FAQs About Family Pet Hospital

1. What are your office hours?

We perform all surgical procedures on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.

2. What is the earliest/latest I can bring my pet in?

3. Do I have to have an appointment?

We prefer appointments, yet walk-ins are welcome. We see patients in the following order: 1. Emergencies 2. Appointments 3. Walk-Ins

4. Do you have someone here all night to check on my hospitalized pet?

No we do not.

5. What do I do if I need you after hours or on a holiday?

Family Pet Hospital now offers AfterHours Assurance. This is an on-call service that now gives you the opportunity to speak with the doctor about whether or not you should take your pet to the emergency clinic-it's the clinic number (770-928-9094) so there are no new numbers to write down, or try to remember.

In the event that Dr. Skees does tell you to get your pet to the emeregency clinic here is a list of some metro Atlanta emergency veterinary clinics:

• Animal Emergency Clinic of Decatur

• All Pets Emergency and Referral Center

• Animal Emergency Center of North Fulton

• Animal Emergency Center of Sandy Springs

• Georgia Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Care

• Cobb Emergency Veterinary Clinic

• Cherokee Emergency Veterinary Clinic

• Dekalb-Gwinnett Animal Emergency Clinic

6. Can I just drop my pet off and pick her up after work?

Yes. As long as your pet is dropped off and picked up during our regular business hours.

7. Do you take credit cards?

Yes. We accept Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discover.

8. How much is an office visit?

Our office exam charge is $54.00.

9. How much is it going to cost for an annual exam package?

For dogs we charge: $169.50, and for cats we charge: $137.50

10. Can I make payments?

Yes. We offer affordable payment plans through iCare.

11. What do I feed my puppy or kitten?

We recommend Life’s Abundance or Royal Canin. Be sure to choose an age appropriate diet for your pet.

12. How soon can I bathe my pet?

If your pet had surgery, you can bathe him/her after their sutures or staples are removed. For Promeris, Revolution, Advantage, and Advantix, you should wait 24 hours before and after the application.

13. Is it all right to feed my dog bones?

No. Bones can splinter in your dog’s digestive tract or upset his/her stomach.

14. Do you sell pets?

No. We do occasionally have dogs and/or cats for adoption so check with us frequently.

15. How old must my pet be in order to be spayed or neutered?

We support the concept of early age spaying and neutering to prevent pet overpopulation. We perform these procedures as early as 8 weeks old, as long as the pet weighs over 2 pounds. We encourage you to have your pet spayed prior to her first heat cycle for maximum health benefits. 3-4 months is a perfect age for this surgery to take place.

16. Is declawing my kitten cruel? When should it be done?

No, as long as it is done before 1 year of age. The younger the kitten is, the less pain they will feel.

17. How long is a dog/cat pregnancy?

Dog and cat pregnancies last for 63 days. (9 weeks)

18. How long is a dog/cat in heat?

A dog is usually in heat for 2 weeks - 1 month at a time. This usually occurs twice a year. A cat can be in heat for months during one cycle. There is no way of telling how or when a cat will go into or come out of its heat cycle. Cats are usually not in heat during the months of October, November, and December, but this is not a 100% guarantee.

19. Can my pet be spayed during heat?

Yes.

20. Shouldn’t I let my pet have at least one litter?

No. Over 100,000 cats and dogs are euthanized in metro Atlanta shelters every year. Please don’t contribute to this continually growing problem.

21. How long do sutures stay in?

10-14 days after your pet has surgery sutures and staples can be removed.

22. Do you board pets?

Yes. We offer both canine and feline boarding. Please see our Take the Tour page for more details.

23. May I visit my hospitalized pet?

Yes, but we need prior notice to assure that your pet won’t be in the middle of any treatments.

24. Can my pet have its own food, bed and toys?

In the instance that your pet is hospitalized with us, we appreciate your confidence in letting us choose the appropriate diet. You are more than welcome to bring comfort items such as: a blanket, bed, favorite toy, etc., as long as they are labeled with your pet’s first and last name.

25. What do I feed an orphaned animal?

We suggest using a baby bottle to feed the animal with a milk replacement supplement inside.

26. When do I get tails docked and dewclaws removed on puppies?

We will remove puppy’s dewclaws at 2 days of age because their blood vessels are so small and we suggest tail docks be done around 3 months old.

27. When do puppies/kittens open their eyes?

Both eyes should be open at 2 weeks of age.

28. When do I begin weaning?

You should begin weaning between 3-4 weeks of age, or when their teeth come in.

29. When do I begin housebreaking?

You can begin housebreaking your pet as early as 6 weeks old. We encourage our puppy owners to crate train.

30. When does my pet need vaccinations? What do they need?

All puppies should be vaccinated against Canine Distemper-Infectious Canine Hepatitis-Canine Parvovirus-Canine Parainfluenza-Canine Coronavirus (DHPPC), Canine Tracheobronchitis/Bordetella (Kennel Cough), and get dewormed with every set of boosters. All kittens should be immunized against Feline Panleukopenia- Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis- Feline Calicivirus- Feline Chlamydophila (RCCP), Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and receive a dose of AdvantageMulti with every set of boosters.

