FAQs
Here are some questions/answers that we are frequently asked. If you have additional questions that aren’t covered here, please feel free to give us a call at Edenwood Veterinary Clinic.
Hospital FAQs
1. What are the Hospital hours?
Our hospital is open Monday & Thursday from 8:00am to 6:00pm. Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm. We are closed on Saturday & Sunday.
2. Do I need to have an appointment?
Yes, patients are only seen by appointment.
3. What forms of payment do you accept?
Cash, Check, Mastercard, Visa, Discover, American Express and Care Credit
4. Can I make payments?
NO, payment is required at the time of service.
5. At what age can I have my pet spayed or neutered?
Spaying or neutering can be done at approximately 6 months of age. Your pet is given an exam prior to surgery to help determine whether your pet is healthy enough to undergo the surgical procedure. Current vaccinations are required at the time of surgery. We will do a pre-anesthetic blood screening and ECG before undergoing anesthesia and surgery.
6. What is the pre-anesthetic blood screening?
This is a blood test that is draw and ran in the clinic prior to any surgery. It tests the organ functions, blood counts and clotting function of your pet. The pre-anesthetic blood screening is done to assure safety during surgery and the ability to heal following surgery.
7. How long do the sutures stay in after my pet’s surgery?
Most surgeries have dissolvable sutures that will not need to be removed. Some procedures involving sutures will require them to be removed in 14 – 21 days following the surgery.
8. Is it a good idea to let my pet have at least one litter?
NO, there is NO advantage to letting your pet have one litter. There are MANY of advantages to having you pet spayed or neutered. These advantages include decreasing the chances of breast tumors later in life, decreasing the chance of cystic ovaries and uterine infections later in life, decreasing the desire to roam the neighborhood, decreasing the incidence of prostate cancer later in life, helping prevent spraying and marking, and also decreases the surplus of unwanted puppies and kittens.
9. Do you board pets?
YES, we do boarding for our clients. We have boarding space for both dogs and cats. We also can board birds and other small animals, but you will be required to bring your own cage and food for your pet.
10. What are your kennels like?
Our kennels are all indoor with heating and air conditioning. The dogs are let out separately into a fenced in area, that is attached to our building, 3 times daily to go to the bathroom or just to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. Blankets, toys and food are provided for our boarders. If your pet is on a special diet or on medication, we ask that please bring it along with your pet.
Surgical FAQs
What You Need to Know Before Your Pet’s Upcoming Surgery
Many people have questions about various aspects of their pet’s surgery, and we hope this information will help. It also explains the decisions you will need to make before your pet’s upcoming surgery.
Is the anesthetic safe?
Today’s modern anesthetic monitors have made surgery much safer than in the past. Here at Edenwood Veterinary Clinic, we do a thorough physical exam on your pet before administering anesthetics, to ensure that a fever or other illness won’t be a problem. We also adjust the amount and type of anesthetic used depending on the health of your pet.
Preanesthetic blood testing is important in reducing the risk of anesthesia. Every pet is required to have blood testing done before surgery to ensure the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthetic. Even apparently healthy animals can have serious organ system problems that cannot be detected without blood testing. If there is a problem, it is much better to find it before it causes anesthetic or surgical complications. Animals that have minor dysfunction will handle the anesthetic better if they receive IV fluids during surgery. If serious problems are detected, surgery can be postponed until the problem is corrected.
It is important that surgery be done on an empty stomach to reduce the risk of vomiting during and after anesthesia. You will need to withhold food for at least 8 to 10 hours before surgery. Water can be left down for the pet until the morning of surgery.
Will my pet have stitches?
For many surgeries, we use dissovlable sutures underneath the skin. These will dissolve on their own, and do not need to be removed later. Some surgeries, especially tumor removals, do require skin stitches. With either type of suture, you will need to keep an eye on the incision for swelling or discharge. Most dogs and cats do not lick excessively or chew at the incision, but this is an occasional problem you will also need to watch for. If there are skin sutures, these will usually be removed 14 to 21 days after surgery. You will also need to limit your pet’s activity level for a time and no baths are allowed for the first 10 days after surgery.
Will my pet be in pain?
Anything that causes pain in people can be expected to cause pain in animals. Pets may not show the same symptoms of pain as people do; they usually don’t whine or cry, but you can be sure they feel it. Pain medications needed will depend on the surgery performed. Major procedures require more pain relief than things like minor lacerations.
We may dispense pain medication to go home with to give to your pet to lessen the risk of discomfort and swelling.
What other decisions do I need to make?
While your pet is under anesthesia, it is the ideal time to perform other procedures, such as dental cleaning, ear cleaning or implanting an identification microchip. Please let us know ahead of time so we can schedule as needed. If you would like an estimate for these extra services, also please call ahead of time. This is especially important if the person dropping the pet off for surgery is not the primary decision maker for the pet’s care.
When you bring your pet in for surgery, we will need 5 to 10 minutes of time to fill out consent paperwork. When you pick up your pet after surgery you can also plan to spend about 10 minutes to go over your pet’s home care needs.
