Pet Health Insurance

75 responses so far ↓

• 1 Must Love Dogs // Apr 24, 2008 at 11:11 am

  Hey Mike,

  In all my research about pet insurance companies, including going through 10lb reports on pet insurance, I have never seen Banfield listed as a traditional pet insurance company. I think you nailed it, that they have the wellness option that some people might confuse with insurance. Here is an article that explains things a little better http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/la-fi-lazarus16jan16,1,354216.column

• 2 Mikael // Apr 24, 2008 at 11:40 am

  Hi Melissa,

  The reason I decided to do this review is that I saw how many people were actually looking for a Banfield Pet Insurance and even though I couldn’t find it I felt that I had to investigate it further before commenting on it.

  Even though I am a strong advocate for pet insurance coverage I do fully support the idea of trying to keep your pet as healthy as humanly possible as the best pet insurance there is, is the one that isn’t needed

  Therefore I feel that it is a great idea that the Banfield people are focusing on “supporting health” rather than “treating illness”.

  Thank you for the link to the article.

• 3 Kia // Apr 30, 2008 at 11:11 am

  Hi,
  I have a 5 year old dog with swollen lymph nodes that is more than likely cancer. I have researched for a week now looking for a company that will cover her, since her issues are pre-existing. Is there a company(s) that you can recommend who can help or any method I could use to get her covered?

  I am very, very desperate at this point.

  Thank You

• 4 Mikael // Apr 30, 2008 at 11:22 am

  Hi Kia,

  I’m so sorry to hear that and I know why just must feel desperate. Unfortunately I’m not able to guide you in any direction that will solve your problem. Pre-existing conditions are always a problem when it comes to pet insurance and since cancer treatment is very expensive I think you’ll find a hard time finding a company that will cover it.

  The best thing you can do is to look for a reason for the insurance company to help you out. Don’t think that they’ll do it because they are good hearted people. They run a company and not a charity business. But it you can show they why they should cover your dog (why = make money from it), then I think you’ll have the best chance of getting it.

  However since this solution will most likely be even more costly to you I suggest that you talk to a bank instead and see if they’ll lend you the money to cover the treatment.

  I’m sorry that I don’t have any other advice but I really don’t….

• 5 Sarah // Dec 21, 2008 at 4:11 pm

  http://www.banfield.net/optimum-wellness-plans/

  This is actually the link that shows you all about the Banfield “pet insurance.” It seems as if Banfield refers to insurance as an optimum wellness plan, because even in reference to our human insurance, its still a plan designed to keep us well. Just like “insurance” this plan is designed to help us live longer, give us recommended comprehensive care at an affordable price, savings on prescription medicines, and the ability to use our insurance at many different providers.

  And if the brief explanation of benefits wasn’t good enough, there is an 800 number to call for further information.

  So, overall, this introduction to benefits is the same as any other insurance website you may visit.

  And yes, I do have this insurance for my dog, and I feel very comfortable knowing that I have a place to go that has such kind trained professionals at my diposal for free, that are there to truly help my loved pet.

• 6 Mikael // Dec 22, 2008 at 12:25 pm

  Hi Sarah, I like that you put the term “pet insurance” in quotes because that shows me that we agree even though some of your comments seems like we don’t.

  There is no doubt that what Banfield offers is great but it has nothing to do with insurance. Yes you might argue that with the Banfield plan you pet might not need medical care because it’ll stay healthy forever but we both know that there is no guarantee of that.

  You’ll find a great many accident that good nutrition and wellness can help you with. If your cat or dog gets hit by a car, they bite or scratch someone etc. then the Banfield solution will do you know good because it is not an insurance. It’s a wellness plan.

  The optimal solution would be to get both the wellness plan and an insurance coverage. But that might be over the top for most pet owners.

• 7 Debbie Duran // Dec 25, 2008 at 9:22 am

  Hi Mikael,
  Thanks for that review, I just purchased insurance for my dogs yesterday from VPI Insurance. We took my dogs to Banfield hospital back in November to get their vaccines. This was the first time to go there, i heard it they don’t charge for a doctors visit on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-4, so i thought well its just vaccines lets do it. My husband took them and when he got back he told me that those people didn’t know what they were doing. When they injected one of my dogs, they pinched the back of the neck to give the shot and she stuck the needle in and it came out the other side and was squirting the medicine out the other end. My husband thought to himself this woman doesn’t know what she is doing. Unfortunately, when she gave our other dog her vaccines she must of hit the spinal cord or something. When we got her home she didn’t want to do anything, but we just thought well she’s probably sore and wants to rest. The next morning she was lying halfway in her kennel and halfway out and couldn’t move anymore. By 10am that morning my husband took her back to Banfield where they said it was a neurological problem. By this time her head was contoured all the way to her back and she was bearing her teeth and also she was seizing by this time. We took her to our regular vet and they said it was neurological and they needed to do a CT scan before they could give us medicine. It was going to cost us about 2500.00 for the hospital stay and the CT scan. Well we spent 1000.00 that day. We didn’t take her to the hospital and we lost her that night. It was very hard to see her suffer. I think Banfield is not a place I will ever take my dogs again. Thanks, Debbie

• 8 Mikael // Dec 25, 2008 at 1:15 pm

  Hi Debbie, I’m so sorry to hear that. Unfortunately I’ve also heard some rather sad stories about VPI as well (see this the comments here: http://www.petinsurancepro.com/vpi-pet-insurance/) but I hope that you’ll have more luck with them.

• 9 Marie // Jan 2, 2009 at 5:52 pm

  Hi, It seems like there are alot of complaints about Banfield on the web, but as you said there must be enough happy pet owners to keep it going 50 years. I take my 5 puppies to the Banfield in Braintree, Ma. and LOVE it!! They have 2 vets that are excellent and caring and all the other staff is GREAT too! They explained in the beginning that it wasn’t an insurance but a Wellness Plan. It saved me a fortune, I had all 5 neutered and it covered all vaccinations ( no charge). I am very happy and recommend it to everyone. Of course, it is obvious that all Banfields aren’t lucky enough to have such wonderful staff. thanks, Marie

• 10 Mikael // Jan 3, 2009 at 8:39 am

  Hi Marie,

  It is great to hear that it is not only bad news that people have but that there are also people having great experiences with Banfield. Thanks for sharing.

• 11 Mary // Jan 5, 2009 at 3:39 pm

  I haven’t signed up for Banfield insurance (yes, insurance; so what if it’s named Wellness Plan) yet but have been recommended by people that said it’s amazing…I just got online five minutes ago and had no trouble at all finding what I was looking for. Might it be suggested that you’re a little too critical? There were options for a Puppy plan, a Kitten plan, and an Adult Pet plan. Puppies have a $99.95 starting fee and you pay $18.00 per month for a year; this includes all vaccinations and necessary appointments, though I’m excluding neutering for my puppy. No problem. I’ll let you know if I have troubles once I’ve visited the vet.

• 12 Mikael // Jan 5, 2009 at 3:45 pm

  Hi Mary, it’s always a matter of opinion but I didn’t feel like I were too critical though. But please let us know if you have any good or bad experiences with Banfield.

• 13 Diane // Jan 7, 2009 at 8:38 pm

  I have used Banfield’s WELLNESS PLAN for 13 years. First it was one dog, then I added a cat, then another dog. Then the first dog left for Rainbow Bridge. A little while later I got another dog and put her on the plan. It was NEVER represented as anything more than a WELLNESS PLAN. There are several levels to choose from, from puppy (to include spaying/neutering), to senior dogs. You can get coverage for annual dental cleanings, full blood work up once a year, or twice a year. I have been able to change my plan as my pets age and their needs increase. I HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH THIS COVERAGE. Every vet I have ever had there has been WONDERFUL. It’s disappointing when a vet leaves because they are being transferred “back home,” or something like that, but that can happen anywhere. I love this WELLNESS PLAN because it has helped me manage my veterinary expenses AND get the care for my pets how and when I have needed it. I have saved THOUSANDS of dollars as a result of having these plans!!!