Dogs should be vaccinated against Canine Distemper-Infectious Canine Hepatitis-Canine Parvovirus-Canine Parainfluenza (DHPP), Canine Tracheobronchitis/Bordetella (Kennel Cough), and Rabies annually. In addition to these vaccines, your pet should also receive a heartworm test and intestinal parasite screening. Cats should be immunized against Feline Panleukopenia- Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis- Feline Calicivirus- Feline Chlamydophila (RCCP), Feline Leukemia (FeLV), and Rabies annually. Your cat should also have a parasite screening to test for intestinal parasites.

31. I’ve lost my dog. How can I find it?

Physically go to local shelters to look your pet. Also, posting notices and flyers in your neighborhood and community are helpful. Notify your neighbors. If your pet is microchipped with a HomeAgain® Microchip you can contact HomeAgain® and they will fax notices of your pet’s disappearance to local shelters and veterinary clinics. Studies show that lost pets are usually within .5 miles of their home.

32. My dog got into some roach poison. What should I do?

Call poison control or take your pet to the closest veterinary clinic/animal emergency clinic for an immediate evaluation.

• Metro Atlanta Poison Control: 404-616-9000
• Outside Metro Atlanta Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222

33. My dog was playing with a toad and is now foaming at the mouth. Does he have Rabies?

No, however some toads can be toxic. If you suspect anything out of the ordinary, please call us so we can evaluate the immediate situation.

34. Do you take care of rabbits, birds, snakes, ferrets, etc.?

No. You can call:

• All Pets Emergency and Referral Center

35. Can I get my dog de-barked?

Not at Family Pet Hospital.

36. What can I do to stop my dog from digging?

Keep your pet active with mind enriching toys such as Kongs. If that does not solve the problem, consult your veterinarian.

37. My dog’s ears stink. What should I do?

Bring him/her in to see Dr. Skees so he can diagnose the problem. If your pet’s ear is infected, it can become extremely painful without the proper treatment.

38. My dog’s teeth stink. What should I do?

Make an appointment for Dr. Skees to assess the situation. Oral chews or a dental may be recommended depending on the severity of their gingivitis and/or tartar.

39. Why do you have to use anesthesia to clean his teeth?

To evaluate and clean teeth properly, general anesthesia is mandatory.

The American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) developed a position statement for veterinarians and the public:

• Inhalation anesthesia using a cuffed endotracheal tube provides three important advantages — the cooperation of the patient with a procedure it does not understand, elimination of pain resulting from examination and treatment of diseased or injured dental tissues, as well as protection of the airway and lungs from accidental aspiration.
• A complete oral examination, which is an important part of a professional dental scaling procedure, is not possible in an unanesthetized patient. The surfaces of the teeth facing the tongue cannot be examined, and areas of disease and discomfort are likely to be missed.

40. Why do I have to get these shots every year?

Vaccines contain small quantities of altered or “killed” viruses, bacteria or other disease-causing organisms. When administered, they stimulate your dog's immune system to produce disease-fighting cells and proteins- or antibodies. Given annually is your pet’s best defense against many common and deadly diseases.

41. Can I just get Rabies only?

Yes, it is the only vaccine required by law in Georgia.

42. I see rice in my dog’s stool. What should I do?

Bring your pet in to get a Droncit injection to rid them of their Tapeworms. You must also bring in a fecal sample so we can make sure these are the only parasites that your pet has.

43. How do I treat for fleas?

You should treat your pet’s environment, indoor and outdoor, as well as your pet if you have a current flea infestation. We recommend using Comfortis or Promeris for dogs and Revolution for cats.

44. How should I kill ticks?

We recommend Promeris for dogs and Revolution for cats to protect against ticks.

45. What do you recommend for heartworms?

We recommend using our Family Pet Hospital - Internal Parasite Control for dogs and Revolution for cats to protect against heartworms.

46. Can my kids get these worms from my dog?

No. Your children cannot contract heartworms from your cat or dog. However, there are other intestinal parasites that humans can contract from animals. Young children and elderly adults are especially susceptible to contracting zoonotic parasites. Please see our Contagious Parasites page for more details.

47. Can I get mange from my dog?

Yes. Sarcoptic Mange is the only contagious form of mange that can be transferred from canine and human.

48. Why does my dog scoot across the floor?

Your pet may need their anal glands expressed or they could have an intestinal parasite.

49. My dog just got hit by a car. What do I do?

Quickly and carefully get your pet to the closest veterinary clinic or animal emergency clinic. Remember not to panic and allow the veterinary clinic’s staff to properly assess the situation.

50. Can the doctor make house calls?

No, but you are more than welcome to make an appointment to see Dr. Skees at our clinic. We are open Monday – Saturday.