Category: FAQ

faq general medical questions

5/3/2017

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Q: My pet ate something it shouldn't have, what should I do?

If you think your pet may have eaten something they should not have, it is advised to call your veterinarian before attempting to induce vomiting. Some items can cause damage to the esophagus when coming back up. Items ingested for more than 4 hours may no longer be in the stomach, so inducing vomiting would not benefit.
If your pet has ingested something potentially poisonous, please call the ASPCA Poison Control. They will work closely with us to make sure we are doing the best form of treatment for your pet.

Q: My pet is on a heartworm preventative monthly, why do I need to test them yearly?

According to the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Assoc.), it is recommended to test pets every 6 months-1 year. The test just confirms that the preventative is working to prevent heartworms because no preventative is 100% effective.
Also our test checks for 3 tick borne diseases in your pet as well. It is always good to know your dogs Lyme status.

Q: What food should I feed my pet?

Some "go-to" brands of dog food are Science Diet, Royal Canin, and Purina.
There is no need to focus on looking for a grain free, soy free, meat first, etc...food. See the attached image for some of the common food myths debunked.

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FAQ SPAYING AND NEUTERING

5/3/2017

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Q: What age should I Spay/Neuter my pet?

It is recommended to spay/neuter your pet around 6 months of age. Females should be spayed before going into their first heat cycle to help decrease the risk of a uterine and/or mammary cancer.

Q: Why Should I neuter my dog/cat?

Reduces or eliminates risk of spraying and marking.
Less desire to roam, therefore less likely to be injured in fights or auto accidents.
Risk of testicular cancer is eliminated, and decreases incidence of prostate disease.
Helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives.

Q: Why should I Spay my dog/cat?

No heat cycles
Less desire to roam
Risk of mammary gland tumors, ovarian and/or uterine cancer is reduced or eliminated, especially if done before the first heat cycle
Reduces number of unwanted cats/kittens/dogs/puppies
Helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives

Q: How long do surgeries stay with you after a procedure?

Spays, neuters, and dentals typically stay with us until they are fully awake, walking and eating for us. Then they can go home that same night.
Feline declaws stay 2 nights with us. This way we can make sure that their toes are healing well before we send the home.

Q: I am worried about my pet going under anesthesia.

We do everything we can to make sure your pet is safe for anesthesia, no matter their age.
- We always do a pre-surgical exam to make sure the heart and lungs sound normal.
- We also always do pre-surgical blood-work to check liver, kidney, WBC, RBC, and blood clotting times before surgery. This is just another step to make sure that your pet not only looks good on the outside, but that they are working good on the inside as well.
- Finally, we have a surgical technician monitoring the pet throughout the entire procedure, as well as while recovering from surgery. We always do everything we can to help reduce the risks of anesthesia on your pet.

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faq vaccines

5/3/2017

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Q: When should my puppy/kitten get vaccines, an what do they need?

Vaccines are began at 6-8 weeks of age.
A distemper vaccine is given every 3-4 weeks until 12-16 weeks of age.
The rabies vaccine is given between 12-16 weeks of age.
After the core vaccines are given, then we recommend starting the Lyme and/or Lepto vaccines if they are warranted for your pets lifestyle.
We also recommend bringing a fecal sample to your pets first exam. Many pets are dewormed while still at the breeders, although it is common for pets to need multiple dewormings in order to get rid of parasites. So it is always a good idea to check a stool sample to make sure they do not have any parasites remaining.

Q: Why does my indoor cat need vaccines?

The rabies vaccine is required by the state of Pennsylvania for all dogs and cats.

Q: Why do I have to pay for an exam just to get a Rabies vaccine?

We perform an exam each time a pet is getting vaccines, we do this to make sure that your pet is healthy enough for vaccines. Also, the rabies vaccine can only be administered by a veterinarian.

Q: Does my pet need the Lyme vaccine?

The best mode of protection against Lyme Disease is keeping your pet on a good flea and tick preventative.
If you live in a heavily tick populated area or take your pet to areas where ticks are commonly at, then we do recommend having the Lyme vaccine done for extra protection.

Q: Does my pet need the Leptospirosis vaccine?

Some clinics automatically give each pet the Lepto vaccine, sometimes they will even pair it in the Distemper Vaccine itself. We do not. We only vaccinate for Leptospirosis if your pets lifestyle warrants it.
- Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease which primarily affects dogs, people, and livestock and is transmissible among species.
- Leptospira bacteria is spread through the infected urine of livestock and numerous wildlife species, among them raccoons, skunks, mice and rats. Left untreated, Leptospirosis can result in liver and kidney failure.
Dogs that are exposed to areas that are inhabited by wildlife are most at risk,but even dogs in city like areas are at risk since rodents are carriers.
We recommend getting the Lepto vaccine if your pet lives in an area where wildlife are commonly found, if you hunt, or hike with your pet in areas where your pet can drink from ponds or puddles that are contaminated.

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FAQ Clinic Questions

5/3/2017

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Q: Do you do payment plans or keep a credit card on file to run later on?

No we do not do payment plans or hold credit card information.

Q: How much paperwork do I need to fill out at my first appointment?

We have one paper for clients to fill out. General information such as address and phone numbers. If you visit the Resources tab/Printable forms, we have the form available to fill out before your exam if you would like.

Q: I am a new client, but my pet was seen at another hospital, what do I need to do?

Just let us know where your pets previous veterinarian is, and we can call and have the records sent over to our office.

Q: What days do you do surgery?

We do surgeries every Monday and Wednesday, and in some emergency situations, we can do surgeries on other days as well at the doctors discretion.

Q: How many doctors do you have at Happy Tails?

We have one doctor. Doctor Diane Hodges, the owner is the only practicing doctor.
There are exceptions where we may have another doctor on staff, if Doctor Hodges goes on vacation or takes a sick day.

Q: Do you offer monthly pet plans?

We do not offer pet plans like some other hospitals may do, but we are always cautious of our prices and try to make sure they are reasonable for our clients.

Q: Do you give senior or military discounts?

We do offer a senior discount of 10% to people 65 years and older. Must show proof.
We also offer a military discount of 10% with military ID.

Q: Do you have a multiple pet discount?

For multiple pet homes, if you bring in 3 pets together for exams, you get one of the exams for free.

Q: My pet is on a prescription diet, can I get that from your office?

We have a wide variety of prescription diets here in the office, and we can order other prescriptions if needed.
Food orders are placed every Wednesday by noon. And typically arrive every Monday, sometimes earlier, depending on the food manufacturer.

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