Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of a practice are you? We are a small animal practice that generally treats dogs, cats, and pocket pets.

Do you have emergency care? The doctors are on call for our clients, however, they may not always be reachable as they are very involved with their family and community. We request that if you leave a message you do so on their home phone and here at the office, because sometimes they are still here. If you can not reach one of the doctors we refer emergencies to the Columbus Veterinary Emergency Service on E. Wilson Bridge Rd. at 614-846-5800.

Do you carry Prescription foods? We carry most of the Hills Science Diet Prescription foods and we have a few of the Eukanuba, Oxbow, IVD, and CNM (Purina) diets. We can also order any of these diets for our clients if we do not have it in stock.

Can anyone buy these diets? You must have a prescription from your veterinarian or have been seen by one of our doctors. Feeding any of these diets without recommendation from a doctor could cause health problems.

Do you need to have an appointment? Yes, a set time allows us to better serve your needs and hopefully you won't have to wait long.

Can you see my hamster? Yes. We see "pocket pets" as well. "Pocket pets" include: rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, rats, guinea pigs, etc..

Do you spay/neuter rabbits? Yes! Dr.Schwab has been spaying and neutering rabbits for about 5 years now and enjoys working with them. We do require an exam before surgery because many rabbits are not sexed correctly.

Do you see birds? Fortunately Dr. Mohan, a bird specialist is right down the street from us. He only works with birds and we refer all birds to him.

I have a lizard can you see it? As much as Dr. Schwab would like to treat reptiles and amphibians, our hospital, unfortunately, is not set up for treating herps. If you need some information regarding herps (particularly iguanas and turtles) we can answer basic questions and refer you to a veterinarian whom we feel would be best to help you. The veterinarians we recommend for herp vet medicine are:

Animal Care Unlimited Inc.
2665 Billingsley Rd.
Columbus, Oh 43235
(614)-766-2317

Who do I call about wildlife?If you have questions about wildlife try the website www.ohiowildlifecenter.org or call 793-WILD for answers.

Do you carry heartworm prevention? We carry Iverhart, but to recieve it you must have been checked for heartworm within a year.

Do you have to have an exam with your vaccinations? We require an exam with vaccines because it gives us an opportunity to see your pet once a year, just like a human doctor. Frequently at the yearly exam, we find abnormalities that the owner has not noticed.

Do you fill prescriptions?We do for our clients only. We also require a yearly exam to fill regular prescriptions just to make sure the pet is continuing to do well on the medictaion.

Can I have my new client/pet presurgical exam the same day as the surgery? We require that we meet your pet at least a couple of days before their surgery appointment to make sure your pet is healthy enough for surgery.

Can my cat be spayed or neutered and declawed on the same day? We prefer that we seperate these two surgeries, but sometimes that is not possible. The neuter and declaw is not as bad as the spay and declaw, which can be very painful.

Do you do ear crops? No, not very many people do them anymore. The best source for a veterinarian that does do them is your breeder.

My dog/cat has worms and we gave the medicine, but the worms are back again. Why? Different worms have different gestation and shedding patterns. The medicine may need to be repeated several times to take care of all the worms.

I am coming in for my pet's yearly physical exam, do I need to bring in a fecal sample? It would be best to bring in a fecal once a year, especially if your dog goes for walks around the neighborhood or goes for treks in the park.

Can you recommend any healthy treats for my dog? Carrots, ice cubes, low-sodium green beans, and rice cakes can all be healthy and low calorie alternatives to store bought treats. You can also make your own treats!