Furr-equently Asked Questions!
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Are you taking new clients/patients?  Sorry, but we are unable to accept any new clients at this time. 

Do you see exotic or pocket pets? (Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Ferrets, etc.) Sorry, but we are unable to accept any new exotic patients at this time. 

QUESTIONS ABOUT VISITS:

Do I need an appointment?: Yes. We do not accept walk in's. Please call or email us to schedule your pets visit. 
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How often do I really need to bring my pet into the vet? At least once a year for a wellness check up and to maintain a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship. If your pet is older or on consistent medications that require monitoring, your pet will need to be seen every 6 months.

What is a same day visit? We reserve several appointment slots each day for  pets requiring an immediate appointment. These are called Same Day appointments. They are first come, first serve appointments that we are only able to schedule the morning of.  We are unable to accept messages left or emails sent requesting to reserve these appointments in advance. Please call us right at 8:00 am the morning of. These slots can fill quickly. In the event there are no available same day appointments remaining when you call, we will either see if we can offer you a drop off visit, advise for you to check back the next morning or seek urgent care services if your pet cannot wait. 

How long is a typical appointment? The length of your appointment may vary based on the needs and temperment of your pet and any questions that you may have regarding your pet’s care. 
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Why are you recommending a drop off visit instead of a normal visit?  For your convenience, drop off appointments are offered to our clients in certain cases. These appointments allow us to see your pet on a day where we otherwise have no available appointments or if more time is needed for extended work ups, tests and treatments. They are given the same great care and attention that you have come to know and expect during normally scheduled appointments. For drop off's you will bring your pet to us in the morning and a discharge time will be scheduled for later in the day/evening.

QUESTIONS ABOUT COST:

How much is this visit going to cost me? Upon request, we will be happy to provide you with a cost estimate of services. We will not perform any services without discussing them with you and getting your approval. You are welcome to ask us any questions and inform us of any financial considerations that you may have.
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Are there any pet insurance companies that you don't accept? Pet insurance is on a reimbursement basis, meaning that owners pay the vet at the time of their visit and then they request a reimbursement from their insurance company afterward. As such, we work with all insurance companies. 

Why do I have to pay for an exam? I just want a vaccine. A complete exam is important to assess your pet’s health status and it is required annually (more often for older pets or pets with certain health conditions.) Vaccines given to a sick pet will not be effective and may cause complications. Our goal is to vaccinate only healthy animals. 

Why is veterinary care so expensive? As pet owners ourselves, we understand that veterinary care seems costly. Relatively speaking, veterinary care is actually a great value, believe it or not, when compared to the cost of human health care or almost any other professional services out there.  Veterinary medicine, although very similar to human medicine, does not have the same health insurance umbrella and government funding programs that human medicine benefits from. These programs help defray costs significantly. With these programs we are fortunate to rarely ever have to experiencce the true costs of medical care. The field of veterinary medicine is  expanding tremendously, meaning that veterinarians can now offer pet owners with incredibly sophisticated procedures and treatments of the highest order. Sometimes these services can even be offered all under one roof and within a few visits.  Not only are we a general practice office, we are also; a laboratoy, x-ray facility, ultrasound suite, pharamacy, sterile surgery unit, urgent care, nutritionalist, physical therapist, dentist and more. Your veterinary service provider does understand the financial burden that veterinary care can present especially in emergency situations.  Veterinary care, like human medical care, is not going to go down in price as the years go on, medical advancements keep evolving, labor wages and licensing fees are increasing and general costs are rising. Finding helpful solutions now is going to be critical. To help with the unexpected costs of veterinary care please visit www.churchville-vet.com/payment-options.html

Why do we have to pay at the time of service? We are providing a service and/or a consumable product for your pet. This requires payment at time of service, since there are no contracts or physical assets involved. Requiring that payment be made at the time of your pet's appointment is a fair requirement. Not only does this help mitigate the risk of unpaid bills and lengthy/costly collection processes, this policy ensures that clinics can continue to provide fair and equitable veterinary care to their community.

