At Desert Forest Animal Hospital, we understand that veterinary care—especially an unexpected illness, injury, diagnostic workup, dental procedure, or surgery—can create an unplanned expense.
Our goal is to provide clear medical recommendations and cost information so you can make informed decisions about your dog or cat’s care.
Payment is due when veterinary services are provided. For clients who would prefer to spread eligible veterinary expenses over time, Desert Forest Animal Hospital accepts third-party financing through CareCredit and Scratchpay.
Pet insurance is handled on a reimbursement basis at Desert Forest Animal Hospital. Clients pay the hospital when services are provided and may then submit eligible expenses to their insurance company for reimbursement according to the terms of their policy.
Desert Forest Animal Hospital accepts the following payment methods for veterinary services:
Payment is due at the time veterinary services are provided.
Desert Forest Animal Hospital does not offer an in-house payment plan or wellness-plan membership. Clients who would like to divide eligible veterinary expenses over time may apply directly through CareCredit or Scratchpay.
CareCredit and Scratchpay are independent third-party financial providers. Approval, available credit, repayment terms, interest rates, promotional financing, and other conditions are determined by the individual financing company—not by Desert Forest Animal Hospital.
Desert Forest Animal Hospital accepts CareCredit for eligible veterinary expenses.
CareCredit is a health and wellness credit card that can be used for eligible veterinary care at participating practices. Depending on the transaction and the client’s approved account, promotional financing options may be available.
CareCredit is subject to credit approval, and promotional financing terms can vary. Some promotional offers use deferred interest, which means interest may be charged from the original purchase date if the promotional balance is not paid in full within the promotional period.
Clients should carefully review the current terms provided by CareCredit before accepting an offer.
CareCredit currently allows consumers to check whether they prequalify without affecting their credit score. Final approval and account terms are determined by CareCredit.
Desert Forest Animal Hospital also accepts Scratchpay, a third-party financing service that may allow eligible pet owners to divide veterinary expenses into scheduled payments.
Scratchpay allows clients to check available payment-plan options online. Checking available options does not itself affect your credit score. If financing is accepted, repayment activity and other account information may be handled according to Scratchpay’s current terms.
Available repayment periods, down payments, interest, promotional offers, and other terms depend on the individual applicant and the plan offered at the time of application.
Because financing terms can change, we recommend reviewing the current offer directly with Scratchpay rather than relying on an older advertised rate or payment example.
Yes. Clients who anticipate needing financing may wish to review CareCredit or Scratchpay before an appointment, procedure, or diagnostic workup.
Planning ahead may be particularly helpful for:
Financing approval is handled entirely by the financing provider. Desert Forest Animal Hospital cannot guarantee approval or change a lender’s credit decision, available credit, interest rate, repayment period, or other financing terms.
Whenever practical, our team will discuss recommended diagnostics and treatment and provide an estimate before proceeding with significant non-emergency services.
Veterinary medicine is individualized, and the final cost of care can sometimes change as diagnostic results become available or if a patient’s condition or treatment needs change.
If this occurs, our team will communicate with you whenever circumstances allow so you understand the medical recommendations and anticipated costs.
We encourage clients to ask questions about both the medical plan and estimated expenses. Understanding the available options is an important part of making informed decisions about your pet’s care.
Pet insurance is different from CareCredit or Scratchpay.
Desert Forest Animal Hospital does not bill pet-insurance companies directly. Payment is due to our hospital when veterinary services are provided.
After payment, clients may submit eligible veterinary expenses to their pet-insurance company for reimbursement according to the terms of their individual policy.
Your insurance company—not Desert Forest Animal Hospital—determines:
Desert Forest Animal Hospital does not determine insurance coverage or guarantee reimbursement. Please contact your pet-insurance provider with questions about your individual policy.
Depending on the financing provider, insurance policy, and individual circumstances, some pet owners use CareCredit or Scratchpay to pay the veterinary hospital and later apply an insurance reimbursement toward that balance.
Because financing agreements and pet-insurance contracts vary, clients should confirm the details directly with both their financing provider and insurance company.
If your dog or cat suddenly becomes sick or injured during regular hospital hours, call Desert Forest Animal Hospital at (480) 488-2010 before coming in.
Our team can discuss your pet’s symptoms, current availability, and whether evaluation at our Cave Creek hospital or treatment at a 24-hour emergency facility is the more appropriate next step.
Payment is due when services are provided, including urgent-care visits. If you anticipate needing financing, you may wish to review CareCredit or Scratchpay options before arriving when circumstances allow.
Unexpected veterinary problems can require medical and financial decisions quickly.
During regular hospital hours, Desert Forest Animal Hospital evaluates many stable dogs and cats with unexpected illnesses and injuries. Calling before traveling allows our team to discuss what you are seeing and help determine the appropriate next step.
