellness plan. i calculated and compared the total cost for a complete list of vaccines and neutering with banfield and other vets. banfield was going to save us alot! plus the vet at the local banfield is excellent, i can't complain.
so it all depends on what u want for ur dog. i know alot of ppl who only give their dogs the basic vaccs. yogi goes to daycare, goes to the park, hangs out with dogs all the time..so he needed to be protected all the way. there was an outbreak of kennel cough not to long ago at a local dog park, its just too scary.
we get discounts on frontline and heartgard and other meds. so far yogi has been in excellent health.
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Permalink Reply by Jessica on
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At my petsmart, Banfield workers are usually giving away coupons for a free check up visit on Saturdays. I got one today actually.
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The other thing to remember are the "wellness" days. On Tuesday and Thursday, from 2-4 (I think), you can see the vet without the customary office visit fee.
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Permalink Reply by Warhol on
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I, also am a trainer at Petsmart. I take my pup, and my cat to Banfield. Maybe just because its convenient, but the current vets that we have there are pretty good. They are a little pricey (even with my petsmart employee discount), which might have something to do with them being inside of Petsmart. But it's hard to say if Banfield is good or not because it all depends on the Vets employed there. Like the others said, go on tuesday and thursday 2-4 and get a free consultation with the vet. Get an estimate on what you need done, and then call around. That's the best way to do it.
:)
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