• 14 Mikael // Jan 8, 2009 at 12:06 am

  Welcome Diane. Thank you for leaving your comments about Banfield. It is great to hear what your experiences have been. Thanks for sharing.

• 15 Kathy // Jan 20, 2009 at 6:32 pm

  We lost our Springer Spaniel Pepper of 16 years last year and we had her on the Banfield Wellness plan. He had a tumor 2 years before he passed away and the operation was far less due to being on the plan. We just adopted a 10mo. Havanese and I am signing her up with Banfield. I think the Wellness Plan is great because you are notified when their shots are due and it includes a check up every 6 months. I believe Pepper lasted as long as he did due to keeping him up on his wellness checkups.

• 16 Gary // Jan 29, 2009 at 5:31 am

  I feel this company is engaged in a deceptive and predatory business practice. We took two cats in, simply to get interstate health certificates. Afterward, they socked us with a bill for $800. Eight hundred dollars!! or we could sign up for their “plan”.

  Thinking this was something very routine, that would cost a negligable sum of money, we didn’t think to ask for the price first. We were busy packing to move out of state, we didn’t have the time to shop around for the best rate, we simply wanted to take them to the nearest vet, have this technicality over and done with as quickly as possible, and get on with more important things.

  We will be getting out of this “plan” as soon as our obligation for the office visit is fulfilled, we will never go back to a Petsmart/Banfield location, and always ask for the price up front for any future vet services.

• 17 Mikael // Jan 29, 2009 at 6:12 am

  Hi Gary. Thank you for stopping by. As you can see from the comments there are a lot of different opinions on Banfield but I’m glad that you took the time to share your story with the rest of us.

• 18 harriet scarangella // Feb 1, 2009 at 9:10 am

  Hi, we have a 3 year old cat in a Banfield Hospital at the present time. We took her there 9 days ago presenting with an eye infection. Banfield told us she had ear infection, & tarter on the teeth and need booster shots. Being she needed general anesthesia for the teeth, we should leave her overnite at a cost of almost $1,500.00, BUT if we joined their “Wellness Plan” that would be greatly reduced. We joined the plan, left the cat there, picked her up the next day and brought her home. She wouldn’t eat at all and seemed DEAF and very lethargic. That Tuesday we brought her to another Vet (more money) and he gave us an appetite stimulant and antibiotics. By The following Friday we were forced feeding her (which is horrible and very hard to do) and took her back to Banfield. I said please help her and they were going to keep her, do some testing, give us IV fluid. I assumed we would not have to pay for this since this is the way we took home home from them (please note she was absolutely healthy, lively and happy when we originally brought her in). In the car, after we left her there, we got a cell phone call from the nurse saying it would be over $400.00 for this stay. I couldn’t believe it, argued with the nurse, but to no avail. I could have picked up the kitty, but WHAT COULD I DO WITH HER. She was in danger of dying from dehydration and starvation, so I said go ahead and help her. I still do not know if they will get to the bottom of this, but this is where I am now and seem to have no recourse. i have a feeling we are taking her home today, still anorexic with no answer (I believe something happened with the anesthesia – the Vet there, naturally, says no). Don’t know where to go from here.

• 19 anna b. // Feb 4, 2009 at 10:00 am

  I had an 11year old cairn terrier with an enlarged heart which was told to me about 7 years ago well I have been a member of Banfield for over a year never once did the vet tell me she had an enlarged heart or fluid buildup. Well we last saw him on Dec 27 2008 nothing was said about hearing fluid buildup or anything just she sounded good. Well on Jan 7th 2009 she was rushed to emergency vet with fluid buildup and Congestive heart failure never once did the vet from Banfield tell me he even knew she had anything wrong with her heart. Tell me from Dec 27 2008 til Jan 7th 2009 he never knew she had heart problems I think they have a bunch of inexperienced vets that are doing training there and do not know that much cause she passed away in Jan 7th.And he asked me what hapened if hes the vet shouldnt he have know that she had issues didnt he hear anything when he listened to her heart.

• 20 Diane // Feb 4, 2009 at 12:54 pm

  I don’t get it…was there a reason YOU didn’t tell Banfield about your dog’s medical history? You ARE responsible for disclosing pertinent information to a new vet. Furthermore, a fluid build-up is not something that is forever present with an enlarged heart…it can come on suddenly and quickly. I had a 13.5 year old Golden Retriever/Basenji mix who was diagnosed with severe heart disease at the end of last January. NO sign whatsoever until he SUDDENLY wasn’t himself and collapsed when I was taking him to the vet. My vet at Banfield told me to take him to the emergency hospital overnight so he could be watched and treated. Both the emergency vet and I disclosed all of the information to the vet at Banfield who, by the way, the dogs and I LOVE. He didn’t have congestive heart failure right away. When it DID occur he was put on medication (a diuretic) by the veterinary cardiologist I started to take him to routinely. I took his heart condition seriously and did what I had to do to help him. Furthermore, his condition was monitored by his regular vet at Banfield. He had a cardiologist appointment in early July and the x-rays showed NO SIGN OF CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE — NO fluid build-up. TEN DAYS LATER he SUDDENLY showed signs that the congestive heart failure was NOT being controlled by the medication any longer and there WAS a fluid build-up again and that it was getting worse. Understand that one night he was fine — we went to the dog park, the dogs both had a great time, and we came home and he ate his dinner — and the next morning he was visibly not well, he wouldn’t eat and was lethargic and wouldn’t take his medication and didn’t have the strength or energy to move very much. I repeat, THIS HAPPENED OVERNIGHT!! I took him to the emergency vet and they did what they could, but his heart was just done. The following morning I made the decision that neither he nor I could go through and I let him go.

  AGAIN, I LOVE MY VET AT BANFIELD, but I know that I am responsible to communicate with her. THAT is why you have to fill out the paperwork every time you take them in for check-ups. When the vet at Banfield didn’t say anything about the heart (I’m not sure they can tell it’s enlarged by listening to it!) why in the world did you not tell them!!?? THAT is YOUR fault. You didn’t mention if you dog was on any medication for the enlarged heart. If she was, again shame on you for not telling Banfield’s vet. If she wasn’t on medication, the enlarged heart obviously wasn’t much of a problem. You are clearly looking for someone to blame, but it’s probable that the last time the Banfield vet saw her, there was NO CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE present.

  I am truly sorry for your loss. The day I had Jesse put to sleep was the WORST day of my life. I know what it feels like. It’s HORRIBLE. But sometimes there just ISN’T ANYONE TO BLAME.

• 21 debbie // Feb 17, 2009 at 10:41 pm

  Ann b they cannot tell ur pet has heart failure by listening to ir u need radiographs or echocardiogram or electrocardiogram to diagnose it oo n a heat murmur they can hear sometimes if it is not bad they can’t hear it. Or sometimes they can only hear the murmur from one side of the heart. It just really upsets me that people make rude comments about thiss company but u don’t c other complaints cuz they r not open as long as banfield has to get websites like this.

