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Frequently Asked Questions
What can we help you with?
What are your accepted methods of payment? Do you provide payment plans?
Payment is due at the time services are rendered. We accept, in order of preference, Zelle, Apple Cash, Cash, Checks, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Apple/Google Pay, PayPal, Cash App. There is a $35 fee on all returned checks. We can provide you with an estimated cost of services during your visit, however we cannot give an estimate over the phone for non-routine procedures without seeing your pet. We offer third-party financing options available through Scratchpay and use VetBilling to manage our in-house payment plans.
Click here to learn more.
I want to know more about pet insurance.
Pet insurance works similar to human insurance in that it provides coverage to help defray the cost of veterinary medical care. Some plans cover all expenses related to veterinary care, while others cover only injury or illness. It's important to read all information associated with each pet policy. There are exclusions to a few such a breed dispositions, preexisting conditions, and certain diagnoses.
For more information we recommend visiting The North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) website. It is comprised of reputable pet health insurance (PHI) organizations from across Canada and the United States. NAPHIA’s membership makes up over 99% of all pet health insurance coverage in effect in North America.
We have also partnered with Pawlicy Advisor, a free service the compares pet insurance companies side-by-side to help you find the best insurance plan for your pet.
What type of food should I feed my pet?
There is "no one size fits all" recommendation for pet diets. We must take into account the pet's age, health status, activity level, environment and what they like to eat. Most reputable companies have veterinary nutritionists on staff in addition to extensive studies that confirm their foods do what they report on the packaging. The common commercial brands we are more familair with include Hill's Science Diet, Purina Pro Plan, Royal Canin, and Iams/Eukanuba.
General guidelines on commercial pet food can be found on The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) website. AAFCO is a voluntary membership association of local, state and federal agencies charged by law to regulate the sale and distribution of animal feeds and animal drug remedies.
Another resource is The World Small Animal Veterinary Association's (WSAVA) Global Nutrition Committee. They developed and published global nutrition guidelines to help the veterinary healthcare team and pet owners ensure that dogs and cats are on an optimal nutrition plan tailored to the needs of the individual dog or cat.
During nutrition consultations, we use Balance IT® to help owners create their own homemade diet recipes. However, if owners prefer a more convenient approach we recommend either ChiDog® or JustFoodForDogs for fresh, whole food meal delivery.
Call us or schedule a consultation online today!
What vaccines do you recommend for my dog or cat?
We follow guidelines from the American Animal Hospital Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners. For more information, as well as a summary of the different types of vaccines available, please visit the following links:
AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines
AAFP Feline Vaccination Guidelines
Request an appointment today to update your pet's vaccines.
Where can I find more information about the testing, treatment and control of parasites?
Here are 2 really good websites that summarize where parasites are found, which pets are most susceptible to infection, how they are infected, and what you can do to treat current infections as well as prevent future ones.
The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) is an independent, non-profit organization that is dedicated to increasing awareness of the threat parasites present to pets and family members.
The American Heartworm Society's mission is to lead the veterinary profession and public in understanding heartworm disease, and aims to further scientific progress in the study of heartworm disease, while informing its membership of new developments.
One key thing to note is that some parasites can also infect humans (zoonosis) causing significant harm or passing on deadly diseases. Call us or request an appointment today to make sure you have the right parasite plan in place for your pet.
How is immunotherapy used to treat my pet's allergies and itchy skin?
In the case of allergies, the body has an abnormal or overactive response to a substance resulting in the itchy skin, redness, hair loss, and secondary infections we see in our pets. Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that boosts the immune system to help it develop a tolerance to those irritating substances. Below are links to companies specializing in immunotherapy for environmental allergies (atopic dermatitis) for pets:
As stated before, finding the root cause of your pet's itchy skin is the key to long-term resolution. Schedule a consultation today to get started.
What is microchipping?
Microchipping your pet not only provides a permanent way of identification, it also allows for your pet to be returned to you in the case that they should go missing.
The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and contains a sequence of numbers unique to that individual chip. The chip is then implanted beneath the skin in between the shoulder blades. That number sequence is then uploaded into a national database with your information, so in the event that your pet does get found, they can scan the number, enter it into the database, and contact you.
A common misconception is that the chip acts like a GPS. Unfortunately, you cannot track your pet in real time (However, they do have collar attachments available for that.), but nearly every veterinarian and animal organization has a scanner and access to the national database at their facilities.
We use HomeAgain microchips. Please visit their website for more information.
I'm planning on traveling with my pet. What do I need to do?
When traveling with your pet(s), there may be animal health requirements specific for that destination. As soon as you know your travel details, give us a call to assist with the pet travel process. Factors to consider may include meeting time frames for obtaining a health certificate, updating vaccinations, diagnostic testing, or administration of medications/ treatments.
Visit the APHIS Pet Travel website for more information.
Also note that some airlines have restrictions and/or require their own paperwork prior to boarding. We recommend contacting the airline for any specific requirements prior to scheduling your appointment.
I'm thinking of getting a service dog or registering my pet as an emotional support animal. What are my next steps?
If you are interested in finding out more about assistance animals, emotional support animals, and therapy animals, we recommend visiting the Assistance Animals Consulting website. They have licensed veterinarians on staff to help with providing resources for education, behavioral understanding, and guidance regarding your rights and responsibilities as a handler.
Do you have any recommendations for low-cost spay and neuter facilities/programs?
We recommend contacting any of the following organizations below:
Jazzy Paw, Inc. - Jonesboro, GA
Lifeline Animal Project - Avondale Estates and College Park, GA
Paws Atlanta - Decatur, GA
Project CatSnip - Various locations
S.A.F.E. SAVING ANIMALS FROM EUTHANASIA, INC. - Various locations
SpayGeorgia provides low-cost spay/neuter certificates at an affordable price. After entering in your information, they will email you an information packet containing their guidelines, certificate prices, participating vets, and an order form.
I think my pet ingested or was exposed to something toxic. What can I give them?
If you think your pet has come into contact with something potentially poisonous, we recommend contacting either of the following organizations:
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
A consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.
A $85 per incident fee applies. All follow-up consultations are included.
In addition to providing individual consultations, they also have several educational articles and other information on their websites regarding harmful substances to your pets and how to prevent future exposure.
Where do I go if my pet has an emergency or needs care after hours?
We have teamed up with Petriage so you can get excellent care for your pets whenever they need it. Our free vet-validated Petriage Analysis tool is available 24/7 and delivers on-point insight, ensuring you make informed decisions about the need for veterinary care. Visit our Emergency & After Hours Care page for more information:
Alternately, below is a list of our recommended specialty and/or full-service veterinary hospitals that are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:
BluePearl Pet Hospital - Sandy Springs
455 Abernathy Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30328
BluePearl Pet Hospital - Westside Atlanta
1071 Howell Mill Rd
Atlanta, GA 30318
Saint Francis Veterinary Specialists & Emergency
625 Dekalb Industrial Way
Decatur, GA 30033
South Atlanta Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center
1090 Highway 54 East
Fayetteville, GA 30214
Union City Veterinary Medical Center and Emergency Clinic
6702 Shannon Pkwy
Union City, GA 30291
VCA Pets Are People Too Veterinary Hospital
1510 Piedmont Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30324
The Village Vets 24-Hour Emergency
217 N. McDonough St
Decatur, GA 30030
2675 Highway 155 S
Locust Grove, GA 30248