If my veterinarian doesn't clear up my pet's problem, can I get a refund?  Fees cover what is done for your pet including an examination, administration of tests, diagnosis, treatment and medications. Some problems can be long-term, reoccur or involve multiple and/or changing causes. At times, outcomes may be inconclusive or may not be what we had hoped for or expected and repeat tests or treatments maybe required. Sometimes treatment can also be ongoing. This is an natural aspect of practicing medicine. To effect, a cure is not always possible and sometimes ongoing management is key. You are paying for an honest attempt to diagnose and treat a problem and refunds cannot be offered in such situations. 

How much will it cost to get my pet spayed/neutered? As a courtsey, we offer all of our clients estimates of cost upon request. Once your pet has been seen by us we will be more than happy to email you an estimate and answer any questions that you may have. 

What is an OSHA compliance bio fee? As a medical facility, we are legally required to adhere to special disposal procedures for medical waste aka biohazardous waste. Disposal of these must be completed by a licensed company and they charge a lot for their services.  Faciltiies that have medical waste (doctors, dentists, veterinary clinics etc.) must factor this added expense into their services. This is a similar concept to your car mechanic charging you a tire disposal fee. 

If my pet's damages it's bandage/splint will I be charged to have it fixed?:  Bandages are used to protect a wound, incision or injury while it is healing. Due to the nature of animal behavior and movements, it can  be common for  bandages to become damaged or fall off. If your pet's bandage needs to be reapplied for any reason, it is necessary to to contact your veterinarian to have the bandage reapplied. An associated charge for this is to be expected. 

QUESTIONS ABOUT RECOMMENDATIONS/CARE:

I know what’s going on with my pet; he/she has had this problem before. I just want more medication? Federal law requires that veterinarians must examine your pet to determine a diagnosis. There is no doubt that pet owner's know their pet best, however, only licensed Doctors of Veterinary Medicine can legally and ethically diagnose, treat and prescribe medications for your pet. 

Why do I have to bring in a fecal sample? Fecal samples are recommended because they help give us information on the presence of intestinal parasites in your pet. Several parasites can be transmitted from pets to humans. For the health of you & your pet, we recommend doing fecal tests routinely.

Are vaccine boosters really necessary? Yes, Booster vaccines are required in order to complete the vaccine series, as recommended by the manufacture, and to help ensure that proper immunity and protection develops in your pet. Without the recommended booster dose, your pet may not be effectively protected. 

Why does the vet need to use muzzles?  A muzzle being placed on a dog ensures the safety of not only your pet but it also protects our dedicated staff. In many instances, wearing a muzzle can also offer some pets comfort and help reduce tension. While there are various reasons a pet may need a muzzle, none of them mean that you have a "bad" dog or you are a "bad" owner.  

Do you perform titer tests for my pets instead of vaccination? We recommend annual vaccination. Please visit for more information on vaccine titer testing https://www.aaha.org/aaha-guidelines/2022-aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/utilization-and-interpretation-of-serologic-titers/​

Why does my pet need to repeat blood work testing for certain medications? Pets that are on certain medications need to have their blood tested routinely. Some medications can cause changes in internal organs and the blood work will alert us to these changes so we can take action. It helps us to watch the pet’s overall health while they endure a specific treatment plan.  

Why do I have to bring my pet in for a recheck exam, we were just there? To determine if the infection or condition is being treated properly or has been successfully resolved, we may need to recheck your pet. If we determine that a recheck is not needed, we will not recommend one to you. Many conditions appear to improve while your pet is on medication, but then several weeks later the illness may return or it can become worse than the initial problem. A re-check examination allows us to determine if the condition improved or not and if we need to adjust the treatment plan so we can help your pet to feel its best. 

Why do you have to bring my pet into the back? Our treatment area, located "in the back" offers our staff an open and safe workspace to properly care for your pet(s). Our treatment area is fully equipt with more staff, medications, tools, monitoring/diagnostic equipment, safety resources and of course all of the toys, treats and blankets for our pets comfort. If you ever have questions, please do not hesitate to ask us. We would be happy to explain what procedure we are going to do and how we will be doing it.

