Scheduling Appointments:
1. How often should my pet get a dental exam? Dental disease is present in over 70% of pets. Your pet should have a dental exam and cleaning done every year. This is part of your pets regular yearly exam. During the dental exam, your veterinarian is looking for periodontal disease, dental fractures, and other problems that may be present in your pet's mouth.
2. What is dental disease in pets? Dental disease, also referred to as periodontal disease, can start to develop in your pet as early as the age of three. It's caused by bacteria that are found in the mouth, which results in inflammation and infection. This can lead to severe pain, loose teeth, and bad breath. It can also become more severe and get into your pet's bloodstream, which can be very dangerous. If your pet has dental disease, there is a chance it can lead to heart and kidney problems as well.
3. How do I know if my pet has dental problems? Although your pet may not always show direct symptoms of dental disease, Some of the signs you should keep an eye out for if you believe your pet is developing dental problems, are bad breath, loose teeth, plaque or tartar on teeth, and loss of appetite.
4. Why does my pet have to undergo general anesthesia for a dental cleaning? Anesthesia is used to keep your pet as comfortable and safe as possible. From a safety standpoint, anesthesia is the safest way to perform dental procedures on your pet. Under anesthesia, severe bleeding can be controlled if it occurs and pets won't experience anxiety. Anesthetizing your pet enables your veterinarian to clean your animal’s teeth beneath the gum line, where periodontal disease is more likely to start.
5. How else can I prevent dental disease from effecting my pet? The best tip to keeping your pet healthy is preventative care. Annual dental exams and cleanings are key. Our clinic offers a variety of safe dental chews for dogs, treats for cats as well as toothbrushes and toothpaste that is safe to use.
Exotics- Medicine & Surgery:
- What is the best way to schedule an appointment? We recommend calling our clinic at 614-897-0404 to schedule your pets appointment.
- How long will my appointment take? Most Doctor appointments are scheduled in 30 minute slots, however they can go over that very quickly. We usually tell people to plan to be here for at minimum an hour. Please be mindful that when you come here, there could be an emergency or other sick patients that we need to tend to. We ask that your appointment is scheduled during a time of your day that is flexible incase your appointment were to run over due to unforeseen circumstances.
- How much will my appointment cost? This question is difficult to answer because we simply do not know. We offer a wide range of services, and many have different factors that will alter the pricing of that service.
- Why do I have to leave a deposit when I schedule my appointment? New clients are required to put down a deposit at the time of scheduling, to hold their appointment. We do this for new clients only, and only before their first visit. After you have established care at our clinic, you will not be required to put a deposit down for any future visits. The deposit of the first appointment is the cost of the exam fee, which goes towards the cost of your pets exam when they come in for their appointment. This deposit is non-refundable.
- If I miss my appointment, will I be charged? Our cancellation policy states that you must cancel your appointment within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment. If you fail to cancel within 24 hours, there is a late cancellation fee of $22. If you do not call us, and do not show up to your appointment, that is considered a no show in which there will be a $32.50 fee added to your account.
- Why should I call to cancel my appointment? When you schedule an appointment and don't let us know you are cancelling, it prevents the chance of our doctors being able to see another patient during that time. Please be mindful of other patients, and understand that if you do not notify us of cancelling your appointment you are preventing a sick patient from being seen. Notifying us when you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment is not only a courtesy to our team, but our other clients and patients as well.
- What does a breeding consultation consist of? A breeding consultation is required prior to scheduling any reproductive/breeding services at our clinic. The consultation is a chance for our doctor to do a complete physical exam on an animal you are interested in receiving reproductive services for, to ensure they are a good candidate.
- What are the requirements to schedule reproductive services at Cedar Hill Animal Clinic? Our clinic will provide reproductive services on appropriate candidates based off our doctors professional and medical opinion. Our clinic takes pride in promoting responsible breeding only. We require your pet to be genetically health tested and have recommended OFA testing based on the breed specifications. Your pet must also be AKC, CKC or UKC registered.
