Frequently Asked Questions
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 the Animal Clinic of Regina.
What are the clinic hours?
Our hospital is open Monday to Thursday from 8:00am to 7:00pm, Friday from 8:00am to 6:00pm, Saturdays from 9:00am to 4:00pm, and Sundays from 10:00am to 4:00pm.
We take our last patient an hour before closing each day
Do I need to have an appointment?
No appointment is necessary other than for non-emergency surgery such as spays or neuters.
What forms of payment do you accept?
Cash, debit cards, Mastercard, and Visa are all accepted.
Can I make multiple payments?
No, payment is required at the time of service.
At what age can I have my pet spayed or neutered?
This depends on the size of your animal. Cats and small dogs can be done safely at 6 months, medium sized dogs at 8-10 months, and large dogs should wait until 10-12 months of age. Current vaccinations are recommended before surgery.
What is pre-anesthetic blood screening?
This is a blood test run in the clinic prior to surgery that tests the organ functions of your pet. Pre-anesthetic blood screening may be recommended by your veterinarian, particularly if your pet is older or ill, to determine if the animal is healthy enough to undergo anesthesia and surgery.
How long do the sutures stay in after my pet’s surgery?
Some procedures may involve dissolvable skin sutures. However, non-dissolving skin sutures or staples will need to be to be removed 10 days following the surgery. The discharge instructions sent home with your pet will outline what is required.
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. However, there are plenty of advantages to having your 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 neighbourhood, decreasing the incidence of prostate cancer later in life, helping prevent spraying and marking, and also decreasing the numbers of unwanted puppies and kittens. City license fees are also less for spayed or neutered dogs.
Do you board pets?
Yes, we have some boarding space available for both dogs and cats, although it is important to keep in mind that we are a hospital first and foremost, and our hospitalized patients are always our first priority. Having said that, we would be more than happy to help a client out if they are in an emergency situation over a short period of time. Please call ahead to book boarding space, particularly prior to busy holiday seasons.
Do you do house calls?
Yes, we do house calls! Please call the clinic at (306) 525-5244 to book a time for a vet to come to you. Pretty much anything that we normally do in one of our exam room in the clinic we can do in your home.
I’ve got a new pet. When should I come to see you?
For any new animals, your first visit will usually coincide with the need for vaccinations. Puppies are vaccinated at 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age, and then 1 year later. Kittens are vaccinated at 8-10 weeks, one month later, and then one year later. These visits are also a good time to bring along your list of questions!
Does my adult pet really need to come in every year? Does he need to be vaccinated? He never goes outside.
An annual examination is a good idea for all pets, particularly because a year is a relatively long period in the lifespan of our animals. The recommendations regarding vaccinations for adult pets have been changing in recent years, however. First, it must be conceded that there is no firm consensus on what vaccinations should be given and when, so you will find variations between clinics. Here’s what we advise: adult pets should be examined annually and given a single vaccine on an annual rotating basis. For example, dogs are given a distemper-hepatitis vaccine in the first year, a parvovirus vaccine in the second year, and a rabies vaccine in the third year. Cats are given a rabies vaccine each year and a distemper-upper respiratory vaccine is added every three years. This rotation is continued until 10 years of age in dogs and 12 years of age in cats. At that age the emphasis is shifted from vaccination to geriatric disease prevention. In addition to the examination, older pets have annual blood samples taken to monitor for disease conditions like diabetes or kidney disease.
With your walk-in service how long will I have to wait?
Wait times can be unpredictable. Clients have been told on the telephone that the waiting room is empty only to arrive 30 minutes later to find six people ahead of them! Our receptionists are convinced that groups of clients sometimes gather at the side of the building before all coming in together! Emergencies or very involved cases may slow the process down, but rest assured that we will do everything we can to keep your wait time as short as possible. There are a few things you can do to keep the wait time for you and other clients to a minimum:
If possible, it is best to avoid first-thing in the morning and 4–5 pm on weekdays, because these are always very busy times. This is when our surgery patients are admitted and discharged.
Please avoid visits for major medical or surgical problems just before closing time. You’d be surprised how often clients bring in an animal 10 minutes before closing time when the pet has been sick or injured for several days. This makes it very difficult to give the pet the attention they may require, especially if there are other cases that must be dealt with before the end of the day. Please be aware that such cases within the last half hour before closing may be subject to an after hours fee.
While we are very proud to be able to provide veterinary service on Sundays and holidays, please realize that we do so with a reduced staff. Many seriously ill or injured animals need to be seen on these days. However, routine visits such as vaccinations or nail trims would be better seen on a regular business day. Your cooperation in this is appreciated and will shorten waiting times for all.
I’m thinking of putting my pet to sleep (euthanasia). What do I need to consider?
There is a lot to consider when you think it may be time to say goodbye to your dog or cat. It’s never an easy decision, but our veterinarians can help you with it. If you’re new to the clinic, come down with your pet so we can give you the best advice. If you’re a long-time client, call us and leave a message for one of the vets to call you back. There is some paperwork to fill out once you’ve made the decision. We have a consent form that you will be required to sign which explains all the issues and options, such as whether you want the cremated remains back or not. Some owners drop down to the clinic a day or two in advance to go over the form and ask any questions they might have. Our reception staff can explain the options for disposal of your pet’s remains. Some people choose to have their pets euthanized at home to minimize the stress for both the owner and the pet. If you’re interested in this option, give us a call at (306) 525-5244.
I’m moving to another city or veterinary practice. What’s the procedure with my pet’s records?
If another veterinarian is seeing your pet as a second opinion for an existing medical problem, he or she is required to contact the original veterinarian to discuss the case. Based on that conversation, any requested record information will be forwarded directly to the second veterinarian. If you are moving, the new clinic/veterinarian will request of us any information they require. In most cases, they may only need to know the vaccination status of your pet. However, if your pet has been treated for a major medical or surgical problem, more information may be required. We are pleased to provide your new veterinarian with whatever information they request. From time to time, clients will request copies of records for their own information. While we are glad to provide such information, please realize that there is an administrative fee charged by all local clinics for this service and it may take a few days to prepare the copies. There is no charge for record information provided directly to another veterinarian.
I’m not sure if I want to bring my pet into the clinic. Can I just talk to the veterinarian first?
Our veterinarians strive to return telephone messages, usually the same day. However, please realize that first priority must be given to the clients and animals at the clinic. Also, it is difficult to provide precise information over the telephone without examining the animal. If in doubt, the best advice is to bring your pet in to see the veterinarian.
I know you have a walk-in service, but I want to see a particular veterinarian. Is that possible?
Usually. The nature of our practice is that we can’t always predict when a particular veterinarian will be tied up with a medical or surgical case, but, if you call ahead, our reception staff can tell you when a particular doctor will be on duty. When you arrive at the clinic, be sure to ask for that doctor, and they will see your animal if at all possible.