What is a VPR and why do you need a current exam on file for your pet?

A VPR is the relationship between the Veterinarian and the patient. This is established when you bring your pet in for an annual exam. This allows the doctor to preform a thorough head to toe exam. This could be thought of as routine maintenance for your pet. This is typically done 1 time a year and is typically when vaccines will be given. It is important to keep this VPR up to date allowing your doctor to provide preventative medications.

 

How often does my pet need vaccines?

Generally speaking, vaccines are given every 1- 3 years in healthy adult dogs. Puppies follow a specifically designed puppy schedule for for the administration of vaccines.

 

How often should I give my pet heartworm and flea and tick preventative medicine?

We recommend that heartworm and flea and tick meds are given year-round. Studies have shown infected mosquitos, fleas and ticks can be present in the environment all year.

 

Why does my puppy need vaccines every three weeks?

After a vaccine is administered, immunity is not immediate; it takes up to a few weeks to become effective and this varies between animals. Puppies that still have maternal antibodies will not have as strong of an immune response to a vaccine and therefore will be less protected. There is no way to be certain if a puppy still has maternal antibodies, hence the reason for boosters.

 

My pet seems anxious, what do I do?

Anxiety for pets can has become more common. The best option is to schedule an appointment with the veterinarian to discuss the situation and then develop a plan specifically for your pet.

 

Do we offer emergency service?

We are a hospital, and we work hard to be there for all our patients when they need us. However,  depending on the situation and the availability of our doctors, we do rely on other emergency hospitals to provide treatment if necessary.

 

What paperwork do I need as a new client?

When scheduling with us for a new client we will ask that you fill out new client forms on our website, and that you also submit past medical records prior to your scheduled appointment.

 

Why do I have to get yearly heart worm testing?

Annual testing is necessary, even when dogs are on heartworm prevention year-round, to ensure that the prevention program is working. Heartworm medications are highly effective, but dogs can still become infected. If you miss just one dose of a monthly medication—or give it late—it can leave your dog unprotected.

 

What is a fecal or ova parasite test and why is it important?

A fresh fecal sample is mixed with a special solution in a vial and either centrifuged (spun at high speeds) or allowed to sit undisturbed for a predetermined period of time. The purpose of centrifugation or undisturbed fecal flotation is to isolate parasite eggs at the top of the vial. The material that rises to the top of the vial is then examined under the microscope, to look for the presence of worm eggs and other microscopic parasites. The effects of intestinal parasites can vary significantly, depending on the parasite and the overall health of the dog.

 

Why do we ask you to pay a deposit when scheduling or leave a deposit for surgical services?

Our goal is to provide care to as many as we can, and we design our schedule with you in mind. With the heightened demand and increased wait times for veterinary services across the entire country,  it has become more challenging for our clients to schedule timely visits. Coupled with this, unfortunately, we have seen an increase in the number of clients failing to show for scheduled appointments, despite email, text, and phone call reminders. In order to keep those scarce appointments available, and to reduce wait times for all patients we use the deposit system to aid in our hospital appointment flow. Your deposit is credited back to you at checkout when you attend your scheduled appointment.