I do not have the capability to bring my pet to your clinic, do you make house calls?
No, we do not make house calls. We have numbers of several veterinarians in the area and are happy to provide you with their information.
Do I need an appointment for the doctor to see my pet?
Yes, in order to keep our doctor on schedule and to ensure your pet will be seen by the veterinarian, you must call our office to set up an appointment. We do take emergencies throughout the day, so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need your pet seen on short notice. Our office hours are from 8:30am – 6:00pm Monday through Friday. We use Pet’s ER in Salisbury for after hours emergencies.
We would like to board our pets with your clinic, what do we need?
If your pet has never boarded with us before we require a day trial at some point prior to boarding. We do not have guillotine doors and our staff must be able to handle your pet frequently and comfortably in order to provide them with the best care possible. We also require that your pet’s rabies, da2pp, and bordatella vaccines were administered at least 7 days prior to boarding. You are welcome to bring your own food, although we provide a low residue diet, but discourage bringing your own bedding.
We just found a stray pet, what do we do?
The first thing you need to do is see if the pet has an identification or rabies tag on its collar. If so, the tag should have the phone number to the pet’s owner or veterinarian. Please first call the number on the tag. The reason for this is that the rabies tag will help identify the pet’s owner. The clinic will either give you the owner’s numbers or contact the owner for you.
If the owner can’t be reached, then you should contact your local Police Department and your local Humane Society. If there are no tags on the pet you have found, you should call the both Police Department and Humane Society.
When is the best time to spay or neuter my pet?
The best time to spay or neuter your dog or cat is 4 to 6 months of age. However, it can be done at most ages.
How long is a dog or cat in season? How long does pregnancy last in a dog or cat?
A dog’s season or heat cycle can last about 21 days. A cat will go in and out of heat all year round until they are either bred or spayed. If you do not intend to breed your pet, it is best to spay in order to avoid the risk of developing mammary cancer. A dog is pregnant for about 63 days and a cat for 61 days.
Can my female dog or cat be spayed while she is in heat or while she is pregnant?
It is better to wait until your pet has gone through her heat cycle before she is spayed. The blood vessels that lead to the ovaries and uterus are inflamed during her heat cycle and this puts your pet at more of a risk during surgery. A female may be spayed if she is in the early stages of pregnancy, but it is also more of a risk to the animal and you should discuss this with our veterinarian before making an appointment to have your pet spayed. We recommend waiting two weeks after your pet has finished her heat cycle.
If I neuter my cat, will he stop spraying?
When a cat sprays, he is exhibiting the male tendency to mark his territory with urine. Neutering decreases his male hormones and makes him much less likely to exhibit this undesirable trait, although neutering does not guarantee that he will stop spaying.
How can I tell if my dog or cat has worms?
There are certain parasites, such as tapeworms, that are visible to the naked eye, others must be detected under a microscope. With the use of the microscope we are able to determine if parasites are present by the presence of eggs. If you bring in a stool sample, we will be glad to examine it microscopically to see if your pet has worms.
When using topical flea and tick products how long do I have to wait to give my dog a bath? Will it wash away?
The manufacturer’s recommendation is usually to not bath your pet or have him/her swim 48 hours prior to application and then for 48 hours after application. We recommend Bravecto, which is a chewable tablet that lasts for 3 months and you may bathe after administering the tablet.
How many months should my pet be on heartworm prevention medication?
It is recommended that your dog and cat be put on heartworm prevention for the entire year. It is administered once a month either by pill or by topical application. Depending on the specific product you and your veterinarian choose for your pet, heartworm prevention medication can prevent other parasite infestations including internal parasites (intestinal parasites) and external parasites (fleas and ticks). A simple blood test will get your pet started.