Is anesthesia safe for my pet? Today’s modern anesthetic monitoring equipment and medications have made surgery very safe. At our hospital, we do a thorough physical exam on your pet before administering anesthetics, to ensure your pet is healthy and safe to put under anesthesia. Pre-anesthetic blood testing is important in reducing the risk of anesthesia. Blood testing before surgery is recommended to ensure that the liver and kidneys can process the anesthesia. Even apparently healthy animals can have serious organ system problems that can’t be detected without blood testing. If serious problems are detected in the exam or blood work, surgery can be postponed until the problem is corrected. 

My pet feels better but I have meds left, do I still need to keep giving it? Yes. You should always give ALL of your pets medication AS prescribed until it is gone. Your pet may look and feel better, which is ideal, but they may not be 100% over with the illness. If medication is not given as prescribed and is finished, the illness may return and it could be worse than initally.

QUESTIONS ABOUT FLEAS/TICKS/HEARTWORM:

I live in town; my dog doesn’t need tick & flea prevention, right? Even living in town, pets are exposed to fleas and ticks all over and all year round. Wildlife can bring these pests into your backyard and your pet is exposed to them when they go outside to play or go to the bathroom. It’s important to apply flea and tick preventative year-round for all of your pets since fleas enjoy living indoors and can be a problem even in the middle of a cold winter, and ticks can be found in all months.
 
I only give 6 months of heartworm prevention. Why do I have to give it all year long? The American Heartworm Society’s recommendations are for year-round treatment with a heartworm preventative. Heartworm prevention works by killing the small heartworm larvae that may have been introduced into your pet’s system while an infected mosquito was feeding. The medication will kill any larva that has been developing in the bloodstream, within 30 days before giving the medication. Mosquitos can arrive early in the spring and stay late into the fall. They can be around for up to 9 months of the year, so the preventative should be given longer than 6 months. The heartworm preventative also kills intestinal parasites. Year-round protection against these worms is very beneficial to the health of your pet as well as reduces the risk of children becoming infected with these worms.
 
Why do I have to have a heartworm test every year if my dog has been on heartworm prevention for 12 months?
There are several reasons why we need to perform a blood test every year. If you ever miss a dose, your dog is at risk of becoming infected with heartworm disease. In addition, if your dog vomits up the medication without you seeing it, your pet is at risk. If either of these two things happens, an annual blood test will detect the disease at an early stage, which makes it easier to treat. There are no early clinical signs of heartworm disease. Usually by the time your pet is showing symptoms, the disease is advanced and treatment becomes more complicated and costly.  A heartworm test also detects other diseases — so it is not just a heartworm test anymore — it is more of an annual disease screening. 

Do I need to put flea and tick prevention on my cats if they aren’t outside much or at all? Yes - ALL pets can be exposed and are at risk for picking up fleas & ticks.  Even if they don’t go outside, fleas & ticks can be brought into your home by humans & other pets and enter through doors and windows. Indoor  pets are susceptible to flea and tick infestations.

QUESTIONS ABOUT RESULTS/COMMUNICATIONS: 

When will I hear back with my pet's results? The system we have in place is designed to ensure that we get in contact with you following any testing promptly, once we receive results from the laboratory and the veterinarian has had a chance to review them. On average this can take 1-14 business days. We always try to be as prompt as possible in communications with our clients. Occasionally, elements involved with practicing medicine in a technological world may cause unexpected delays. You are always welcome to contact us via email at vet.churchville@gmail.com or via phone at 585-293-2270 if you have any questions or have not heard back from us.

How often do you check your emails and messages? Our clinic email and voicemail gets checked several times a day during normal business hours. Our email and phone messages are not checked outside of normal business hours. For urgent matters or urgent appointment requests, we ask that you call the office. If your pet needs medical care outside our business hours you may visit our emergency information tab for more information. 

                                                              Have more questions? Feel free to email or call us today

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