FAQ's

1. What are your regular office hours?
The hospital is open 7:30am - 5:30pm Monday - Friday 7:30am - 12 noon Saturday
Sunday and holidays - closed
Doctor's hours are by appointment, 10:00am - 12:00 noon and 3:00pm - 5:00pm

2. What do I do if I have an emergency after regular office hours?
Call the emergency number in the phone book for instructions. If available, Dr. Berryhill is paged by the answering service, otherwise you will be referred to Triangle Emergency Service in Durham or Alamance Animal Emergency Hospital in Burlington.

3. Do I have to make an appointment?
Appointments enable us to better allocate time for examinations and consultations for our patients and clients. Walk-ins will be seen as soon as possible. Pet "drop off' is available for those clients who may have other time commitments.

4. Do you have someone on duty all night?
No, critically ill patients are monitored as closely as possible or they may be transferred to a fully staffed after hour facility.

5. Can I drop my pet off in the morning and pick it up after work?
Many procedures necessitate the pet staying for the day: grooming, dentals, certain outpatient procedures. Routine exams and medical workups may stay for the day. There is no "day care" fee.

6. How much is an office visit?
We do not charge an office visit fee when an initial examination/consultation, extended examination, a brief/regional exam, or medical progress evaluation (recheck) is performed by a veterinarian.

7. Can I make payments?
Full payment is expected at the time the service is rendered: cash, check, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and Care Credit credit cards are accepted. Estimates are available at any time.

8. Why does it cost so much for my pet to be treated?
Actually, veterinary medicine is a "bargain". Your veterinary bill reflects the costs of maintaining facilities, equipment, personnel, drugs, and all of the aspects needed to treat your pet. There is no outside funding from foundations, state, local, or federal government to offset the expenses in treating your pet. An example of outside funding is the "low cost" spay/neuter programs; these programs receive funding from foundations, and sometime some municipalities. Private veterinary practices do not receive such funding.

9. Why is there such a wide range of prices for the same procedure among veterinarians?
Prices are set by each individual veterinary practice and reflects the expenses in that area. Often, the different prices do not reflect the same set of services, although there may be certain basic procedures in common, there may be varying drugs, anesthetics, different techniques, products and philosophy.

10. Why are the products that I can buy over the internet are a lot cheaper than your products?
The source, quality, safety and efficacy could be in question from an "online pharmacy". Products have been found to be counterfeit, or made in different countries that don't have as strict FDA standards. The manufacturers of the drugs and products will not stand behind any product purchased over the internet through an unapproved online pharmacy. The manufacturers will not offer any promotions (such as with Frontline Plus buy 6 get 1 free) through online pharmacies. Many times, after having to pay shipping and suffering through delayed delivery, many clients find it is not a "bargain" after all.

Routine Medical Questions

1. At what age does my new puppy or kitten need to go to the vet?
Puppies and kittens are examined and vaccines are started at weaning, generally at 6 - 8 weeks of age. Booster vaccines are given at 4 week intervals until the "adult" boosters and rabies vaccines are given at 16 weeks of age.

2. Why does my indoor pet need vaccinations?
Although your pet may have a low risk of acquiring diseases from other animals, all pets still have some risk. Rabies is required by law, regardless of their environmental status. The introduction of a "new pet family member" without prior testing may put the original pet(s) at risk. Humans, too, may inadvertently introduce pathogens to the pets.

3. When can my pet be spayed or neutered?
Dogs and cats generally reach puberty between 6 and 9 months of age. Spaying/neutering before puberty can help prevent behavioral issues and improves your pet's health later in life.

4. Why should I spay/neuter my dog or cat?
We all know that there is an overabundance of dogs and cats, many of which are euthanized every year. Although this alone is a great reason to neuter your pet, there are many benefits as well. Un-neutered males have a higher incidence of certain cancers and prostate disease. Females that are left intact are more likely to develop mammary tumors, uterine and ovarian cancers, and uterine infections. Neutered males are less likely to "mark" or "spray", roam less and accept your role as leader more easily. Spayed and neutered animals generally live healthier and longer lives.

5. What should I feed my dog/cat?
We believe that the Science Diet foods is the choice for all life stages of your pet. Pets that may develop specific health issues may benefit from specific diets: kidney, diabetic, joint, weight, for example.

6. What do I give my pet for heartworms?
We start puppies and kittens on heartworm preventive at their first visit. We stock several choices of preventive.

7. How do I tell if my dog has heartworms?
Many times you cannot tell until it becomes sick. You may notice coughing, lethargy, and abdominal enlargement in dogs. Cats hide the disease much better; you may notice coughing, or vomiting or nothing at all.

8. How often do dogs and cats get checked for worms?
We deworm litters of puppies/kittens at 2 weeks of age, thereafter at each booster examination we examine the pet's stool. Puppies and kittens may actually die from parasite infections.

9. Can I get worms from my pet?
Yes, it is possible to acquire roundworm and hookworms from your dog or cat. Keeping your pet checked for parasites and dewormed as necessary will decrease the possibility of human infection. Picking up your pet's droppings on a regular basis and practicing good hand washing and other hygienic practices will protect your family and pet. Strict flea control will aid in the control of tapeworms.

10. What do I do for fleas?
Following a strict program of monthly flea preventive will prevent the problem before it starts. However, if you are seeing adult fleas, you may be dealing with an infestation that requires pet and environmental treatment.

11. How long does a dog and cat stay in heat?
Dogs will generally stay in heat 3 weeks, the first week "coming in heat" where there will be discharge and interest by the males. The second week is generally when mating will occur, by the third week, there is not much interest by the female for the male. Females will cycle approximately every 6 months. Cats are different; they may cycle every 10 days until they are spayed or become pregnant.

12. What are normal temperatures?
Normal temperatures are 101 - 102 degrees F.

13. What happens when my pet has to have surgery?
Some surgeries require that your pet be admitted the day before surgery; preanesthetic bloodwork will be done and fasting is assured. Anesthetic monitoring of cardiac and pulmonary functions, attention to patient temperature, perioperative and postoperative pain control is monitored. Intravenous (IV) catheters are placed to assure tissue and organ perfusion.

14. What is a "wellness examination"?
By its very name, it seems paradoxical to be doing evaluations when our pet is seemingly well. Many disease syndromes may have an insidious onset and the damage may be done before any signs and symptoms present themselves. Physical exams and bloodwork may help to identify and manage some disease processes. We know that pets age approximately 7 years to our one human year; that would mean that you would have visited your physician every 7 years. Based on the life stage of your pet, its environmental risks for exposure to other diseases, pets will benefit from six month examinations, blood work and, after the 7th year of age, the majority of pets will benefit from senior and golden senior examinations.

Call us now at: (336)-599-0611 or email: mypet@woodsdaledoc.com