A pet is irreplaceable as an easygoing companion, a source of unquestioning support, and a model for all the sweaters that get shrunk in the dryer. Lavish love on little creatures with today's Groupon: for $24, you get a pet exam at Westlake Animal Hospital in West Lake Hills (a $48.99 value).

Lauded as the Austin area's Best Veterinarian by the Austin Chronicle in 2010, Westlake Animal Hospital helps to better the lives of pawed patients with preventative care fine-tuned over four decades in business and carried out by eight veterinarians. After entering through the dog- or cat-only waiting room, each pooch, feline, gerbil, or animorph sits and stays for a thorough examination of the skin, the ears, the eyes, and the teeth. Vets then peer into pets' inner workings by taking vital signs and assessing the effects of any extra weight on a pet's frame. Each 30- to 40-minute appointment affords time to go over any lingering health concerns, ask nutritional questions, and show off pets' best Buddy Holly impressions with one of Westlake's animal aces.