• 22 Erika J // Mar 19, 2009 at 8:15 am

  As a first time pet owner, I was unaware that my pet dog needed shots every year. I found out when I was making a reservation at our boarders. So I was looking to get him checked out, and get his shots. I called banfield because we take him to pets mart for grooming anyways. The lady on the phone gave me prices for the shots, then proceeded to pitch the information about their Optimum Wellness Program. So I took him in thinking that the Program was a good idea. I got there early, but the wait time even after my appointment was a little lengthy, and the vet nurse was a little pushy, and sarcastically compassionate. My dog didn’t want his temperature taken, and she persisted in taking it in the room, then removed him from the room to take it and the heartworm test. They stated the heartworm test was required to get on the Wellness plan, and if it was negative he could get on it. They brought my dog back to me dehydrated, anxious, and excited. They offered him water, which invoked vomiting because he was so excited and slurped the water extra fast. And at this point we waited 30minutes (for heartworm test results), then more time to see the doctor. When the doctor came in he said my dog was generally healthy, but needed the shots I had requested, and his ears clean. He also stated (after i had been charged for all these tests) That he could not put my dog on the optimum wellness plan because he was thrashing and aggressive while they were trying to take his temperature (in his butt mind you). Then he began to upsell ear cleaning products, and flea and heartworm protection products, but at this point I was just ready to go because I felt very cheated and deceived. They also told me my dog needed boosters of the distemper vaccine he had just got from them within 3 weeks. This would cost me another $60-70. After verifying with two other vets, I found that he doesn’t even need it. I feel like they lured me in, and pulled a bait and switch, and then upcharged me. My bill eneded being twice what it would have been if had’ve taken him to the Welfare league as I started to.

• 23 Robyn // Apr 7, 2009 at 2:36 pm

  I was just reading how people are looking to Banfield for pet insurance and how it is refered to as pet insurance. I actually work for Banfield and we highly stress that our wellness plans are not pet insurance as well as we do not offer it, but that they are preventative care packages. Thanks!

• 24 Robyn // Apr 7, 2009 at 2:39 pm

  ERIKA J

  I dont know WHAT they were doing but HWT only take about 5 min to run. Temperatures are needed to make sure the dog does not have a fever as a vaccine would only lower his immune system and make him sicker. HWT are not neccesary to sign up on the wellness plan, the Pet just needs to be appparently healthy. I would recommend a different banfield. The parvo shot does need to be boostered in three weeks, then it is good for three years.

• 25 Diane // Apr 7, 2009 at 3:51 pm

  Again, I have had 3 dogs and 1 cat on Banfield’s Wellness Plans. I have been going to Banfield for 14 years. NEVER was the Wellness Plan presented as INSURANCE. If you can read, you can see that. WHAT DOES OPTIMUM WELLNESS PLAN mean to you? I think it’s pretty clear, especially when you read in the booklet what is covered!!! If you choose not to read or ask all the questions you have it’s no one’s fault but your own. Why do some people seem to be incapable of assuming the responsibility for their own actions or negligence?

• 26 chb // Apr 7, 2009 at 7:07 pm

  We have had our ups and downs with Banfield but I feel they have the health of our dog first and foremost in their minds. We have still had to be proactive in questioning them about why they recommend certain things and what other options we have. Our dog has a congenital heart condition that they discovered thru a heart murmur, but we were unhappy with their initial ultrasound and prognosis so we took her to a cardiologist for a specialist’s opinion. Doggie also had bladder stones and was operated on at Banfield and everything went well and the whole ordeal was made much less expensive b/c of the wellness plan. But now they are pressuring us to put her to sleep for a teeth cleaning (she is only 3), which we don’t want to do b/c of her heart. We are just brushing her teeth now. So like I said, ups and downs. Now I want to figure out if there is an insurance plan out there that will work out better than the wellness plan (besides the pre-existing conditions, of course, but I worry that every potential health problem she has in the future will somehow be magically connected to the heart problem). Thank you for this great website!!

• 27 Kathy // Apr 8, 2009 at 2:56 am

  Our Springer Spaniel Pepper of 16 years was on the Banfield Wellness Plan. He died last year. The plan has a discounted rate for surgeries, etc. He had a growth 2 years before he died and the cost for removing it was discounted which is part of the plan, including free unlimited office visits if necessary. Having him checked under the Wellness plan every 6 months gave me peace of mind.

  I recently adopted 2 Havanese and I put them on the Wellness plan. Right afterwards 1 of them got stung by a bee and I rushed her in. There was no charge for the visit, they inspected her thoroughly and gave her an anti inflammatory injection which costs $17. That was all I had to pay for. I highly recommend Banfield’s Wellness Plan to all my friends. Sooo their site is not so great but you could go in or have them send you a brochure outlining all the benefits.

• 28 Diane // Apr 8, 2009 at 12:43 pm

  CHB…My Jesse died last summer (he was 13.5). For the last 6 months of his life he had severe heart disease. There were NO signs of a problem until WHAM! There was no way for Banfield to have pronosticated that he was going to have this problem. It happened at night, so I took him to an Emergency Clinic near here (the one my Banfield recommends when it’s needed). When the Emergency Vet told me that he had severe heart disease I was devastated and felt horribly guilty that my unwillingness to have his teeth cleaned (because of his age) may have contributed to the disease. This is the important part: The Emergency Vet told me that THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN. HE SAID THAT HE HAS NEVER HAD ONE OF HIS DOGS’ TEETH CLEANED AND DIDN’T THINK HE EVER WOULD BECAUSE HE HAS SEEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO DOGS THAT HAVE HAD THEIR TEETH CLEANED AND HAD AN UNDIAGNOSED HEART PROBLEM!!! He said that the big problems don’t arise when the teeth need to be cleaned and aren’t; instead they arise when the teeth ARE cleaned and the bacteria is released…and there is an undiagnosed heart problem. I do not know if they would do what they sometimes do in humans….give antibiotics first…but I’m not big on antibiotics because they mess up the flora and fauna of the body! At Jesse’s age, I just didn’t want him to be anesthesized. It was recommended that I give teeth cleaning chewies and NUCKLE BONES to keep the teeth as clean as possible.

  As an aside, when Jesse finally let me know that he was done and didn’t want to fight anymore, and the Emergency Vet put him to sleep, my BANFIELD VET, as soon as she received the fax from the emergency clinic that Jesse had died, CALLED ME IN TEARS, and we cried together for awhile. I really do LOVE Banfield. (Of course there have been problems along the way, but as soon as I voiced a concern it was dealt with. If there was a vet I didn’t like — only happened once — I just refused to schedule my appointments when that vet was there. They know who to schedule me with and do.)

• 29 Chris // Apr 27, 2009 at 9:03 am

  To Debbie Duran above, my grandmother just had a similiar incident. She took her cat in to have it’s teeth cleaned and now he can barely use his back legs. The Dr.’s are pretty much ignoring her, this was a healthy 3 yr. old cat when he went in. Terrible!

• 30 Diane // Apr 27, 2009 at 1:01 pm

  I’ve always been told that cats and anesthesia often don’t mix well. I go out of my way to avoid having my cat anesthetized. Having teeth cleaned is a choice, with cats, with older dogs, etc. You have to weigh the risks FOR YOU. It’s important to keep their teeth cleaned, but not at the risk of their overall well being. I use tartar control treats for my cat and big old knuckle bones for my dogs. Remember, when a human is anesthetized there are risks as well, and sometimes it can result in serious problems. It’s not always the doctor’s fault. Risks are explained to you. Whenever the vets at Banfield want to do a procedure that would require anesthesia, I discuss the pros and cons with them and make my own decision. I don’t understand why people cannot own their part in some of these things that have been reported.

• 31 Chris // Apr 27, 2009 at 1:52 pm

  Thats all fine and well but the vet will not even see her. She is 91 yrs. old, very upset in the waiting room and he stays in back and makes another Vet see her. I think he knows he did something wrong! And losing the use of their back legs is not a common anesthesia complication. We all know the risks of anesthesia but have some emphathy when things go wrong.

