Rebecca Melinger and Andrew Grone are first-time pet parents. Any little sniffle from their bernedoodle Finley makes them nervous. And the long wait time to see a veterinarian doesn’t help.
“We would call and we wouldn’t get an appointment for 20 to 30 days. At that point, it’s a little nerve wracking as a new puppy parent, to kind of know the signs and if they're okay,” said Melinger.
So the couple was thrilled to discover a mobile veterinary clinic. For $75, they paid a vet to come right to their home. Finley’s wellness exam cost another $80 on top of that. If Finley needs vaccinations or blood work, the mobile vet can do that too, for an extra charge.
If you have pet insurance, be sure to ask the mobile provider if they accept it. Finley’s doesn’t.
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Dr. Sy Woon with The Vets said working out of a van isn’t much different than a traditional setting.
“Having practiced for several years, you become familiar with a lot of the cases you come across. If there are any issues or cases that I feel like a board certified specialist needs to review, then I will refer out,” she said.
There are a handful of mobile vets in the LA area, and they must meet the same standards and licensing requirements as a traditional clinic.
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As for drawbacks to mobile care, experts said they recommend doing a price comparison with your brick and mortar vet.
For Melinger, any extra cost is worth it.
“I think the vet environment for her was a little nerve wracking. And so finding an opportunity to bring it into the home, in a more stress-free environment, was a good option for us,” she said.