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 Animal Medical Services.

Hours                     1                              Age limits for surgery     12
Appointments     2                              Drop off and pick up and
Payments             3,4                            delivery services             13
Spay, Neuters      5
Pre-anesthetic
   blood work         6
Surgery                  7, 8
Boarding                9, 10
Vaccination 
  requirements      11  


1. What are the Hospital hours?

   Our office is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm. On Wednesdays and Saturdays we are open from 8:00 am until noon. We are closed on Sunday.

2. Do I need to have an appointment?

    Yes, patients are seen by appointment. Emergencies are given a priority over any standing appointment. Walk ins are assisted as time is available.

3. What forms of payment do you accept?

     Cash, Check, Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and CareCredit.

4. Can I make payments?

    Payment is required at the time of service unless arrangements are made with Dr. Butler in advance.

5. At what age can I have my pet spayed or neutered?

   Spaying or neutering can be done at approximately 6 months of age. Your pet is given an exam prior to surgery to help determine whether your pet is healthy enough to undergo the surgical procedure. Current vaccinations are required at the time of surgery. Also a pre-anesthetic blood screen is recommended prior to undergoing anesthesia and surgery.

6.  What is the pre-anesthetic blood screening?

   This is a blood test that is run here in the clinic prior to surgery. It tests liver and kidney function, blood counts, and electrolyte levels of your pet. The pre-anesthetic blood screening is done to increase safety during surgery and the ability to heal following surgery.

7. How long do the sutures stay in after my pet's surgery?

   Procedures involving sutures require them to be removed in 14 days following the surgery.

8.  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 you 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 neighborhood, decreasing the incidence of prostate cancer later in life, helping prevent spraying and marking, and also decreases the surplus of unwanted puppies and kittens.

9.  Do you board pets?

   Yes, we do boarding for our clients. We have boarding space for both dogs and cats. We also can board birds and other small animals, but you will be required to bring your own cage and food for your pet.

10.  What are your kennels like?

   Our dog kennels are all indoor. The dogs are walked 3 times daily while they are boarding.  Blankets and food are provided for our boarders, but you are always welcome to bring your own.

11. Your clinic requires vaccinations of my pet before hospitalization or boarding. My pet was vaccinated by the Humane Society, isnt that enough?

The proper vaccination of a pet is more than simply giving an injection. Animal factors such as stress, nutritional status of the pet, and current diseases in the pet, as well as vaccine factors such as vaccine temperature and method of administration must be considsered for effective immunization. Veterinarians are trained to determine the vaccination candidate as well as the product that should be used. At shelters, often due to monetary constraints, such vaccinations are often performed by individuals that are not qualified to do so. 

12. Are there age requirements for spays, neuters, and declaws?

Requirements for these surgeries are based on anesthetic risks for very young patients as well as degree of difficulty of the surgery for the surgeon in very young and/or very small pets. Usually the degree of difficulty is greater leading to the pet spending more time under anesthesia. As for age, very young patients are more likely to have difficulty with the anesthetic. This aplies to pets that are in their geriatric years as well.

    Spays, Neuters               6 months of age
    Declaws in cats              3 months of age and at least
                                           3 pounds body weight. 

 13. It is difficult for me to bring my pet in because of my schedule. What are the alternatives?

AMS offers drop off service from 7 a.m. You can bring your pet by before work and drop him/her off and pick up later in the day. There is a partial day hospitalization fee applied to such work.

AMS also offers pick up and delivery. These prices ar quoted individually and is based on distance travelled as well as other factors. The appointments should be made in advance. We try to make the servifce available for sudden illnesses, but it is not always on a timely basis.