• 32 anna b. // Apr 27, 2009 at 3:50 pm

  I just adopted a dog on Jan 28th 2009 and was told by the Banfield people after bring him in for a checkiup that the lyme disease test came back Positive. I said to the Vet does that mean he has Lyme disease he told me we will see if he starts to limp. Well I wanted to know if I just adopted a sick dog because I just lost another dog a few weeks ago from an enlarged heart. So I told him to take a C 6 test to check on the Lyme disease that the snap test said he had said positive. Well the Banfield company said they will not authorize such a test as the C 6 only a snap test. So I had to go to another Vet to take it and costs me $200 to do so and it came back NEGATIVE can you tell me why they could not do it for me because they are trying to be cheap and not put my mind at ease that I would lose another dog.

• 33 Lauren // May 2, 2009 at 4:41 pm

  Whatever you do stay away from Banfield Pet Hospital. They are a scam and only want to take your money. There is not one person who works for the company with customer service skills, ESPECIALLY Jenny in the accounts department!

• 34 Ilana P // May 4, 2009 at 11:07 am

  I am a Banfield customer, and have been since fall of ‘07. Honestly, I’ve had my ups and downs with them but since this is my first pet, I have no basis for comparison. According to the summary of services provided that I receive at the end of my visits, I do save a considerable amount of money through their Wellness plan (I’m on the lowest option), but I have not verified the accuracy of those price quotes elsewhere. I am uncomfortable with having to leave my cat there for several hours if not all day, depending on how busy they are, in a cage surrounded by numerous other animals; and if my cat dies I either have to continue with my monthly Wellness Plan payments until the year is up or pay them full price for all the services I’ve utilized that year. This last fall I took my cat, Charles, in for his yearly booster shots as usual. Within a week of the appointment, I was petting him and discovered a lump on his leg. I took him into Banfield immediately and was at THAT point informed of the potential risk of infection and/or a very aggressive type of tumor growth in response to one of his shots (I believe it was rabies, but don’t quote me on that). I feel that this is very important information that should have been emphasized or at least offered upfront before the shots were administered–Charles is an indoor cat and I most likely would not have taken that risk since he isn’t exposed to other cats. Charles was seen by multiple doctors that day to get second opinions on the lump. They started him on antibiotics immediately in the event that it was an infection, and a sample was taken to assess the lumps malignancy. I was called as soon as the *negative* results were received. Despite their busy office, I have always been able to get in touch with a receptionist and/or a doctor if needed. Granted, I have no idea how I would have been treated if his results came back positive and they had given him cancer, but as of now I am prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt. I am online looking up reviews of Banfield today in particular because I’ve been called to schedule Charles’ comprehensive exam and am feeling quite reluctant after that last scary experience. However, I must emphasize that my reluctance is largely based on questioning the necessity of further vaccinations, not the doctors and nurses at Banfield. I have always found them to be knowledgeable and genuine, though they do seem generally overwhelmed by their patient load. Ok. I have in this moment decided to take him in, wish me luck! Thank you.

• 35 Kat // May 14, 2009 at 7:33 pm

  Hi I used to work for banfield and the Wellness Plans are just that “well packages” They do not claim it to be insurance because it does not cover sick pet’s it’s more of a preventive care package. The plans a have 4 different levels for adult pets and two for kitten or puppy under 6 months which includes a spay or neuter in the package. There is a one time member ship fee $99 forunder 6 months and $70 for adults the plans start at $12.95 a month up to $32.95 it is a year contract, meaning you will have to commit to the plan for a whole year. The packages offer all Vaccines, Heart Worm testing, fecal exams, Routine deworming, and all office visits are covered. The higher plans cover things like dental cleanings, urinalysis and x-rays. It really is a good deal for preventitive care you should swing by or call a banfield near you for more details.

• 36 Jane // May 23, 2009 at 12:04 am

  I have had several animals enrolled in wellness plans, until my cat was injured by the vet there . I was required to pay something in the neighborhood of $900.00 to treat the resulting illness; since the cat was left crippled, and had not improved after 6 months, I requested a refund. The corporate office had me jump through a series of hoops, only to find that they never had any intention of doing the right thing. It turns out that the “office manager” is actually a part owner of the hospital, and did not wish to part with her ill-gotten profits. I really like the idea of a wellness plan; however, I guess it’s only as good as the care the animal receives. In my case, it was a hard lesson. needless to say, I won’t be returning to Banfield.

• 37 Peter B. // May 30, 2009 at 6:59 pm

  I know a woman who bought two Chihuahua puppies, a male and a female from the same litter, from a breeder at a Bird & Pet Show. She took them to a Banfield location in a PetsMart store and purchased Banfield coverage for each puppy. They examined them and gave them each a clean bill of health. Less than a week later the male became ill. Banfield’s vets misdiagnosed the problem. As his condition worsened my friend took him to a a well known vet that was highly recommended, but the pup was too far gone. The vet performed a necropsy and determined it was a congenital defect that is uncommon, but if caught in time can be corrected surgically. Unfortunately, Banfield’s vets are not experienced enough to recognize those types of conditions. My friend requested a refund due to their negligence, but Banfield not only refused, they wanted her to continue to make the monthly payments on both contracts, even though one of the puppies had died and didn’t need either “health insurance” or a “wellness plan”.

  I have my dog, a 10 week old pure bred Boston Terrier that I just bought four weeks ago, getting his shots at “SNAP”, a national chain of non-profit veterinary clinics that only provide wellness care. They don’t treat sick or injured animals, referring their owners to private vets. Because they are non-profit, their fees are very low. They also operate a low cost non-profit spay & nueter facility, about $65.00 on average, compared to a private vet at $250.00-$300.00. If you live in a city or county that has a Humane Society facility, they usually also provide low cost veterinary and spay and nuetering services . Almost all non-profit or public animal shelters that provide low cost spay and nuetering services will do ferell cats for free. Some SPCA facilities also do low cost spay and nuetering.

  My pup was AKC registered and I just received the papers transferring his registration into my name. I am getting health insurance through the AKC for him, (his name is “Chester”). I am fairly certain they get it trough VPI, which I do recommend to anyone that can afford it. The monthly premiums are going to look mighty low if your pet suffers a serious illness or injury and you have to pay out of pocket for the pets treatment, or worse, can’t afford the treatment and lose your pet.

  I don’t know anything more about Banfield. From the e-mails you’ve published obviously some people have had positive experiences with them and some have had less good fortune. I have observed that they have a lot of young, and probably “trained on the job” veternary assistants, which leaves me less than impressed with the overall level of competence and experience of their personnel.

• 38 J T // Jul 6, 2009 at 8:58 pm

  Seems that all of you who have had bad experiences with Banfield have not taking the appropriate measures to secure your legal rights. If your dog or cat is seriously injured or you believe death was a result of the care that was provided you can sue for negligence/Emotional Distress. I am no Lawyer but I am sure if Banfield has been around for 50 years they must have deep pockets and have been sued many times.

  p.s. I just signed my puppy up for Banfield, i think you cant go wrong with what their optimum plan offers, it gives you the option of paying a small monthly fee which in the end pays for it self.