CareCredit and Scratchpay may be useful options for eligible clients facing an unexpected veterinary expense.
Desert Forest Animal Hospital is not a 24-hour emergency or intensive-care hospital. If your pet requires overnight monitoring, advanced critical care, or another level of emergency treatment that we cannot safely provide, our team may recommend transfer to an appropriate emergency or specialty hospital.
Payment and financing policies at another veterinary facility may differ from ours.
If your pet is scheduled for surgery, dentistry, imaging, or another diagnostic workup, reviewing financing options ahead of time can give you more opportunity to understand the terms and decide whether financing is appropriate for your family.
Learn more about:
Desert Forest Animal Hospital accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Apple Pay, Google Pay, CareCredit, and Scratchpay. Payment is due when veterinary services are provided.
No. Desert Forest Animal Hospital requires payment when veterinary services are provided. Clients who would like to divide eligible expenses over time may apply directly through third-party financing providers CareCredit or Scratchpay.
No. Desert Forest Animal Hospital does not currently offer an in-house wellness plan, membership plan, or bundled preventive-care payment plan.
Preventive-care services are paid for when they are provided. Clients may use an accepted payment method or eligible third-party financing through CareCredit or Scratchpay.
Yes. Desert Forest Animal Hospital accepts CareCredit for eligible veterinary expenses. CareCredit is a third-party health and wellness credit card. Approval, available credit, promotional financing, and repayment terms are determined by CareCredit.
Yes. Desert Forest Animal Hospital accepts Scratchpay. Eligible clients may be offered payment-plan options through Scratchpay. Approval and the terms of any plan are determined by Scratchpay.
Both providers currently offer ways to check potential eligibility or prequalification without affecting your credit score. Accepting financing or completing additional application steps may be treated differently, so review the provider’s current terms before proceeding.
You may use pet insurance for eligible veterinary expenses according to your individual policy, but Desert Forest Animal Hospital does not directly bill the insurance company.
Payment is due to DFAH when veterinary services are provided. You may then submit eligible expenses to your insurer for reimbursement.
No. Desert Forest Animal Hospital uses a client-payment and insurance-reimbursement model rather than direct insurance billing.
The client pays the veterinary hospital when services are provided and then submits eligible expenses to the insurance company according to the terms of the individual policy.
We can provide medical and cost information about the care being recommended, but we cannot guarantee coverage under an individual insurance policy.
Coverage, exclusions, deductibles, reimbursement percentages, annual limits, waiting periods, and pre-existing-condition determinations are made by the insurance company.
Yes, eligible clients may use CareCredit or Scratchpay for qualifying veterinary expenses at Desert Forest Animal Hospital.
If you anticipate needing financing for an urgent visit, reviewing your options before arriving may be helpful when circumstances allow. Do not delay emergency veterinary care solely to complete a financing application.
Whenever practical, our team will discuss the recommended diagnostic or treatment plan and provide an estimate before significant non-emergency services are performed.
Estimates may change if additional medical needs are identified during diagnosis or treatment. When circumstances allow, our team will communicate those changes with you.
Yes. Clients who anticipate using financing for surgery, dentistry, diagnostic testing, or another scheduled service may wish to review available financing options before the appointment so they have time to understand the provider’s terms.
Desert Forest Animal Hospital is an independently owned veterinary hospital in Cave Creek, Arizona. We care for dogs and cats from Cave Creek, Carefree, Desert Mountain, North Scottsdale, Tatum Ranch, Terravita, Desert Hills, Anthem, and surrounding North Valley communities.
Whether your pet needs routine preventive care, diagnostic testing, dentistry, surgery, treatment for an unexpected illness, or evaluation for an injury, we want you to understand both the medical recommendations and the available payment options before making decisions whenever circumstances allow.
If you have questions about payment for an upcoming appointment, diagnostic test, dental procedure, surgery, or same-day urgent visit, please contact Desert Forest Animal Hospital before your appointment.
Desert Forest Animal Hospital
6554 E Cave Creek Road
Cave Creek, AZ 85331
Phone: (480) 488-2010
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CareCredit and Scratchpay are independent third-party financial providers and are not owned, operated, or controlled by Desert Forest Animal Hospital.
Financing is subject to approval and to each provider’s current terms and conditions. Desert Forest Animal Hospital does not determine eligibility, available credit, interest rates, promotional financing, repayment terms, or other lending decisions.
Clients should review all financing disclosures directly with the financial provider before accepting an offer. Pet-insurance coverage and reimbursement decisions are likewise determined by the individual insurance company and policy.
Payment policies, financing options, and third-party provider terms may change. Please contact Desert Forest Animal Hospital or the applicable financing or insurance provider if you have questions about current requirements before your visit.
