Frequently Asked Questions:

1.) Why do I need a yearly heart worm test if I have given the drug every month?

  The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) advises that yearly heart worm tests be done to evaluate the efficacy of the medications, because no medication is perfect, and a few microfilaria may survive the medications. Also, many owners may not be perfect at giving the medications on an exact monthly basis, and occassional gaps in medication may allow an infection to arise that the preventative may not be able to protect against. While we know that many of our clients are very accurate in their medications, some are not and we have to set hospital policies to adequately protect all of our patients.

2.) Why do I need a yearly exam?

  The State of California Veterinary Medical Board regulations state that no doctor may perform any medical treatments on any patient that a doctor in said practice does not have a doctor-patient relationship with within one year. The doctor-patient relationship must include a complete physical examination.

3.) Can the Doctor fill out my insurance papers during my appointment time?

  While we strive to make your appointment as stress-free as possible, at times, our patient load will not permit us the time to fill out insurance forms at the time of your visit. We will assure you that your paperwork will be filled out within 24 hours and be available for you to pick-up the next business day.

4.) What should I do if I find an injured or sick bird?

  Wild birds need special care that our hospital is not setup to provide at this time. Additionally, they may carry communicable diseases including West Nile Virus. For this reason, we suggest you call either Orange County Animal Control at (714) 935-6848 or Pacific Wildlife Foundation at (949) 831-1178.

5.) What are the recommended vaccinations for my dog or cat?

  First, the only legally required vaccinations in the State of California are rabies vaccinations. However, different medical, grooming, or boarding facilites can have their own vaccination requirements to safeguard their clients and their client's pets. In conjunction with our local facilities, our vaccinaation protocols have been designed to protect your pet from communicable diseases in all foreseeable situations:

Canines:

Rabies: given between 16-20 weeks of age, boosted in 1 year, and every 3 years thereafter.

DAPP-CVK (the old "Distemper shot": given 3 times during the first 4 months of age, and then boosted yearly.

Bordatella (Kennel Cough): given intra-nasally every 6 months. This is a change from our previous recommendations that falls in line with the requirements of most of our local boarding and grooming facilities.
Please feel free to speak to your doctor if you have any concerns during your yearly appointment.

Parvo Virus: given every 6 months until 5 years of age, then given with the yearly DAPP-CVK.

We also offer Giardia, Lyme, and Rattlesnake Toxin vaccinations for your canine. Please feel free to give us a call so we can let you know about these additional vaccines that may help protect your pet from dangerous diseases.


Felines

Rabies: given between 16-20 weeks of age, boosted in 1 year, and every 3 years thereafter.

FVRCP (Feline "Distemper" and Combo-shot): given 3 times during the first 5 months of age and then every other year for the rest of lie.

FeLV: given twice during the first 5 months of life and boosted every other year on an alternating basis with the FVRCP vaccine.

We also offer the FIP and FIV vaccines for your outdoor kitties. Please speak to one of our staff members during your yearly exam regarding whether these vaccines are approprate for you pet.