• 39 Michelle // Jul 11, 2009 at 4:14 pm

  I recently had a “bad” experience with Banfield and their so called “Wellness Plan.” My comments are based on reading the posts on this website since April 4, 2008. I guess I don’t understand the posts that say they have had their ups and downs with Banfield and continue to take their pets there. If I had a dentist or doctor that I had ups and downs with, I would find another provider. The amount of $$ that Banfield says they will save you and the actual price of “other” providers is substantially different. They inflate their cash price to incentivize you to buy they product (Wellness Plan). I took my concerns with Banfield to the manager and Bob stonewalled me, told me that the people that I had contact with – from the receptionist to the vetrinarian had been there for 3 years and basically any misunderstanding was on my part. So I plan on reporting their business practices to websites such as this as well as the Better Business Bureau. I hope that other prople that ask the right questions but are still feeling pressured to love their pet and purchase the Wellness Plan do their homework and do not patronize Banfield clinics. Its like going to an HMO instead of your preferred provider. Get it??? Any vetrinarian that is worth their weight opens their own practice and would not be associated with this kind of enterprise.

• 40 anna b. // Jul 11, 2009 at 5:44 pm

  Ok so I belong to Banfield that it states unlimited visits with the Vet which is a lie because my dog the other day on thursday at 445pm ate a roach trap and I think he swallowed the bait which was inside . I called them up they said well if you can get here by 515pm bring him in if not go to an emergency clinic. So I ran there the place was packed and true I walked right in but at the end I was charged $55.00 for an emergency visit because I jumped ahead of everyone else because they had to give my dog peroxide to make him throw up . So what happened to my unlimited visits that are supposed to be covered???

• 41 LeAnn // Jul 29, 2009 at 6:05 pm

  I just wanted to say that I’ve been taking my dog to Banfield since I got him in June of 2006 and I have him enrolled in the wellness plan. Like many people before me have said, never ONCE was I told that the plan was a form of insurance! It’s called a wellness plan to provide preventative care for your pet, and it has many benefits. I am enrolling my new kitten as well. I have been to two different Banfields (we are a military family so we had to move last year) and I have not had a problem with anyone at either one. The vet and staff are extremely helpful and knowledgeable. If you are having problems with the wellness plan then you’re not informing yourself. They go over everything with you during the contract sign-up and if you keep your records and paperwork, you will be informed of what is and is not covered.

• 42 Elaine // Jul 31, 2009 at 11:07 am

  I do not like Banfield. I will be cancelling my two policies for my Siberian Huskies on their renewal date.The vet did not know basic information about whipworms which both of my dogs had and got treatment but should have had another dose in 3 weeks, and maybe a 4th dose which the vet didn’t say anything about. I ended up taking themn to another vet, after doing my own research. All of this on top of their monthy fee. I also do not like what my local Banfield does, takes dogs into a back room and you never even see the vet. I am done with them. The people seem nice but I don’t feel confident in their abilities to diagnose or treat anything.

• 43 janshuby // Aug 1, 2009 at 9:12 am

  DO NOT TAKE YOUR PETS TO BANFIELD WITHOUT CHECKING PRICES ALL OVER TOWN!!!! KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GETTING YOURSELF INTO!!!!

  I recently moved to another side of town and adopted 2 ragdoll kittens. I was neutral about the previous veterinarians that I had (I’ve had pets all my life), so I decided to use Banfield since it was so conveniently located to Petsmart and my new living quarters. I didn’t ask about prices before I went. I assumed that they would be in range for the the norm. By the time they were finished with the first checkup, it was going to be so expensive that it only made sense to get their so called “wellness” plan. The price of the wellness plan worked out to be what I remember having to pay the first year for other pets so I signed on. Stupid me. I should have read the reviews. I should have paid the big bucks for the first visit and walked out.
  Their estimate of having my two cats neutered and spayed with pedicures was $1774. Maybe thats standard in your community but it is not here. Plus I had to pay just under $90 to bring antibiotics home. I don’t remember that kind of price for medications with my other animals.
  I guess I was supposed to feel relieved because the spay/neuter is covered under the wellness plan. But complications are not. If my pet gets sick, I can go in (as part of their wellness plan), and then pay Banfields prices for their care. I think not.
  I will be finding a new veterinarian as soon as I can and will not even consider renewing my contract.
  In addition I am considering taking my pet shopping elsewhere as I’m angry with Petsmart for associating themselves with these people.

• 44 Aileen // Aug 2, 2009 at 10:04 am

  I have had Banfield “pet insurance” for my dogs for four years. If nothing happens to your pets it is a good way to pay for annual fees with a monthly program. But if something goes wrong or if you miss a scheduled Shot watch out they will charge you for anything they can. Also, something I did not understand when I signed up…My younger Dog was hit by a moving truck in our driveway and passed on, I called to take her off the insurance and the informed me that I would still have to pay the monthly payments on their wellness plan for the next 6 months because she had received all the immunizations for the year already. When I pushed they did credit me back 3 months worth of what they said I owed but I have to get mad and escalated the problem.

  They say they treat your pet like family. I never have talked to someone who had to pay insurance premiums for a child who has died..

  I will never recommend them again, and to those to whom I did and you took my advice I apologize for the miss understanding- GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN.

• 45 jesseheart // Aug 2, 2009 at 8:27 pm

  Come on people! I am so tired of reading all these complaints about Banfield “Pet Insurance.” It is NOT pet insurance, it doesn’t CLAIM to be pet insurance…pet insurance covers illnesses and accidents. What Banfield is — and what they DO CLAIM to be — is different levels of WELLNESS PLANS. W-E-L-L-N-E-S-S P-L-A-N-S!! Do you get it? They allow you to PRE-PAY for all ROUTINE MEDICAL CARE at a reduced price! They cover ALL SHOTS (and I have not encountered a problem of “missing a shot” and being forced to pay for it — if you miss a BOOSTER, however, and they have to start the series over, YES you will have to pay. You have to own some responsibility here folks!). It pays for ALL OFFICE VISITS…for any purpose…and yes, sometimes you have to wait, but it’s better than paying $50 or $60 or more for just walking into another vet office. It covers routine annual tests, some twice a year, and it covers 2 complete physical exams a year. Different levels of the plan cover more things.

  You are NOT PAYING INSURANCE PREMIUMS!!!! IT IS NOT INSURANCE!!! PAY ATTENTION PEOPLE!! If you have received all of the annual shots and other services, yes, you do have to pay out the year because you already got the services!! You have a different option, though. You can cancel it immediately and they will take the full price of the services you received, subtract the amount you paid in your monthly payments up to that date, and you will then have to pay the difference. Do you think that because your pet died you aren’t responsible for paying for the services you received?

  What is the matter with your thought processes? It’s all very logical and reasonable! I have had Banfield for 4 animals (3 dogs and a cat), starting with 1 dog 14 years ago. I have had little frustrations with them from time to time, but I have been able to deal with and resolve them every time…but let’s get real — you can have stuff like that happen wherever you go. I have been THRILLED with the vets I have had there (though I’ve been sad when some left to open another clinic or go back to where they were from). i have been able to get the care that I have needed for my animals regardless of what my financial situation was at the time.

  STOP MOANING ABOUT BANFIELD NOT BEING WHAT IT NEVER CLAIMED TO BE!

• 46 Chris // Aug 3, 2009 at 7:46 am

  Can you tell me why a “Wellness” Plan would make you continue to premiums for 6 months after your pet died?
  What is the matter with your thought process?

• 47 jesseheart // Aug 3, 2009 at 10:32 am

  There is nothing the matter with MY thought process! You still clearly have not grasped the fact that this is not insurance and you are not paying PREMIUMS. You are paying for set services that you are to receive, and you pay in 12 monthly installments, regardless of when you receive those services. If you have had the 2 physicals and all the shots within the first 6 or 7 months you STILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM whether the pet is still alive or not. YOU RECEIVED THE SERVICES. It is NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!

  IT IS NOT A PREMIUM YOU ARE PAYING FOR!!

