When you’re dealing with a vet’s office full of stressed-out dogs and hissing cats you probably wonder if there’s an easier way. While there is a multitude of reasons for visiting the vet’s office. Sometimes on an emergency basis, but most times for routine reasons such as a vaccine shot or check-up, the stress hits not only your dog but also you. Of course, you may have a great rapport with your veterinarian and staff. But the stress of a visit can become overwhelming. Today let’s explore the benefits of mobile vet services and whether it fits into your dog budget. You might be a bit surprised about this one.
*Updated: July 4, 2023
Budget tip: I know you’re thinking a mobile veterinary service seems very luxurious for your dog's vet care. Well, maybe not. If you break down the cost of your travel, time, stress, and convenience, you may actually be saving with a mobile vet. Here’s the best part about a mobile vet, you get super personalized attention. There’s no rush-rush in and out. The vet is completely focused on your dog. If the pros outweigh the cons for you and your dog, a mobile vet service may just save you on your dog budget. And that is a great budget tip!
What is a mobile vet?
A mobile veterinarian is a vet that will make a house call. Sometimes a mobile vet will have a brick-and-mortar office as well as a mobile vet service. Other times the vet strictly specializes in mobile services. Either way, the vet is a board-certified vet. You can check their certification with your state veterinarian board here.
What kind of pets will a mobile vet cover?
While a mobile vet is educated like all veterinarians, some will choose to specialize in certain animals like livestock, equine, or house pets. Others will not set limitations on the pets or animals they will offer medical services for with their business.
NOTE: For years, I had a mobile vet for my horses. While she generally only would “vet” large farm and livestock animals, she’d provide medical care for any domestic house pets of clients she visited. That certainly was a very nice service.
What kind of services can a mobile vet offer my dog?
The reason for calling a mobile vet will most likely vary. You will need to access your dog’s needs.
However, the services any mobile vet offers will vary depending on the vet. But, generally speaking, they can offer any service that a traditional vet can offer.
These services can include, but are not limited to:
- Vaccines
- Microchipping
- Dental care
- Second opinions
- Physical exams
- Lab work, including blood
- Surgical procedures
- X-rays
- Hospice care
- Euthanasia
NOTE: It’s often very comforting to dog parents to have a mobile vet come to their home for euthanasia services. While it’s a difficult time, it can be even more difficult to have to take your dog to the vet to administer this last act. If this is the one and only time you think you may use a mobile vet, contact your current vet. You may be shocked to learn he or she will make house calls for this painful act. My dog, Henry’s vet has been offering this mobile vet service for years.
What are the benefits of mobile vet services for my dog?
The benefits can be many, especially if your dog is highly stressed when visiting the vet or you live a long way from a physical veterinary clinic. A few benefits that you will want to think about include:
1. Convenience
This means convenience for you and your dog. You don’t have to travel to the vet. The vet comes to you.
2. Reduced stress
You and your dog will have less stress since you don’t have to go to the vet.
3. Contagions controlled
You won’t be exposing your dog to other sick dogs in the waiting room, parking lot, or hallway. Additionally, if you chose not to get certain dog vaccines such as Bordetella, you won’t need to worry that you might expose your dog to this highly contagious disease.
4. Time
You get to save on your time. There’s no travel for you, taking off of work, or rearranging of schedule to take your dog to the vet. Again, the vet comes to you.
5. Flexible appointments
Often mobile vet services offer off-hour appointments. This means more appointments available in the evening, early morning, and weekend hours.
5. Fewer distractions
When a mobile vet comes to you, he or she will be strictly focused on your dog. There will be no knocking on the door because “Mrs. Smith’s dog just vomited.”
6. More personalized attention
With less distractions comes more personalized attention. I always learned more about my animals from about my mobile vet than my traditional vets. My mobile vet often made a point of making me her last appointment of the day. So, my horses (or boys as she and I referred to them) got a lot of extra attention. I also knew more about her and she about me and my horses because we had time. And that’s a great benefit! She became a friend to my family.
7. You get to stay with your dog
Often when you take your dog into the vet’s office, they’ll take him or her away to do various exams or labs. That doesn’t happen with a mobile vet. Everything is done within your presence. I always have felt much more comfortable with this idea.
