 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Roanoke Island Animal Clinic is a well-established, full-service, small animal veterinary hospital providing comprehensive medical, surgical and dental care. We provide a broad spectrum of diagnostic procedures through in-house testing and the use of external laboratories. We also work closely with referral practices when special diagnostic procedures are required. The facility includes a well-stocked pharmacy, in-hospital surgery suite, in-house x-ray capabilities, endoscopy, a closely supervised hospitalization area, and indoor boarding kennels with outdoor exercise yard. At Roanoke Island Animal Clinic we strive to offer not only sound advice, but also optimal veterinary care, thus allowing you the enjoyment of your companion for a maximum number of years. Our job is not only to treat your pet when he or she isn't feeling well, but also to help you learn how to keep your best friend happy and healthy. |
|
Appointment Policy
To allow ample time for all patients and scheduled surgical procedures, we operate primarily by appointment. Emergency cases shall always receive top priority, which is why occasional appointment delay is inevitable. Please realize that we make a sincere attempt to see each client on time.
For your convenience, drop-off' appointments are available. A 'drop off' means you could bring your pet at the time that works best for you and leave him/her with us for a couple of hours. Usually we will ask you to drop off' sometime in the morning so our doctors can examine the patient in between appointments or at the time purposely reserved for admitted patients. Once the examination is done, the doctor will give you a call to go over the diagnosis and to give you discharge instructions.
For the safety of all animals in our care, we require that all vaccinations be up to date. Even though we make every effort to make our patients feel comfortable during visits, they may be a little uneasy about new people, new surroundings and other pets. This is one of the reasons we ask you to restrain your pet. We recommend that animals be placed on a leash or in pet carriers before entering the waiting room.
Patient Arrival Policy
For your protection, and that of others, all dogs must be on a leash and properly controlled while in the waiting area or exam rooms.
All cats must be presented in an appropriate cat carrier or on a leash.
Payment Policy
We require full payment at the time that services are rendered. For your convenience, we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, cash and personal checks.
Privacy Policy
We do not collect or give out any information to any third party vendors or internet businesses. No information will ever be disclosed to outside parties from us or our web site hosting company at www.evetsites.com.
It's that simple! And we strictly adhere to this policy.
Roanoke Island Animal Clinic recognizes the importance of protecting the personal privacy of its clients, its patients and those individuals who simply visit our site.
Your privacy is also protected in our hospital. At no time is any information given out about the client or the pet without the consent of the owner.
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 Roanoke Island Animal 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. The handout on anesthesia explains this in greater detail.
Preanesthetic blood testing is important in reducing the risk of anesthesia. Every pet needs blood testing before surgery to ensure that 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. Every animal undergoing an anesthetic procedure deserves, and will receive an IV catheter with fluid support. If serious problems are detected, surgery can be postponed until the problem is corrected. 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 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 absorbable 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 need to watch for. If there are skin sutures, these will usually be removed 10 to 14 days after surgery. You MAY need to limit your pet's activity level for a time and postpone baths for the first 7-10 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 minor procedures such as lacerations.
For dogs, we may recommend an oral anti-inflamatory 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.
Because cats do not tolerate standard pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or Tylenol, we are limited in what we can give them. 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. Any animal that appears painful will receive additional pain medication.
We use narcotic patches for some surgeries in dogs as well. The cost will depend on the size of the dog. 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.
What other decisions do I need to make?
While your pet is under anesthesia, it is the ideal time to perform other minor procedures, such as dentistry, ear cleaning, or implanting an identification microchip. If you would like an estimate for these extra services, 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 may need to 5 to 10 minutes of time to fill out important paperwork and make decisions on the blood testing and other options available. 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.
Please don't hesitate to call us with any questions about your pet's health or surgery.