- What is genetic health testing? We offer genetic health testing at our clinic, and it is very simple! Our genetic health test is a mouth swab test in which we will collect saliva from your pet. The test will We will mail the swab to the lab who will test for results. Results typically take anywhere from 3-6 weeks to come back. After your test is back, our doctor will call to go over results with you!
- What is OFA testing? OFA stands for Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, and is a database of radiographs (x-rays) that breeders use to help produce the healthiest possible puppies. We offer OFA orthopedic and dentition exams, hip and elbow radiographs, and can collect blood for any tests that require it for sample submission. We cannot perform OFA screenings that require an ophthalmologist (eye screenings) or cardiologist (heart screenings)- for these tests, please seek out the appropriate specialist. We sedate patients to obtain diagnostic quality radiographs for OFA hip and elbow studies. This is to ensure that the procedure is both less stressful for your dog, and to ensure that we have the best possible images to evaluate your dog’s hips and elbows for breeding purposes. Once you have scheduled an OFA appointment with our office, there are a few things you need to do at home before your appointment. Please visit the "breeding" section of our website for a complete OFA checklist! PLEASE NOTE: OFA results can take up to 8 weeks for results to come back!
- Why do I have to have all of this in order to breed my dog? Our clinic offers services for current or future breeders who are interested in bettering the breed they plan to reproduce. An important part of becoming a responsible breeder is taking on the task of continuing to educate yourself, as the breeder, and others, as the future owners. Not every animal is fit to be bred. Health testing and OFA screening are just a two of the many things it takes to become a responsible breeder, and to eliminate puppies carrying on underlying genetic disorders. We do not offer reproduction services on animals that have not been through health screening.
1. How often should my pet get a dental exam? Dental disease is present in over 70% of pets. Your pet should have a dental exam and cleaning done every year. This is part of your pets regular yearly exam. During the dental exam, your veterinarian is looking for periodontal disease, dental fractures, and other problems that may be present in your pet's mouth.
2. What is dental disease in pets? Dental disease, also referred to as periodontal disease, can start to develop in your pet as early as the age of three. It's caused by bacteria that are found in the mouth, which results in inflammation and infection. This can lead to severe pain, loose teeth, and bad breath. It can also become more severe and get into your pet's bloodstream, which can be very dangerous. If your pet has dental disease, there is a chance it can lead to heart and kidney problems as well.
3. How do I know if my pet has dental problems? Although your pet may not always show direct symptoms of dental disease, Some of the signs you should keep an eye out for if you believe your pet is developing dental problems, are bad breath, loose teeth, plaque or tartar on teeth, and loss of appetite.
4. Why does my pet have to undergo general anesthesia for a dental cleaning? Anesthesia is used to keep your pet as comfortable and safe as possible. From a safety standpoint, anesthesia is the safest way to perform dental procedures on your pet. Under anesthesia, severe bleeding can be controlled if it occurs and pets won't experience anxiety. Anesthetizing your pet enables your veterinarian to clean your animal’s teeth beneath the gum line, where periodontal disease is more likely to start.
5. How else can I prevent dental disease from effecting my pet? The best tip to keeping your pet healthy is preventative care. Annual dental exams and cleanings are key. Our clinic offers a variety of safe dental chews for dogs, treats for cats as well as toothbrushes and toothpaste that is safe to use.
Exotics- Medicine & Surgery:
- Do Exotic pets need special care? Exotic pets do need special care from both the owner and veterinarian. Not all exotic pets are legal in every state, so first make sure you are within the law when choosing an exotic pet. Before bringing one home, it's important to read about it, actually, see some in person, and have a good understanding of what is required for that particular pet. You may discover that it really would not be a good fit for your lifestyle. Some pets would not be appropriate for inexperienced owners.