8. Specialized care
A mobile vet will often offer specialized care in such areas as diet, behavior, senior care, heck you name it. These vets can diversify their services more than even a traditional vet, thus what is offered can amaze you.
NOTE: I can tell you the right mobile vet will provide high-quality veterinary care. My best mobile vets have provided friendly and compassionate service for my animals. This is something that while it’s provided by my traditional vet, it’s much more abundant with the best mobile vets because they don’t have distractions and they have more time.
What can I expect from a mobile vet for my dog?
It will depend on the reason for the visit. For instance, if it’s for a second opinion or for a regular check-up, the mobile vet will do an initial exam. Then proceed to whatever your dog needs addressing.
Generally, if this is your first time with a mobile vet when you call to make the appointment the mobile vet service will give you a quote over the phone. This will give you a basic idea as to what to expect. Additionally, you will be provided with payment options at the time of service. However, most will accept payment in the same manner as traditional vets.
Will pet insurance cover mobile vet services?
Some mobile vets will be covered by pet insurance. Although since most mobile vets require payment at the time of service it makes it a bit tricky. Thus, it’s best if you can use your pet insurance in combination with another option like CareCredit or even a pet savings account. Also, even if your pet insurance will cover your mobile vet cost, it most likely will not cover the travel fee.
How do I find a mobile vet in my area?
1. Your vet
If you like your current vet, ask if he or she offers mobile vet services. Generally, these services aren’t widely promoted, but many traditional vets do offer mobile vet services. If not then ask for a referral for a mobile vet. They may ask why. Be honest. Tell your vet you want to spare your dog stress, lower your stress, reduce travel time, or whatever the answer is for you. Just be honest. It’s not a mark against your vet. Rather it’s information for your vet to grow.
2. Ask for a referral
Turn to your dog community, friends, family, dog walker, groomer, and doggie daycare and ask for a referral
3. Look online
Search online for a mobile vet in your area. There will probably be one that keeps popping up. Call that one or the ones that float to the top.
The main point is to make sure that whomever you select has great reviews and is board certified.
NOTE: Here’s one more point, if the mobile vet comes out and you butt heads, then fire the vet on the spot and find a new one. I did this with a few of my mobile vets. You are your dog’s advocate, so you must be picky with your vet.
What does a mobile vet cost?
Honestly, the price will vary depending on your location, dog, services you want to be performed, and the distance your vet needs to travel. Here’s the price of a few vet services in my area:
- Travel fee: $45-60
- Basic exam: $65
- Second opinion: $75
- Follow-up visit: $60
- Euthanasia: $250-500 (depending on pet size – horse, dog, cat, etc.)
NOTE: Most mobile veterinary services will offer a discount for multiple pets. So, if you have a dog and cat that need check-ups, schedule them at the same time for a savings. Overall, I can tell you it’s very nice to not have to take a stressed cat to a veterinary clinic.
Is the cost of mobile vet services worth it for my dog?
This is something you will need to answer for you and your dog. Look over the benefits and costs. Then look at the traditional vet visit and what that vet offers. Get out a piece of paper and write out the pros and cons in different columns for you and your dog. Then the column that wins is your winner.
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Summary of the benefits of mobile vet services for my dog
You may have thought that a mobile vet was too pricey for your dog. But if you dig down through the cost of your travel, inconvenience, and stress on you and your dog, then it may very well be worth it. Plus, you also get a lot more personalized attention.
Moreover, if you live a long way from a traditional veterinary clinic, then a mobile vet might be well worth it for you. This is something you will need to answer for you and your dog. I like to know this option is available to Henry and me if we should need it. I know an amazing mobile vet and his current vet makes a few house calls and my mind is at ease.
This is a great alternative to a Vet’s office, especially if you visit a very crowded are. It’s the perfect option for some situations. Thanks for also sharing your own mobile Vet experience
I’m glad I could give you a new or different option. Surprisingly the pros can often outweigh the cons when evaluating mobile vets.
