Frequently Asked Questions
Providing your pet with exceptional health care is not inexpensive. We practice need-based veterinary care, offering individualized products and services that will enrich and lengthen the life of your pet. Payment is due at the time services are rendered. Feel free to ask for an estimate of charges at any time. Acceptable methods of payment are cash, check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Scratch Pay and Care Credit. Health insurance options are available as well.
Yes, you do. Regularly scheduled appointments allow our staff to maintain an on-time schedule, while handling the needs of hospitalized patients and client requests in an efficient and organized manner. However, we do understand that traumatic injuries and illnesses can, and usually do, happen at the most inconvenient of times. If you have a pet that is experiencing an urgent health issue, or are unable to come in for a visit during an open appointment slot, you may opt for an emergency appointment during a previously booked time slot. Upon checking in, a technician will assess your pet’s vitals and/or symptoms, and then discuss the case with an available veterinarian, placing your pet into the rotation of walk-in cases to be seen.
Wait times for patients to be seen on an emergency basis will vary due to the number of regularly scheduled appointments remaining, the current needs of hospitalized patients, and the severity of the symptoms displayed by the patient being presented. Patients with more severe symptoms will be given a much higher priority.
If you have an emergency and arrive without an appointment, we will immediately assess your pet’s condition and treat accordingly. If this proves to be a critical emergency case, your pet will receive top priority followed by patients with previously scheduled appointments. Please note that emergency visits are charged an additional fee.
Testing ensures that your pet is free of adult heartworms and ready to start or continue on heartworm preventive medication. Some heartworm medications are dangerous to give to dogs with heartworms. Dogs that already have heartworms should not be put on heartworm preventive unless he or she has been seen by us first.
Dogs and cats need to be on heartworm preventative medicine on the same day each month YEAR-ROUND. Unlike vaccinations, which are boosted periodically, heartworm prevention works only as long as you continue to give it. Should your pet be off of the medication, he or she will be at risk for getting heartworms. Prevention is safer and less costly than treatment. Do not stop giving preventative in the winter months. Dogs and cats need to be on preventative medication for their entire lives.
Diagnosing heartworms is not as easy in cats as in dogs. University studies have shown that up to 15% of all cats in locations like our geographic area, regardless of whether they are indoor or outdoor, have been exposed to feline heartworm disease. What’s worse is that unlike dogs, there is simply no good treatment for heartworm-infected cats. Exposure to mosquitoes is required for transmission. Obviously, cats that go outdoors are more likely to be exposed; however, an infected mosquito can easily get into your house!
Hopefully that’s true, but did you know that not all pets show signs of having intestinal parasites? When pets go outside, they put their nose everywhere. They then lick their nose and can ingest the parasites. Parasites turn into intestinal worms…enough said!
The short answer is because we need to fully assess your pet’s health prior to dispensing or continuing to dispense medication. To prescribe medication based on a repeat condition or continuing health problem without ever “checking in” on the problem is not practicing good medicine for your pet.
Even though your cat is inside all the time, you or visitors can bring something “in.” If you are around someone else’s cat or if someone visits that has a cat (or has been in contact with a cat), it can then be transferred to your cat. An inside cat is still vulnerable to getting sick. In addition, the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) recommends vaccinating against rabies, feline panleukopenia (distemper), feline viral rhinotracheitis, and feline calicivirus every three years.