For 13 years, Edinburgh Animal Hospital has been providing Chesapeake pet owners and their furry family members with high-quality, personalized, and affordable care. From the day he opened the hospital, Dr. Geoff Campbell has been aware of the financial challenges sometimes associated with pet ownership. He does everything within his power to make the cost of caring for beloved pets less stressful.

"Our goal is to provide the most high-tech, state-of-the-art services and products affordably," Dr. Campbell says with empathy. "After all, most of us consider our pets to be members of our families." Providing preventative medications, such as heartworm preventatives and anti-flea and tick products at competitive pricing, is one way he works to achieve that goal.

"My philosophy has always been that this hospital is here to care for pets and to educate pet owners," he states candidly. "Making a profit off of preventative care medication isn't my goal, and I don't think that's the goal of any good veterinarian. I'm trying to make preventative medications affordable for the client. Because many of these products are now available online, we closely monitor their pricing on the internet and in pet stores so we can stay at or just below those prices. Often times with rebates and specials offered to veterinarians, we can offer the medications at prices lower than those online."

The impetus for this competitive pricing isn't a gimmick. It's actually tied to Dr. Campbell's dedication and the quality care he and his staff provide to animals and their pet parents. "I don't want our clients deciding to purchase preventatives off Amazon or, even worse, some sketchy website just for the sake of saving a dollar," he explains. "That could be dangerous for their pets." With counterfeit products sold regularly online, Dr. Campbell's primary concern is the well-being of pets.

"I've seen those products, and they look exactly like the real thing," he continues. "They're useless at best and at worst, harmful for the pet, and unfortunately I've seen that, too. I understand because I do it myself. I'll go online looking to buy things at the lowest price available. When it comes to pet medications, that's not a risk worth taking."

If a client buys a parasite-preventative product from Edinburgh Animal Hospital that fails, Dr. Campbell can contact the company, let them know that their product was ineffective, and have them cover the cost of the pet's treatment incurred by a defective product. "If that happens with a preventative purchased online, the client has no recourse, and will have to bear the full cost of treatment," Dr. Campbell explains. "If patients prefer to order online, I'll gladly give them the prescription, but they won't have any of the benefits or guarantees offered when purchasing medications and treatments here."

 Dr. Campbell provides clients with other options to help make pet medical treatments and care more affordable. "We try to make dental care and certain surgery costs more competitively priced than other hospitals in the area. We're not a low-cost facility, but I want clients to know they're getting high-quality care and a good value for their money," he states.

Diagnosing and treating some pet illnesses can be costly. Fortunately, Dr. Campbell offers payment options such as CareCredit® and accepts pet insurance through Trupanion™.

"Pet insurance makes it possible for people to pay less out of pocket, which can come in very handy for a surprise illness or surgery. In my opinion, there are too few people with pet insurance. Unfortunately, those without it have to pay out of pocket for illness and for preventative care- all things that could at least be partially covered by insurance," he reveals. "Trupanionâ„¢ is linked to our system to give us immediate reimbursement for treatment, so there's no wait for filing a claim. It's super convenient, and most plans have surprisingly low monthly premiums."

With the growth of national veterinary chains and the rise of low-cost in-store vaccines, Edinburgh Animal Hospital offers something unique that is even more valuable than low costs: personalized service. "With our front desk staff, we constantly emphasize the importance of always providing very personalized care to our clients," Dr. Campbell shares. "We're going to know who our clients are when they walk through our front door. The receptionist knows their name and their pet's name. We know their pet's history. Here, everyone is a name, not a number. Patients can even request the doctor they'd like to see to maintain consistency of care for their pets. We do all we possibly can to foster a consistent relationship between our staff and the pets entrusted to their care."

With four veterinarians (three full-time and one part-time vet) on staff and a new veterinarian coming on board in February, Edinburgh Animal Hospital continues to grow and thrive. This dedicated team does its best to accommodate people's schedules and to see ill pets as soon as possible.

"It's all part of our personalized service," Dr. Campbell explains. "We don't like turning people away. When we noticed how quickly our appointment schedule was being filled, we realized that we needed to bring on another doctor to keep up with the demand. But there is something more important to us than merely keeping up with the demand. We are committed to offering every patient and their caregivers the personalized service we believe they deserve."

Evidence of that commitment is found in the smiles and warm greetings that Edinburgh's front desk staff offers to every pet and pet parent walking through the hospital's front door. "The experience of that personal connection transcends cost and fosters loyal clients, Dr. Campbell concludes. "A veterinary hospital improves and grows by providing personalized service, high-quality medicine, consistent care, and, most importantly, understanding of and empathy for the human-animal bond. That bond is a mighty powerful thing. Only by acknowledging it and honoring it, can you provide the best care possible."