I wish there was a mobile vet in my area! My sister lived in Arlington, VA, and had a wonderful mobile vet. It was so much better than taking her pets to the vet’s office.
Gosh, I’m shocked there’s not a mobile vet in your area. Have you asked your current vet? Or ask at the local shelter? Sometimes they just aren’t advertised as much. I hope you can find a mobile vet. You’re right a vet that makes house calls does make it easier for your pet and you.
Mobile vets are a great option. My sister uses a mobile vet to provide checkups and care for her senior cat Sushi. She’s very timid and scared so having that option is great. She does surprisingly well when the vet comes with her assistant. She’s well-behaved and comfortable in her own environment. The only downside is the vet she uses is very pricey, but the only one that serves her area. The trade-off is worth it though. You can’t beat personalized service and knowing your pet is comfortable in its own home. It’s way less stressful.
I’m sorry to hear that the mobile vet for your sister is pricey. I know the prices vary. Here’s a thought…maybe your sister can ask her neighbors if they’d like to have a mobile vet and then the vet can see many pets in one area. This will generally lower the price. I’d tell her to talk to the vet about options. Sometimes there are options that you don’t know about until you ask. For instance, one of Henry’s emergency vets bills on a sliding scale according to how the pet parent’s financial resources. I didn’t know that but the vet tech told me about it when she checked us in last time. So, often there are options, we just have to advocate and ask.
Thank you for sharing Sushi’s experiences with a mobile vet. I’m happy that it helps Sushi and is less stressful for her.
This is a great post as I have never thought of one but will not at this moment as I love my vet and I can go with Layla for everything plus my vet knows Layla and at her age I would rather stick with her but for future it is worth thinking about, Thanks for opening my mind to this option
I’m so glad I could provide new information for you. I’m also glad to know that Layla has a great vet that both you and her are comfortable with and trust. That’s always very important!
Great article! And before we moved, my vet began doing house calls for my Sibes (I loved my vet team!) and yes, they did offer a 10% multidog discount, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but with five Huskies, one being an epileptic, it added up and was a nice little bonus. Then we moved, and I was really fretting about a vet as we moved out of our area. So after much research, I located a well-reviewed mobile vet. Oh, what a wonderful thing!
After having a home-visiting vet for my FiveSibes, I didn’t want to have them to adjust to going into an office, especially now that they were seniors. By the time we moved, we sadly only had our last two Huskies Bandit and Wolfie with us. And not only did they have to adjust to a new home, but a new vet. Wolfie had severe anxiety, made worse by the passing of the others, so finding the mobile vet was a Godsend! She was wonderful with them, it was so low stress with their visits which was amazing since a) new vet; b) they were senior dogs; and c) Covid (yeah, THAT was happening three months after our move), so with a mask both myself and my grandson were permitted aboard and oh, how wonderful. And, with Wolfie having anxiety issues, the mobile van was great as it was just him in there no other dogs to exacerbate his anxiety. The new vet respected my years of knowing my dogs and the records I brought from our previous vet team. Her Rx costs and visit fees were a fraction of what an in-office fee would be (so not only was it less stress for the dogs, it’s less stress on the pocketbook). And, the added bonus was my grandson learned a lot about vet care for our Huskies and he was able to be with them, and especially Wolfie, which in turn was a comfort to him since he was so close to my grandson.
If folks are in same area and want to find a mobile vet, I agree with you on getting a vet referral or recommendation from other pet parents you trust. If one finds a good mobile vet, it sure can be a win-win for the dog and dog parent!
As always, a great article. Sharing with my followers!
Thank you again, Dorothy! I’m so glad to hear you found a great mobile vet for Bandit and Wolfie. WOW!!! I can’t imagine moving during covid with pups with needs.
You made a very good point that your grandson could get a close-up view of the vetting world. That’s a great point! I did that as well and even helped my mobile vet with several low-cost vaccination clinics. It’s a great way to dip your toes into the animal career world.
I’m pleased to hear that the mobile vet and RX were actually less expensive than the regular vet. That’s terrific! And goes to the point that a mobile vet isn’t a luxury benefit, it can be for anyone and any dog.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with your mobile vet. I greatly appreciate your continued support!