• 48 Chris // Aug 3, 2009 at 11:42 am

  Your Poor Pets!

• 49 jesseheart // Aug 3, 2009 at 1:33 pm

  You make me laugh, Chris!

  Trust me. You needn’t feel sorry for my pets. I take better care of my dogs than a lot of people take care of their kids. Friends and family tell me they want to come back in their next life as one of my dogs. I feed my dogs better foods than you probably eat. Not only do I have Banfield WELLNESS PLANS for routine check-ups, shots, and tests, I ALSO have PET INSURANCE for them for illness and accidents, anything that the Wellness Plan doesn’t cover. That way I won’t get blindsided and can be assured of being able to do for them anything that needs to be done. I have never been delusional about what Banfield is. It serves a very good purpose, but it doesn’t take care of everything. Stop blaming Banfield for not being what it never claimed to be, and stop feeling sorry for my pets. They don’t need it.

  By the way, my BANFIELD VET went to Veterinary School at CORNELL. Where did YOU go to college?

• 50 Chris // Aug 3, 2009 at 2:49 pm

  BTW My problem isn’t with thier “Wellness Plan” It is their level of care and lack of concern. They paralized my grandmother’s cat after a routine visit & the vet sent someone else in to explain to my grandmother what happened, he wouldn’t even face her.
  Don’t write me back, take care of your pets. Where I went to college is none of your business and has no relevance.

• 51 janshuby // Aug 4, 2009 at 10:37 am

  Jesseheart
  I get what you’re saying. I understood the “wellness plan” concept when I signed up for it. What I didn’t think through was their highly inflated prices to justify the “savings”.
  Now I have a wellness plan that I’m making monthly payments on. I’m fine with that. What I’m not fine with is additional inflated prices I’m going to have to pay if they find something wrong with my pet.
  I said I was stupid. I never denied it.
  Hopefully I can wait until next year until I take my pet to a vet that I can then trust to be my primary vet physician.
  Standard neuter/spay costs in this area are around $200 or less per animal. Not the over $1700 Banfield estimated it would cost if I hadn’t had the wellness plan.
  If I’d have gone to the humane society I could have gotten them both done for under $100.
  If my pets stay healthy I am only paying a couple hundred more per year than I would have paid otherwise.
  An expensive lesson learned here but learning is good.

• 52 Gary // Aug 4, 2009 at 3:30 pm

  Jesse, my problem is with the scam they pulled to extort me into signing up. We took our cats in simply get interstate health certificates, and were presented with an inflated bill for $800…or we could sign up for their “plan”.

  If they want to extol the benefits of their service in order to persuade us to sign up, that’s all well and good, but what they did to us was coercive, deceptive, and predatory.

• 53 Alma // Aug 5, 2009 at 3:50 pm

  Don’t recommend it. Very poor bedside manners with pet owners. My dachshund’s life could have been saved by their vet’s early detection of his herniated disk a couple of days before he died.

• 54 Tina // Aug 16, 2009 at 4:51 pm

  I took my dog into Banfield yesterday for a comprehensive exam and dental cleaning. The vet called me 3 hrs after I had dropped her off to say that she had died. When I went in to see the vet he was in tears and shaking to the point that I was consoling him. He accepted responsibility for her death, performed an autopsy, and is having her cremated so that I can have her ashes. My family is devastated and my dog cannot be replaced. If they look busy when you drop your dog off for a procedure that requires anesthesia then they probably are and your pet might get the wrong dose of medication and not wake up like mine didn’t. Just be an advocate always for your animals. I wish I had been more of one for my little Winnie.

• 55 Roni // Aug 28, 2009 at 1:26 pm

  A friend told me about he’d heard about the Banfield Wellness plan, so I went to their website for more info. The website does not list the plan prices and instead prompts you to call or stop by a clinic. I made THREE attempts to speak with someone (2 calls and an e-mail) because I was interested in enrolling my cats in the program, but no one ever got back to me. This sort of unprofessionalism plus the negative reviews I’ve read on this page have made my choice clear: I am NOT taking my cats to Banfield. The only reason I was looking into it was financial, but I’d rather continue to see my current vet who is amazing and whom I trust. (By the way, she works in a cat-only clinic which is a lot less stressful on my cats.) I will continue to look for ways to save money on pet care, but for me Banfield is not the answer.

• 56 dog lover for life // Sep 10, 2009 at 10:17 am

  I will never take another dog to banfield again! I used to take my, recently departed, wire terrier to the local banfield pet hospital located in the petsmart store here. My dog had gone there from 6 weeks of age untill the age of 5 years for routine checkups, shots and the ocasional groming. This particular day I dropped her off for shots and nail care and proceded to work. Sometime shortly after I left they took my dog out of the cage for treatment, with the back door of the facility open, and she got away. While they were chasing her she was struck by a car and injured. They did not call me to let me know what happend. I showed up to pick her up at my scheduled time and was greated by a dog who had all four paws bandaged and was crying in pain. I asked what happend to her and they told me that she had got away and had ran down the street and scraped her paws up on the hot asphalt ( a lie). Of course I asked how she did this and they told me she slipped from the vets hands and got out of the open back door. Then they proceded to try to charge me for the bandaging of her paws. I refused to pay and asked to speak with the manager and was told she was not in. Later as I was carrying my dog to the car ( after I told them that they could go and take a long walk off a short peer. They tried to charge me $500 for care that she received as a result of their incompetence) a man aproached me and said that he worked at the store next door and saw my dog run out into the street with one vet worker chasing her and she was hit by a small pickup truck. When I heard this I immediaetly took her to the emergency vet, who took X-rays and said that she had a fracture in her right back hip. He also said that this could not have happend from simply running away. She had surgery the next day($3800). I called banfield the next day to ask if they would be reimbursing me for her medical cost. I was told that it was not their responsiablilty and that I still owed them $500 for the care she received after she got away.( mind you, that she never received the care that she was supposed to be there for: shots and nail clipping). I took them to small claims court and won. But I caution anyone who takes their dog there. Beware.

• 57 Traci Jenkins // Sep 14, 2009 at 5:36 pm

  the only thing i have to say about banfield’s wellness program is that if you no longer have the pet, you should not have to continue to pay. i had to put down my cat, and i adopted another cat and i had to create another wellness plan for the new cat and still pay for the cat i no longer had. that’s a stupid rule to have.

• 58 sheribeari // Sep 15, 2009 at 11:25 am

  up to now I have been very pleased with Banfield. I have been taking my German Shepherd there for almost 4 years. When I called and got the wellness plan I had asked about hip dysplacia and they said the plan would help with a good part of it. At my local Banfield, they have been caring and, I thought, thorough. Although my dog has had the physical every 6 months and has been sedated 3 times for teeth cleaning, not once it seems was he checked for dysplacia. From what I found today it is a simple test to do. It would seem that on a breed known to have this problem, they would have checked. but no…. not until I noticed my dog’s change in gait and a few yelps when he landed after jumping on the bed and took him in and asked for x-rays. Now I’m told that he has advanced dysplacia and needs a hip replacement on both sides. Not only that, it would have to be done at another facility because they don’t have the equipment.. and by the way, it is not covered and will cost $3000 per side.
  I don’t know what to do now. We just don’t have that kind of money laying around. I am heartbroken.

• 59 novelty // Sep 17, 2009 at 8:33 pm

  Hi, I would like to say that Banfield doesn’t offer insurance. The wellness plans are exactly that, a wellness plan. It’s a pre-paid program that covers what a pet should have done during the course of a year. It covers two comprehensive exams, all the vaccines recommended your pet should have, plus much more depending on the level of plan you want for your pet. For instance you can have a plan that includes bloodwork, a plan to include a dental scaling and polishing(anesthetic procedure), a plan that will include an ekg and chest x-rays. Plus the different level of plans will give a discount on service or medication not included on a wellness plan. All of these things are done in the name of prevention.

