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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are your business hours?
The Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital (in Port Hadlock) is open Monday – Friday from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm. On Saturdays, office hours are from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. The facilities are closed on Sunday.
The Pet Townsend Veterinary Clinic (in Port Townsend) is open Monday – Thursday from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm (generally closed from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm for lunch). Appointments are seen on Friday from 8:00 - 1:00, although a receptionist is available on Friday afternoons for food and medication pick-ups until 5:00 pm. Currently, the Pet Townsend Veterinary Clinic is closed on both Saturday and Sunday-- please call the Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital for Saturday office hours.
2. Do I need an appointment to bring my pet in?
Due to our busy schedule, appointments are always recommended. Walk-in visits will be accommodated whenever possible, and emergencies, whenever they occur, will always take priority.
3. What forms of payment do you accept?
Cash, personal check, MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Care Credit
4. Can I make payments?
Payment is required at the time of service. Financial assistance is offered through Care Credit; pre-approval for Care Credit can be done on the internet at home or requested from either of our locations in just minutes.
5. At what age can I have my pet spayed or neutered?
Spaying or neutering can be done as early as 2 months of age, but is often done between 4-6 months of age. We require that we see your pet for a health exam prior to the day of surgery. Your pet is also examined on the morning of surgery, before any anesthetic drugs are given. Current vaccinations are required at the time of surgery, or in some circumstances they may be given on the same day of surgery after the animal is awake, right before going home. In addition, many people elect to have their pet microchipped (permanent identification) at the time of spaying or neutering, if not already done.
6. What is pre-anesthetic blood screening, and why does my pet need it?
This is a risk-specific blood panel that is either ran at an outside laboratory (preferably, if the pet is over 3 years for quality & cost-effectiveness) or alternatively ran here in the clinic prior to surgery. The panel will generally assess liver and kidney function (to assure those organs are healthy enough to metabolize the medications), blood counts (to ensure proper clotting function and blood volume of your pet), as well as screen for a variety of other congenital or sub-clinical diseases that can make anesthesia significantly riskier.
7. How long do the sutures stay in after my pet's surgery?
Many sutures are now cosmetically placed underneath the skin & are dissolvable, requiring no return visit for suture removal. However, some procedures involving outwardly-visible skin sutures will require a suture removal around 10-14 days after the surgery. The veterinary technician working with your pet will let you know if and when you need to return for suture removal. In the meantime, regardless of the suture type, please do not bathe your pet for 10-14 day after surgery and keep all surgery sites clean and dry.
8. I heard it was “healthier” for my pet to have at least one litter. Is this true?
No. There is no real health advantage to letting your pet reproduce-- this is more of a human emotional trait that pet owners in the past have improperly perceived to be a valid emotional truth for their pets. There are, however, numerous benefits to having your pet spayed or neutered, especially if done prior to your pet going through “puberty” (which on average occurs between 7 and 12 months of age). These advantages include significantly decreasing the chances of breast tumors, significantly decreasing the chance of cystic ovaries and uterine infections later in life, decreasing the desire to roam the neighborhood (and running in front of automobiles), decreasing the incidence of prostatic disease, helping to prevent spraying and marking behaviors and, most importantly, decreases the surplus of unwanted puppies and kittens in our area.
9. Do you offer boarding for pets?
We now offer year-round boarding services for all cats and small dogs, based on availability. Many of the patients who stay with us are those with special medical needs, who require more care and attention than what can typically be offered by commercial boarding facilities. However, healthy pets who are not on medication are welcome to stay with us as well, based on availability. Rabbits, rodents, and ferrets may also be boarded, but in general we request these pets must come with their own housing for safety purposes. Please call either of our offices for more information or to make a reservation for boarding.
10. What are your boarding & extended care facilities like?
We have a variety of enclosures and runs that are comfortable and safe for your pet. The enclosures are designed to be easy to disinfect in order to minimize disease transmission. We also have fenced outdoor exercise areas where dogs can spend time exercising under the constant, direct supervision of our Kennel Technicians. All boarded pets will be fed, exercised and cared for per your specific directions. All boarded pets will also be inspected daily by the veterinarian on staff.
11. Do you offer emergency services?
We currently see emergencies during regular office hours, but do not offer 24-hour emergency services at this time. Such services are available just 25 minutes away in Poulsbo at the Animal Emergency and Trauma Center (360-697-7771). To find out if one of our veterinarians are available for consultation after hours, please call the main Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital main number at 360-385-4488, or the Pet Townsend Veterinary Clinic at 360-379-1133.
12. When the time comes, will you perform a euthanasia (peaceful passing) for my pet at my home?
At-home euthanasias are be performed by our veterinarians on a case-by-case basis, for established clients that live within a certain driving distance from the hospital. If you feel that “it is time”, please call either one of our offices and consult one of our staff members about your pet's condition. Most at-home euthanasias are performed in the evening, typically after the veterinarian gets off work. If your pet is showing signs of suffering, or needs emergency attention, please consider bringing him or her into the veterinary hospital for immediate attention so that his or her discomfort/pain is not prolonged more than necessary.
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