- When should I bring my exotic pet in to see a Vet? The answer to this question is right away! Just like dogs and cats, we recommend bringing your exotic pet in within a couple of days of bringing them home to establish a clean bill of health, and discuss proper husbandry and diet. Just like dogs and cats, we recommend annual exams for our exotic patients as well. Scheduling yearly veterinary appointments for your reptiles, rabbit and pocket pets will help our doctors establish a base line to compare to when you animal is sick. During their wellness visit the doctor can see how the animal normally acts, what their fur/scales are normally like and what their normal weight is. This is helpful so we can judge how much weight they have lost or gained when they are sick and to help pinpoint problems. We can also catch possible issues before they become a real problem and consult about their environment, food and weight.
- How do I know if my exotic pet is ill? Any pocket pet/rabbit/reptile that stops eating is considered an emergency. These animals are professionals at hiding signs of sickness. We can then determine that your pet is very ill. Exotic pets can become dehydrated very rapidly as well which is a life threatening condition. Changes in their behavior, fur/scales, stool or weight should be a concern and a veterinary appointment should be made. The sooner you notice any of these changes the sooner our staff can help you get your pet back to being healthy.
- Is anesthesia safe? Today's modern anesthetic monitors have made surgery much safer than in the past. Our team takes every precaution to reduce the risks involved with anesthesia and surgery. Upon arrival to your pets surgery, your pet will be weighed and the veterinarian will do a thorough physical examination on your pet before administering anesthetics, to ensure that a fever or other illness won't be a problem. In addition, pre-anesthetic blood work is important in reducing the risk of anesthesia. We recommend every pet receives blood testing before surgery to ensure that the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthetic, however it is required for pets over the age of 8. 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. Your pet will have an IV catheter placed before anesthesia. An IV catheter provides a direct route to the bloodstream. The use of intravenous fluids during surgery facilitates adequate cardiovascular performance, reduces stress on the heart, assists in maintaining your animal's temperature, hydration, blood pressure, and reduces the time it takes for your animal to fully recover from anesthesia. While undergoing the procedure, your animal will receive analgesic drugs that prevent pain. If serious problems are detected, surgery can be postponed until the problem is corrected. We offer two levels of in-house blood testing before surgery, which we will go over with you when you bring your pet in. Our doctors prefer the more comprehensive screen, because it gives them the most information to ensure the safety of your pet. For geriatric or ill pets, additional blood tests, electrocardiograms, or x-rays may be required before surgery as well. 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 beginning at midnight the night before surgery. Water can be left down for the pet until the morning of surgery.
- Will my pet have sutures? For many surgeries, we use absorbable sutures underneath the skin. These will dissolve on their own, and do not need to be removed later. Some surgeries, especially mass removals, do require skin stitches. With either type of suture, you will need to keep an eye on the incision for swelling or discharge. If there are skin sutures, these will usually be removed 10 to 14 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.
- Why do I need to keep a cone on my pet? If we send your pet home with a cone after their procedure, it is for good reason. DO NOT TAKE IT OFF! The cone is being sent home for your pets safety. If you take the cone off, and your pet opens up their incision, your pet could be in a tremendous amount of pain and danger. Please do not remove the cone until your veterinarian says it is safe. *Please note: Our clinic and doctors are not responsible for any injuries that are a result of your pet not having their cone on.*
- Is my pet 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. For dogs, we may recommend an oral anti-inflammatory the day after surgery and several days after to lessen the risk of discomfort and swelling. We use newer medications, which are less likely to cause stomach upset and can be given even the morning of surgery. Recent advances in pain medications have allowed for better pain control in cats than ever before. We administer a pain injection 10 minutes prior to surgery. After surgery, pain medication is given on a case by case basis. Injectable pain medications may also be used after surgery on both dogs and cats. Providing whatever pain relief is appropriate is a humane and caring thing to do for your pet. It is important to give the pain medication as instructed by your pets veterinarian.