  There are also two different levels of Banfield Hospitals. Charter, which are privately owned and Associate which are owned by Banfield corporation. I highly recommend finding a charter owned hospital. The veterinarians at a charter owned have much more leeway for treating illness. Just as they would in any private practice. Corporate hospitals are run more by the business office and many complaints about Banfield medical care come from these hospitals.

  Medical insurance is designed to cover catastrophic injury. Banfield hospitals are more than happy to work with pet insurance companies by sending paid invoices for client reimbursement to insurance companies. Wellness plans are designed to avoid major medical problems by cathcing things in an early stage and keeping your pet healthy. No one can predict an injury, therefore do your pet a favor and do both things.

• 60 nikky // Sep 19, 2009 at 3:32 pm

  Banfield’s pet insurance goes up in price every year..

• 61 Kris // Sep 30, 2009 at 10:56 am

  I was with Banfield for about 8 years. I was taking my dogs and my cat. For a long time I thought Banfield Wellness Plan was awesome. Banfield called when an appointment for one of my buddies came up. The Wellness Plan covered all the vaccinations, vet visits, blood work, stool samples, medications, and much more. Certain Wellness Plans, depending on how much you’re willing to pay, also covers dental.

  One day I began to pay attention to the receipt they gave me at the end of an appointment with the money I would have paid had I not had the Wellness Plan. I began comparing their prices to other vets and realized how expensive Banfield was. When the prices concerned me I began doing some more of my own research; probably a bad idea because since then my three dogs have had a crazy year with health.

  One dog now has a tumor and is suffering from seizures; one tore her ACL and needed knee surgery; and the other was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and needed stomach surgery because of an inflammed intestine.

  At that point prices didn’t matter anymore. Banfield Wellness Plan did not cover any of the emergency vet visits. It did not cover any of the X-rays however, they recommended the X-rays which turned out to be almost three-hundred dollars for each dog. Finally, after all that, they didn’t do stomach or knee surgeries. However, they recommended certain Vets, all way out of my price range.

  I went to another Vet to have all the surgeries done. I loved the personal time my new vet and I had when I came to the vet. I loved the concern my new vet had for both of my dogs. Yes, I had to pay for everything, but it was well worth it.

  I look back at Banfield and realize I never even knew who my vet was until my emergency situations came up. At Banfield I always dropped my dog off early in the morning and was called around 4 in the afternoon to come pick them up. At my new vet, my appointments last all but thirty minutes to an hour and I am with my dogs throughout the entire appointment. I am able to talk to my vet and ask him about any concern I have for them. I never got personal time with my unknown Vet at Banfield.

  Furthermore, when I was flirting with one of the nurses at Banfield I got into a conversation about college and asked her what type of schooling is required for the job she performs. She told me they go through a four or six week training course and then are considered certified for Banfield. However, the certification is not transferable to any other Vetrinarian Hospital.

  Finally, when I decided I wanted to cancel my Wellness Plan I was unable to because I had to wait for my annual renewal. My annual renewal? I have been with Banfield eight years and have never received a letter claiming my Wellness Plan was even being renewed. So my choices were to either pay the entire year and they would cancel when the time came or continue to make my monthly payments until the annual month. My credit card expired and I had to change every creditor to the new credit card. I missed my Banfield payment by a couple of days and they sent me a letter threatening to send me to collections if I did not pay by a certain date.

  Banfield is much more expensive than most vets. Banfield is nation wide. The vaccinations your dog and cat receive are far more than they should actually have. What is required by the state of Georgia is not required by the state of Washington; and so on and so on. If you have the Wellness Plan, your buddy is getting every vaccination imaginable and you’re paying for it.

• 62 Jen // Oct 8, 2009 at 1:22 pm

  I’ve been a customer of Banfield for 6 years. The Denver location was much friendlier than the location I’m at now, Lake Mary, FL. Their commuication with clients is horrible, you wait for hours – yes hours – to be seen and the staff is just rude.

• 63 Tina // Oct 8, 2009 at 2:18 pm

  I wrote on Aug 16th about my dog who had died after getting her teeth cleaned at Banfield. I was devastated and found it hard to write anything positive. Now having had time to evaluate everything I want to say a few things. The vet at Banfield was extremely upset that she had died because he had treated her for over two years. Banfield had my dog cremated at no expense to me. She came in a beautiful cedar box with her name engraved on it and with a paw print in plaster along with a certificate noting her life with our family. They did an “autopsy” or whatever it’s called for an animal and the results were normal. The only conclusion that I can come up with is that she was oversedated and under ventilated. I probably will not go back to Banfield because I have noticed when I go into the pet store to buy food that they employ very young vet techs. I would recommend taking your beloved pet to a place with experienced verternarians and vet techs. Just like you would want your loved one cared for by experienced nurses and doctors. Anyway, I wanted to try to come back to this site with something a positive to say and I hope that I have. I since have been fortunate enough to be gifted with the daughter of my fallen dog and she is almost like a clone of my Winnie!!!

• 64 Linda Mills // Oct 29, 2009 at 2:00 pm

  I need to cancel my wellness plan for my dog when it expires in February, 2010.

• 65 Linda Mills // Oct 29, 2009 at 2:02 pm

  Even when you have an appt. they have you wait for hours! always the same excuse…..we had an emergency…..every time????????? Tallahassee, FL location

• 66 Jonas // Oct 29, 2009 at 8:03 pm

  You note that Banfield has been in business for over 50 years what you neglect to mention is that ONE clinic, in northeast Portland, Oregon has been in business for over 50 years. The current chain as we know it started out as PetsMart veterinary hospitals in the early 1990’s and only much later renamed itself Banfield after much badly publicity and a hospital closing in Georgia I believe. The current company has a history of less than 15 years with ALL of original players bought out by the NEW owners less than 2 years ago. So let’s get the story right!

• 67 Mikael // Oct 29, 2009 at 11:52 pm

  You might be right Jonas (and I thank you for the correction if you are), but my information is from Banfield themselves. It is hard to know more than what the company is telling you

• 68 Tammy Jerez // Dec 3, 2009 at 10:54 am

  I went into the Banfield Pet Hospital on 12/2/09 to have my pet vaccinated. I went during their posted ‘Complimentary Office Visit Walk-In Hours’. They talked me into signing up for their Wellness Plan after giving me a bill for $116– I figured well I might as well sign up for the $140 if my bills are going to be this high every time (I found out that they should not be & the price was escalated). I wrote a check for the initial fee of $139.99 + the first month’s payment of $25.99. After going home & thinking it over and doing the math I realized I wasn’t really saving so I decided to cancel the plan. When I called the office the very next morning to cancel the hospital they told me I had to call the corporate office. When I called the corporate office they couldn’t find my record at all in the computer & told me I had to call the hospital to cancel. I called the hospital back again & they cancelled the plan but told me I would only be issued a partial payment. I understood I would pay for all services rendered & was prepqred to do that but they were also charging me for the office visit even though it was a complimentary visit regardless if you were a patient or not. I put a stop payment on my check after corporate informed me I should do so. They were apologetic that they could not help me because they were unable to view my acct. The hospital staff was unwilling to help me or explain why I was being charged for the office visit. They simply stated I would get a check in the mail in about 6 weeks minus the office visit. The staff was extremely rude & refused to even speak to me saying she would call me back at 6pm (I was calling at 9am). I believe the entire Wellness Plan that Banfield offers is a scam & would like to warn others.

