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FAQ

Where is your clinic located?

If you are coming from Route 303 North (from West Nyack, NY)

We are 2.6 miles north of the Palisades Center Mall. You will see the Rite Aid & Food Town shopping plaza on your left. The we are slightly past the Honda Medic building on the right hand side. You will see Corporate Executive Park across the street from us. We are located on the right side of route 303. Outside our blue and gray building is a brown sign with white writing that says “Animal Hospital”. Our address is 202 Route 303 North. Valley Cottage NY

If you are taking Route 303 South (from Congers, NY)

We are located 2.9 Miles from Ricks Club American Restaurant. Take 303 South straight. You will see Bella Gianna’s restaurant on your left hand side. Keep going straight. You will come to a light at Corporate Executive Park. We are immediately after that light on the left hand side (Northbound Side of 303). Outside our blue and gray building is a brown sign with white writing that says “Animal Hospital”. Our address is 202 Route 303 North. Valley Cottage NY 10989.

What are your hours of operation?

  • Regular appointment hours are Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  • Emergency visit hours are 7 days a week 7am to 9:00pm.

  • We have Licensed Veterinary Technicians (nursing staff) onsite at all times.

Do you offer any payment plans?

  • In the event that conventional payment options have been attempted and exhausted, an in-house payment plan may be set up. It must be arranged with a member of the management team PRIOR to services being rendered.

  • Monthly payments must be made directly to us based upon mutual agreement and a completed in-house application. All payment plans must be paid in full within 6 months. Your account WILL accrue interest at our standard rate of 18% APR until it is paid in full.

  • A payment plan is created for one specific invoice. Any additional services/goods must be paid for at the time they are rendered.

  • We offer CareCredit and Scratchpay as payment options

What forms of payment do you accept?

  • Cash – including money orders and travelers checks.

  • Personal Checks – when accompanied by a driver’s license and imprinted street address on check.

  • Visa | MasterCard | Discover | American Express

  • CareCredit (healthcare credit card) offers a line of credit to cover your pet(s) health care needs. www.carecredit.com

  • Scratchpay

What’s the best way to schedule an appointment?

Please call (845) 268-9263 to book a convenient appointment time, or use our online appointment scheduler to request a date and time.

Why can’t my pet see the same veterinarian/veterinary technician each time we visit?

We make every effort to accommodate our clients’ requests. However, there may be circumstances that prevent a certain veterinary team member from being available during your pet’s visit. Scheduling conflicts, emergency situations, and vacation schedules all play a role in their availability. Please feel free to ask for a specific veterinarian or veterinary technician when you schedule your appointment, and we will do what we can facilitate your request. However, please be understanding if we can’t. All of our team members are highly skilled professionals who look forward to your pet’s visit.

I’m worried about my pet’s upcoming surgical procedure. What do you do to help ensure your patients’ safety during surgery?

Our veterinary team takes every precaution so that your pet receives the highest-quality care. We perform a physical exam and preanesthetic testing before surgery and monitor your pet during surgery. During the procedure, a veterinary technician will continually assess your pet’s heart and respiratory rate, blood pressure, and other vital signs to help prevent any anesthetic risk. We also provide appropriate pain medication to keep your pet comfortable during recovery.

I think something’s wrong with my pet. Can I call you and have a veterinarian give me a diagnosis over the phone?

Veterinarians can’t diagnose over the phone. Besides being unethical and illegal, diagnosing by phone doesn’t allow veterinarians to physically examine a pet. A physical exam is necessary so your veterinarian can provide an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment. Treating a pet for the wrong disease or condition will cost more in the end and could be harmful or even deadly to your pet.

Why do you check my dog’s weight every time he/she comes in for a visit?

We keep track of your pet’s weight just like your doctor’s office keeps track of your height and weight each time you visit. Having an accurate and current measurement of your pet’s weight will help us ensure that we prescribe the right dose of preventives, medications, and any needed anesthetics. It can also help us notice any early clues to health concerns. In addition, a regular weigh-in can help you track and manage your pet’s weight.

I have a hard time controlling my pet in the lobby. Can I make arrangements so I can take him/her into the exam room right away when I arrive?

We are happy to make arrangements to help make your visit as smooth and convenient as possible. When you call to schedule your appointment, please let us know that you would prefer to wait in an exam room.

What is a veterinary technician?

  • The veterinary technician is an integral member of the veterinary health care team.

  • Veterinary technicians have been educated in the care and handling of animals, the basic principles of normal and abnormal life processes, and in many laboratory and clinical procedures.

  • These professionals perform many of the same tasks that a nurse would for a doctor.

  • Veterinary technicians have received extensive training, either in accredited programs or on the job.

  • Responsibilities vary among clinics, but the basic duties remain the same. For instance, technicians collect patient samples, perform lab tests, assist during patient exams and dental cleanings, and take x-rays. Senior techs also train and mentor other staff members.

  • Some technicians work in research facilities or for manufacturers.

  • Veterinary technicians have received extensive training, from an AVMA accredited Veterinary Technician program and must pass a National Board exam to receive their license.

  • For more information, please visit the New York State Association of Veterinary Technicians website.

I’ve heard that some clinics offer anesthesia-free dentistry. Is this safe for my pet?

Anesthesia-Free Dentistry – or non-professional dental scaling, can be extremely dangerous for pets, for a number of reasons.

  • Most pets won’t lie still during a dental cleaning, so there is a strong risk of injuring the pet’s gums and other soft tissue in the mouth. A frightened pet could also bite the clinician.

  • Even if your pet could be trained to remain completely still for all the scraping and noise of the procedure, his or her teeth need to be cleaned under the gums, where tartar and dental disease can hide. This process is uncomfortable, which is why pets should be anesthetized. Dental, or periodontal, disease begins in the spaces under the gums where the teeth and gums meet. Cleaning just the visible surfaces of the teeth only makes owners feel like their pets’ teeth are clean, when in reality, dental disease is still trapped under the gumline.

  • Your pet also needs to be ventilated during the procedure. Ventilation keeps your pet’s airway open and keeps tartar from potentially ending up in his or her lungs, where it can actually kill your pet.

  • The cosmetic cleaning that a pet would get from a non-professional scaling just isn’t worth your money or your pet’s health.

Twilight Dentistry – during “twilight” dentistry the patient is sedated but not placed under full general anesthesia.

  • The patient does NOT have an endotracheal tube placed in the trachea.   There is risk for bacteria containing tartar to be swallowed as well as pass into the trachea in lungs causing infection.

  • With just sedation, only superficial tartar visible on the crown of the tooth (the part of the tooth that shows) can be removed.   Often calculus has accumulated beneath the gumline (subgingivally) and will cause painful gingivitis.

  • General anesthesia enables us to clean beneath the gumline and often gingivitis can be reversed.

  • Twilight dentistry does not usually include x-ray.  Just because the crown of the tooth appears healthy, the roots may not be.  Only xray can show problems beneath the gumline that may require a tooth to be extracted.