Any of you guys use this from Petsmart?  Looking particularly for the optimum wellness plan.  I was thinking this would be a good way to make sure I can keep Baxter up to date on all of his shots and everything else.  Is there a better option out there as far as this type of service goes?



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As a veterinarian who used to work at a Banfield I think their plans are great for encouraging routine visits, etc. The problem lies with the client understanding of the wellness plans.  They are not all inclusive and they are not an insurance policy. These are two common confusions we would face on a regular basis.  Also keep in mind that they do (used to at least) roll over automatically unless terminated by the client and this often leads to frustration in regards to payment, etc. Otherwise i think if you read the fine print and understand what you're signing up for then they are great, especially for puppies.

Awesome, thanks.  I will be sure to read the fine print before I agree to anything.

Petco wellness clinic. Get his shots once a year. They user it I've it twice a month

I just got a puppy (yellow lab) and use Banfields optimum wellness puppy plan thing. Its great. I can't speak for all locations, but ours has some of the most friendly and knowledgeable folks ive come across.

My wife and I love this plan. It has saved us a bunch of money on 3 dogs and 2 cats. If there is a better plan out there, we haven't found it yet. Optimum wellness plan is gtg

As long as you understand this, you should be good.  Its sort of a HMO like thing were certain things like checks ups and immunizations are included but you still pay (at a discount) for care and other meds.

Seriously? No one?

Cute!

I love me some Pets Best Insurance.  I can't tell you how much it has saved me.  It more than paid for itself.

Sharp lookin' pup.  

Thanks guys.  Are you near Savannah?  I know they got a location there on the southside.

I use Banfield for both of my pups, It is nice that the visits are free and really does cut down on vet costs but is definately not insurance or all inclusive and primarily helps by spreading the major basic costs (shots, checkups, spay/neuter, etc) over a year by paying ~$35 a month.

There is no way that it should cost $35 dollars a month for puppy shot related things. I spent a LOT less than that on both my girls...

At the local Pet Vax places there is generally NO 'office visit' fee for something simple like Puppy shots, Heartworm testing, Rabies shots and such.

My girls currently get their rabies shots AND their booster shots every three years and that is all they 'need'. (please check YOUR local state laws about the rabies shot and what they require by law - Not all states recognize the three year shots yet...)

One of the big cost involved things that their puppy plans cover is the spay and or neuter. While I know you don't agree with this practice, it is cost effective for those that do. Otherwise the $35 would seem costly.

I got the wellness plan for my pup when I first got him and I think it did save us a lot of money at the time. As he grew older, the wait times at my Petsmart became unbearable, I'm talking waiting there to be seen 3 hours after our appointment time. It's probably just my location but I canceled the plan and found another vet.

I honestly got no idea what that service generally costs. I do know that here locally we have several different places that do 'low cost' spay / neuter surgeries. (places like Pet Vax)

I have lots of respect for the Vets that volunteer to help out at places like this. The ones that I have met personally 'could' have been working at their own practice and charging more for the same service but were instead 'helping out' at the Pet Vax for a lot less because they care more about the animals than they do about the money. I have encountered more than a few Vets at our Pet Vax that impressed the hell out of me.  Helped me add at least a few more Vets to my list that are also owners of the same breed dog. (important to me)

cschelk2, MUCH respect to you for the work you did at Banfield. Tells me that you were in it for the animals and not the money or your time lost.

Thanks; i appreciate the compliment especially with our history.   Personally i dont know any veterinarians who are in it for the money; compared to the cost of schooling vs. starting salary its not a high paying job.  I love animals, i've grown up around animals, and i'm a third generation veterinarian.  Banfield is an interesting place to work, especially out of school.  To work in a corporate situation as a veterinarian you learn alot that you wouldn't learn in private practice.  I think they offer great services and medicine although every one is different.

I find it cost effective with the number of times that I have gone there due to puppy issues that have arisen

I used to have an insurance plan with them.  I dropped it after I took my young border collie in to get his nails clipped.  

Rather than taking some time with him, some big bruiser rudely flipped him onto his side, layed on him thereby pinning him onto the table while someone else trimmed his nails.  The dog was so frightened he expressed his anal glands, and he had never done that before with any vet, grooming service, trainer, or other experience.  I was so pissed I was shaking, and told the manager to cancel my policy immediately that I will never be back, and that I'll tell anyone who will listen how they mistreated my dog.  I told the manager that I don't need Bubba to terrify my dog, then charge me for it, that I could do it for free if I was of a mind to, but I don't do that for many reasons.

I had that wonderful dog for another 12 years, and no one else ever terrified him like that.  We used many groomers, vets, and other strangers to help our dog, but he was only terrified like that one time....I have never gone back, and now you know why.  

I wouldn't let them treat my enemies animals, as I have more respect for animals than that.

This took place at the petsmart on S.E. 82nd avenue in Portland, Oregon near King road.

I do not trust Banfield, or Petsmart with anything, since they injured my sister's Shiba, lied about it, treated him without her permission or notification, crated him in a crate too small for hours before calling her, then lied about that, then had the gall to demand payment for an additional injury that was caused by them.

All he went in for was to get groomed, and the groomers at Petsmart nicked his quick. Not an issue right? A little styptic powder and you're good right? No.  They attempted to apparently heat seal the nail and quick with the rotary tool. (WTF?) Obviously he did not like that, and tried to get off the table, knocking off clippers and getting cut on the pad of his injured foot in the process. They then took him to the Banfield clinic in the Petsmart, where they wrapped his foot in plastic and put him in a crate too small for him to turn around in, let alone stand up. He's an oversized Shiba (about 17inches at the withers) and they put him in a crate for a toy or miniature. He stayed in that crate, still bleeding for ~2 hours by their own admisison before looking at the wound, which because it was wrapped in plastic, developed a hot spot and the original quick injury and pad injury were aggravated more by him chewing at it to remove the plastic.  Wondering what was taking so long to get a normal grooming done, my sister called Petsmart's groomers. They said they'd have to call her back because they were busy. They then 2 hours after that wrapped the paw in gauze to try and stop the bleeding. At this point they called my sister to come and pick up her dog. My sister was wondering why Banfield was calling her back not the groomers.

When she showed up she was obviously upset. Why was her dog A) at the vet, B) not groomed C) bandaged up D)now with a hot spot on his ankle E) now having a $400 emergency vet bill (because she didn't have an appointment) which would be reduced by 50% because the groomers brought the dog over. She wanted to know why her dog was treated without her permission and without her knowledge. They also prescribed an steroid for the dog (which he is allergic too, if they'd actually asked).  Banfield claimed they called and got authorization... From Mary. Except no one in my sister's household is named Mary. There's a Vanessa. There's an Evelyn. There is no Mary.

This was then escalated to the Store manager, who offered to waive the emergency vet charge, and the grooming charge! (oh yeah!) But she'd need to bring him back and be responsible for the follow up appointments.  This was then escalated to the regional manager, who waived all charges, and offered to pay for follow up appointments at my sister's Vet.

So there you go. Banfield can rot in hell, and I wouldn't trust a goldfish I got from them.