• 69 Emily // Dec 3, 2009 at 1:38 pm

  I signed up for the Banfield wellness plan because it seemed cost effective after calling other vets about the cost of dental cleaning ($500). The plan I picked, the Basic Plus, included the dental cleaning and shots, and at a cost of @ $400 for the year seemed to be a way to save money. The local Banfield called me to schedule an appointment and I explained to them the first thing I wanted them to take care of was the dental cleaning. They said normally they did an overall exam and wanted me present when they did it. I explained their hours didn’t fit into my schedule that week and if they could do the dental cleaning we could schedule the wellness exam a later date. They agreed to this over the phone. When I brought my dog in I was informed the appointment was scheduled for a dental “consultation” and not a cleaning. They couldn’t explain why but said they would go ahead and do the cleaning if they had time. They stated they would call me and let me know if they were going to be able to do it. They also stated they would be giving him his annual shots if they could not do the cleaning. I explained he’d already had his shots but since I did not bring his records (which they did not ask me to bring since this WAS A DENTAL CLEANING AND NOT WELLNESS EXAM) they were going to give them to him. The lady, w/o my approval or initials, wrote additional things on the paper, which I have no idea what since she didn’t show it to me. I was never called, they gave him shots he’d already had, and of course NO DENTAL CLEANING. They did the wellness exam without me present which they said they needed. They sent home a packet of papers showing they ran numberous tests but none of them showed the results of the tests. The next day I called and spoke to the vet to ask about the test results and why his teeth were never cleaned and why they didn’t call me. She just kept repeating the same things over and over like a broken record and wasn’t given me answers. She kept blaming everything on the computer. She also said I should call the corporate office if I was unhappy or unsatisifed.They had scheduled another appt for him to clean his teeth. We called the day before to confirm the appt and they said he didn’t have one even though it was printed on the papers they gave us. A few days later I personally went to the Banfield to question them and they say the appt was “tentative”. They are the ones that scheduled the appointment so how could it be “tentative” especially when we called the day before to confirm? After much heated debate over their practices another appointment was made to have the dogs teeth cleaned on 12/7. I called the corporate office several days ago to express my concern over the competence of their employees seeing they had made numerous errors on several different occassions. They questioned me about my knowledge of a refund to which I knew nothing about and stated that I was sent a certified letter in the mail that explained everything and that if I didn’t have the letter I should contact the vet at the location and she “MIGHT” explain it to me. Needless to say I called the vet and she told me to contact the corporate office. Obviously no one at corporate or the local Banfield had the guts to actually tell me what the letter stated. So here it is, 12/03/09, no letter and apparently my pet has been kicked out of the plan, not because he was rejected for his health (they were willing to make additional appointments after the first visit) but for some other reason which I will probably never know because again I don’t have the letter and they aren’t willing to tell me. Hope my experience provided you with some insight and helps you make your decision about whether or not to use them.

• 70 Tammy Jerez // Dec 3, 2009 at 1:58 pm

  I had the same experience, the receptionist blamed the computer for the error of charging me for the office visit. She also told me to call the corporate office which couldn’t even find my name on the computer. They also claimed they got a stool sample (they left the room for 5 minutes & then came back in) & said he went. On my bill was a charge for $9.20 for the medical procedure of gtg the stool sample?!? And then a $15 charge for the testing they did on that sample. I don’t think it is possible my dog even went in 5 min?!? They also could have simply told me to bring a sample with me but didn’t–in my opinion, so they could charge me for gtg a sample which I am not sure they even got.

• 71 APF // Dec 8, 2009 at 10:49 am

  I am a client of Banfield and have been a client for about 12 yrs. All of my pets have been seen there. You are correct, Banfield has a wellness program that provides a yearly physical for free (excluding blood tests) and reduced price services. They call to remind you of appts. and when your pet is due for vaccinations. Of course, any pet hospital or veterinary facility is only as good as its staff. My pet has been seen by excellent vets but also by mediocre ones. My complaint is the turnover of vets they have. It’s difficult for the owner and pet to build a relationship with a Dr. only for that Dr. to disappear. However, all in all, my experience has been positive and my pet has been treated lovingly. She has developed a heart condition and has been treated with tenderness and the followup has been good. I do find some of their prices excessive but they are still more reasonable that a vet without a wellness program.

• 72 Kate // Dec 12, 2009 at 8:58 pm

  I would highly reccomend taking your pet almost anywhere… EXCEPT Banfield!!
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  Shortly after I got my first dog we noticed he had an ear infection. Another vet was unable to cure it so we decided to get a second opinion at Banfield since the first office call was free. That knife happy excuse for a doctor wanted to remove part of my 4 month old cocker spaniel’s ear canal!!! She was ready to send me straight to surgery without even trying anything.
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  If that didn’t scare me enough, I started working in the vet field. I worked as office staff and also as a vet assistant. More often than not I hear horror stories about Banfield vets going straight for surgery, mis-diagnosing pets, failing to treat simple problems…. you name it. On top of that they are usually over priced and the vets that work there are usually FRESH out of school since more experienced vets get out of there as fast as they can.
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  Their latest scam seems to be this “Wellness Program.” I have had SEVERAL clients come in saying they have “Banfield Health Insurance” and I have to explain to them that it’s not real insurance. They always give sob stories about how the person at Banfield said it was insurance and didn’t tell them it wasn’t good anywhere else. They lie about what it is and then have you sign a 1 year contract.
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  Take my advice- get a decent local vet you can trust and skip Banfield!! If you want insurance go with a reputable company like VPI (backed by the ASPCA) or Embrace.

• 73 janet lauritsen // Jan 24, 2010 at 3:37 pm

  hello, i loved the staff at the levittown ny banfield…..they were wonderful with my sweet cherokee, my one issue is that the day after thanksgiving my sweet boy passed away and it seems that i am locked into paying the monthly fee’s still; i don’t believe i knew about that…again the staff was ALWAYS AMAZING with my sweet boy….thank you staff of the levittown ny petco/banfield for taking such wonderful care of my pup Cherokee right until he crossed over..Janet L

• 74 sharyn // Jan 31, 2010 at 4:04 pm

  Hi,
  I took the wellness plan about 5 months ago,so far all is well. We also have seen more than one Dr. but the one we have seen lately DR Ryan McKenzie is why I continue to stay. If anyone is near the De. Banfields check him out, how patient and caring he is but if you call with a question the (gatekeepers)girls at the desk will take a message or ask for you. I hope this dose not turn into a complaint but since our 1st shot he has had a gagging cough and this was not given by Dr. Mckenzie but we hope he can diagnose this problem soon.

• 75 DEBBIE // Feb 3, 2010 at 4:31 pm

  I purchased a puppy who turned 5 weeks today 2/3/10. Prior to bringing her home I searched around for a vet and questioned friends as to why and where they took theirs. I entered into PetSmart and right away was so happy with the services they offer. Then going to talk to the staff at Banfield, I was only too happy to bring my lil girl upon bringing her home. Right away they noticied her tail (doberman) was showing some bone and was docked wrong and may have to be re-cut. They are trying something out first before having to go under the knife. I have found the staff and vets very caring and have had 2 phone calls as follow up to see how she is doing. I really hope this postive experinece continues and feel for everyone who has had a negative one. BUT the same thing goes for doctors for humans! People have been mis-diagnosed leading to unnecessary treatment, etc. I will continue to take her there and hope she continues to grow as she is doing. I too would like her to have one vet, however even at a real doctors, you dont normally get the same doctor, and if you do they get sick also and you’ll have to eventually see someone else and this way my puppy will be exposed to more of the staff.

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