Is a trip to the vet a stressful experience for your pet? You’re not alone. Many of our furry friends aren’t fans, and this results in major anxiety not only for our pets but for us owners. My home-body pup, Tiny, loathes going to the vet. He’s a trembling mess from the moment he sees where we’ve arrived. My cats fare a bit better with in-office vet visits, but when they’re ill, it’s heartbreaking to have to cart them away from the comfort of home.
Fortunately, the mobile vet industry is on the rise due to the convenience and stress relief that house calls bring to owners and their pets. A leading national mobile vet service, The Vets, may be the solution to dreaded vet office visits. I’ll share what I’ve found in my research about The Vets, including some personal experiences to help you decide if it’s the best option for you and your pup.
The Vets Review
Contents
Product Name: The Vets
Product Description: The Vets is a nationwide mobile veterinary service that provides at-home vet care for wellness, illnesses, minor injuries, and more.
Summary
The Vets gets fantastic reviews from pet owners for the high-quality, reliable vet care they perform at home. I found the booking process incredibly easy and customer support extremely helpful. However, while they offer a wide variety of services, one significant downside is that no member of The Vets mobile vet network can perform at-home euthanasia.
Overall Score
Pros
- Easy booking on website or iOS app
- Ability to have multiple pets cared for in one visit
- Same-day or next-day visits often available
- Can do blood work and some other diagnostic testing in your home
- Vet services and customer support get overall good customer reviews across national locations
- Wellness plan available
Cons
- Home visit travel and exam fees are pricey
- Doesn’t offer mobile vet euthanasia or X-rays
- No Android mobile app
Key Features
- A convenient way to get multiple pets seen in one visit at your home
- All veterinarians are fully licensed
- Easy-to-use iOS mobile app lets you schedule appointments, view lab results, access your pet’s medical history, and more
- You can request a specific vet for appointments
- Total Wellness Plan available for $99 per month: covers wellness checkups, vaccinations, routine annual lab tests, preventative treatment, and telehealth advice
- Customer support and booking agents are available via phone Monday-Saturday from 8am-8pm EST
Where Is The Vets Available?
Founded in 2021 in Miami, The Vets currently offers in-home personalized vet care for dogs and cats in 19 major metropolitan locations (covering over 240 cities) across much of the U.S.
- Southeast: Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa
- Midwest: Chicago and Columbus
- Southwest: Austin, Colorado Springs, Dallas, Denver, Houston, and Phoenix
- West: Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Sacramento
- Northwest: Portland and Seattle
What Services Do They Offer?
The Vets offers a wide range of treatments for your dog or cat. Here’s a summary of the services they can provide in the comfort of your home.
- Wellness Exams – Comprehensive whole-body exams are performed to ensure that your pet is healthy.
- Vaccinations – The Vets offers routine vaccinations for puppies, kittens, dogs, and cats. These include rabies, parvovirus, feline leukemia, bordetella, and more.
- Sick Visits – If your pet is feeling unwell, The Vets can examine and diagnose your pet in your home. Diagnoses may involve some lab testing.
- Home Lab Tests – They can perform routine blood and urine testing, medication blood levels, heartworm testing, evaluation for internal and external parasites, and other tests to identify or rule out certain medical conditions affecting your pet.
- Ultrasound – Ultrasound is an important diagnostic tool for underlying health conditions. This service is only available in select locations so be sure to contact customer support if you think your pet may need an ultrasound.
- Microchipping – Microchipping is the best way to ensure you can be reunited with your pet if he gets lost. The microchip is no larger than a grain of rice and can easily be placed under the skin during your at-home vet visit.
- Other Services – They also offer nutrition and behavioral advice, at-home anal gland expression, nail trimming, flea treatment, and more.
What Services Aren’t Offered?
Most notably, The Vets doesn’t offer home euthanasia, while many local mobile vets do. Also, they aren’t able to perform home X-rays or surgery. As with any mobile vet, The Vets aren’t equipped to handle emergency services.
How Do I Make An Appointment?
You can schedule an appointment by calling The Vets’ booking agents or easily make one online. I wanted to see what’s involved in making an appointment on The Vets’ website. Unfortunately, they’re not available in my area, but I offered to help my nephew, who lives in Charlotte, NC, make an appointment for his pup Jazz.
Explain Why Your Pet Needs To Be Seen
When I went online, I clicked on “Schedule an Appointment.” The site asks you a few questions, including the type and name of your pet(s) and the reason for your appointment (wellness & vaccines, physical issue or injury, or sickness). On the next page, you provide your contact information and address.
Choose Your Appointment Date & Time
Once you enter your contact information and location, the site generates a calendar of available dates and times. Then, all you have to do is choose and confirm the appointment. No credit card is required to reserve your appointment, but payment is due upon the completion of The Vets’ visit. You’ll then quickly receive an email confirmation, which requests that you email your pet’s medical records to The Vets before your visit. It also includes a link if you need to reschedule or cancel. Note: Cancellations made less than 24 hours before an appointment are subject to a $75 fee.
