Policies & Procedures

APPOINTMENT POLICY

• Our hospital operates by appointment only.
• While we are not an emergency clinic, we assess and treat urgent cases as needed. If we are at capacity, we may need to refer you elsewhere for care. In some situations, we may be unable to provide care and may need to refer you to a nearby emergency clinic. Please call us before arriving so we can properly triage your pet.
• Urgent/emergency exams will may incur additional fees.
• All patients should arrive BEFORE their appointment time.
• If you are ten or more minutes late to your appointment, you will be asked to reschedule.

APPOINTMENT CANCELLATION POLICY

• While we understand that unforeseen scheduling conflicts may happen, we feel we have an obligation and responsibility to do our absolute best to service clients and patients who are here for their appointment on time. Often, we have cases being treated in hospital and the staff attempt to schedule our day to ensure we can meet the needs of those hospitalized pets and scheduled appointments. Arriving late or not showing at all impacts our ability to manage treatment. Thus, we have some rules and guidelines.
• If you must cancel an appointment, we ask for as much notice as possible so we can offer the time to someone who may be waiting for an opening.
• If you fail to show for 2 appointments, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of the exam fee at all future bookings.
• When scheduling a surgical procedure, we will take a deposit to book the procedure date. This deposit is non-refundable if you cancel within 72 hours or if you fail to show up.

PATIENT ARRIVAL POLICY

• For your safety, and the safety of others, all dogs must be on a secure leash and properly controlled while in the lobby or exam rooms. If your dog is nervous or fearful at the vet, we recommend bringing them in hungry, so they are more likely to take treats from us. If your dog has a favorite, high value treat please bring those with you so we can give your pet something they love!
• All cats must be presented in an appropriate cat carrier. Please refrain from using leashes if possible. Please keep the carrier closed while in the lobby. If your cat is fearful or difficult to place into a carrier, we recommend taking the carrier out a week prior to the appointment. Take the lid and/ or the door off and line the bottom with a warm, soft blanket or an unwashed t-shirt from their favorite person. Give lots of treats in and around the carrier and place their favorite toys inside. You can also help desensitize your cat to the anxiety of car rides by occasionally taking short, routine trips around the block leading up to the appointment. If your cat has a favorite, high value treat please bring those with you so we can give your pet something they love!
• Cat carriers or dogslip leads can be provided in advance if needed. Please ask!
• Fear Free experience - If your pet becomes too anxious or stressed out, we may need to reschedule the appointment. We want the vet to be a positive experience for your animal. Your doctor may recommend medication prior to future visits to alleviate your pets’ fear and anxiety.
• If you have been directed to give your pet prescribed medications prior to appointments and we are unable to complete all services, you may be asked to return for an additional appointment and incur additional exam fees.

PAYMENT POLICY

• Charges for office visits, consultations, and procedures are determined by the amount of time spent with the patient, the severity and/ or complexity of the patient’s condition, and the materials and medications needed. Our goal is to provide your pet with the best level of care possible that fits within your budget. It is important that your financial commitment and responsibilities are made clear before treatment begins. Estimates can be discussed before treatment is authorized. If medical conditions change during treatment, we will keep you informed of possible changes to the estimate. In the event of an emergency, your pet will be stabilized before your medical options are presented.
• Payment in full is due at the time of services rendered. We accept all major credit cards (AmEx, Discover, MasterCard, Visa) as well as cash and personal check. Additionally, we accept Scratch Pay for those that need a payment plan (scratchpay.com).

DISPENSING MEDICATION

• California Code of Regulations, Section 2032.1. A veterinarian may prescribe and dispense a medication only to his/ her animal patient after the establishment of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR). This requires an examination of the animal patient(s) or herd, a diagnosis of the medical condition, assumption of responsibility for making clinical judgments regarding treatment, discussion of the treatment with the animal owner, and availability for follow-up evaluation. As a prescriber, the veterinarian can dispense directly to that patient.
• Even in emergency situations, we are only able to prescribe and dispense prescription drugs for our patients with a current VSPR (within 365 days of last exam).

MEDICATION REFILLS

• Refill requests should be called/ emailed into our pharmacy no less the 48 hours in advance. We must have this time to review, approve, fill, and cross-check. Please plan in case your doctor is out of town or mediation is out of stock. Some medications are not refillable without a recheck exam with your doctor or bloodwork. There are RUSH fees for requests less than 48 hours.

TERMINATION OF SERVICES

• Our goal is to serve our patients with the best care and professionalism was can. We train our staff to provide a high level of compassion and expertise when talking to clients. In order to continue a professional relationship with our clients and be able to serve both you and your pets well, this must go both ways. Disregard of our policies, abusive communication to our staff (shouting, arguing, threatening or degrading) will not be tolerated and will result in a dissolution of our professional relationship.