Complete Your Pet’s Medical Information
After confirming, I then filled out the Advanced Medical Information, which includes details about your pet’s age, gender, and health issues related to the purpose of your appointment. For example, if you scheduled a sick visit, you’ll provide details of symptoms. The form also asks you about your pet’s aggression or anxiety, allergies to medication, current medications and/or supplements, chronic medical problems, and any other concerns you’d like to share.
I found the entire booking process incredibly easy. There was a next-day morning appointment available, and many dates and times during the rest of the week and month to choose from, including Saturday appointments. You can’t select a specific vet to see online. However, booking agents are available by phone to help you arrange that.
What Happens At Your Pet’s Appointment?
Image courtesy of The Vets
I called The Vets’ customer service to learn more about what a vet’s visit entails in your home. They responded immediately with helpful information. I found the support representative extremely friendly and helpful with any questions I had.
To prepare for your visit, The Vets recommends that you choose a place in your home where your dog or cat feels most relaxed. Once the veterinarian and vet tech arrives, they’ll greet your pet for a few minutes to make him feel comfortable — and with your okay, they’ll give him a lick mat or treat to ease him into the examination. Then, they unpack the equipment they need for the visit, which can include a weighing scale and any necessary assessment tools needed to check out your pet.
The vet will first perform a thorough head-to-tail examination to get the basics and then assess your pet further based on the reason for the visit. The vet tech has a list of other optional services they can perform beyond your immediate needs, including nail cutting, teeth cleaning, flea treatment, etc.
Once your pet’s visit is completed, you’ll need to pay via a credit or debit card. You’ll receive an email detailing your payment and the services provided.
How long do visits typically last? According to The Vets’ website,
- Appointments for one pet last anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes.
- Appointments for two or more pets last about 45 minutes to 2.5 hours.
Check out this brief video to see The Vets in action in a home environment.
Pricing
The Vets’ pricing used to vary by location, but now they have set base prices for their travel and exam fees regardless of your location. Keep in mind that these costs don’t include lab tests, vaccinations, or any extra services.
- Concierge fee (home visit travel fee): $199, regardless of the number of pets being seen
- Exam fee: $99 per pet
How Does The Vets’ Total Wellness Plan Work?
It costs $99 per month* to enroll in The Vets’ Total Wellness Plan, and you’ll be automatically charged each month. The plan includes unlimited telehealth chat services and guaranteed priority appointments for home visits within 48 hours. It also covers many fees per year, including:
- 3 home visit fees
- 2 exam fees
- All preventative treatments
- Any core and lifestyle vaccinations tailored to your pet’s needs
- Yearly lab tests and comprehensive lab screenings
*The Total Wellness Plan is structured as a 12-month payment plan, and early cancellation may result in charges for services you’ve used up to that point.
My Personal Experience With A Mobile Vet
When my 16-year-old cat, Cleo, was declining in her health and mobility, I had a local mobile vet come to give her the care she needed at my home. It was such a blessing not to have to take her to the vet’s office. She got the pain meds she needed, and our vet gave me excellent advice about end-of-life care.
Once Cleo’s quality of life had declined too much, our mobile vet was able to provide in-home euthanasia. Although having to put my kitty to sleep was so hard to go through, having her euthanized at home was easier than having to go through that process in a vet’s office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions pet parents ask most often about The Vets. Don’t see yours here? Ask me in the comments, and I’ll help answer your question.
What Types Of Payment Does The Vets Accept?
The Vets accepts all major credit and debit cards at your home upon completion of your appointment. Unfortunately, The Vets doesn’t accept personal checks or CareCredit.
What If My Pet Needs A Prescription?
All veterinarians can prescribe medication for your pet at your home. They can call it into your local pharmacy or order it online through a partnership with MixLab, which offers free, next-day delivery to your home. Alternatively, you can order many dog and cat prescriptions on Chewy for quick delivery.
Does Pet Insurance Cover The Vets & Other Mobile Vet Services?
While pet insurance doesn’t cover travel fees with these services or wellness-related vet care, it may cover exams and lab testing for illnesses and minor accidents. However, you’ll likely need to get in-clinic vet care for more serious health problems during your pet’s lifetime.
Vet costs for severe conditions and accidents can rack up quickly — sometimes into thousands of dollars — so you may want to consider getting pet insurance. It can help protect your wallet from a major blow while ensuring that your pet receives the care he needs. See our pet insurance reviews to learn more.
Alternatives To The Vets
If The Vets isn’t available in your area or you’re not sure if it’s the best service for you and your pet’s needs, be sure to read my reviews of the best mobile vets to see your other options. You may also be able to find a reliable local mobile vet. Another avenue you may want to consider is using an online vet, which can often be a more affordable route. See my reviews of the best online vet services to learn more.
Why Trust Canine Journal?
Sally has over 20 years of experience in human health sciences communications, including 10 years as an expert on pet health conditions and veterinary care and treatment. She has used a local mobile vet occasionally for her furry children and is a huge proponent of at-home vet care. She’s part of a team of dedicated canine professionals and long-time dog owners who test and research the best pet products, not only for our own pups but for all of our readers.
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