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.

 

1. What are the Hospital hours?

Our hospital is open Monday, Wednesday & Friday from 8:00am - 5:00pm, Tuesdays & Thursdays from 7:00am - 5:00pm for surgery drop offs. We are closed on Saturday and Sunday.

 

2. Do I need to have an appointment?

Appointments are preferred and will be given priority.  However, walk-in appointments are welcome.

 

3. What forms of payment do you accept?

Cash, Check, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and Visa

 

4. Can I make payments?

Payment is required at the time of service.

 

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

Spaying on 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 preanesthetic blood screen is recommended prior to undergoing anesthesia and surgery.

 

6. What is the pre-anesthetic blood screening?

This is blood test that is ru here in the clinic prior to surgery. It tests the organ functions, blood counts and clotting function of your pet. The preanesthetic blood screening is done to assure safety during surgery and the ability to heal.

 

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

Procedures involving sutures/ staples require them to be removed in 10-14 days

 

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 advantages to having your pet spayed or neutered. These advantages include:

 

• decreasing the chance of breast tumors later in life
• decreasing the desire to roam the neighborhood
• decreasing the incidence of prostate cancer later in life
• helps prevent spraying & marking
• decreases the surplus of unwanted puppies

 

9. Do you board pets?

Yes, we do. We have boarding space for both dogs and cats

 

10. What are your kennels like?

Our dog kennels and runs are all indoor. The dogs are let out in our fences yard 3-4 times daily while they are boarding. The cat boarders are housed in a separate area away from the dogs. Blankets and food are provided for our boarders, but you are always welcome to bring your own.

 

11. Why should I not purchase flea and heartworm preventive from an internet pharmacy?

• Internet pharmacies are more expensive. Pet Meds and other internet pharmacies can be more expensive than Clanton Animal Hospital on all of these products as well as Advantix and Frontline Tritak.
• Internet pharmacies are not guaranteed by drug companies. Product purchased from internet pharmacies is not guaranteed. Sure, Pet Meds and others will tell you it's guaranteed to be of good quality, but Bayer, Merial and Lily that make Heartgard , Advantage Multi and Trifeixs will NOT guarantee product purchased from any online pharmacy. What does this guarantee mean? It means if your dog comes down with heartworms and you have purchased Trifexis , Advantage Multi or Heartgard through a veterinarian, they will actually help pay for your pet's treatment. They will NOT do this if product was purchased through Pet Meds or any other online .
• Internet pharmacies has a questionable history. Many internet pharmacies have a history of purchasing product from foreign companies. American pharmaceutical companies refuse to sell to on line pharmacies and are in fact, in several cases, involved in lawsuits with them. Clanton Animal Hospital does not have the solid faith in these products being shipped from foreign suppliers and arriving in the condition they need to be.

 

Clanton Animal Hospital wants to not only provide quality veterinary care for your pet, but we want to see to it that your pet is provided with the best possible products to prevent heartworms, fleas, ticks and other parasites.

 

12. Why does Clanton Animal Hospital discourage online pet pharmacy interaction?

• PRICE: Internet pharmacies are not always the cheapest source for medication. Our price for most items is typically less than most internet pharmacies would charge. In addition, some medications are temperature sensitive and require next day or 2nd day air delivery, which adds to the cost. Prescriptions sometimes need a signature on delivery, so you need to be home to receive the shipment.
• GUARANTEE: Pharmaceutical manufacturers will only honor product guarantees when the medications are prescribed by and purchased from the pet's veterinarian. Internet and mail-order catalogs do not qualify for these guarantees.
• SAFETY: Any prescription medication purchased from our hospital has been inspected and approved by the FDA, and manufactured and packaged according to U.S. government regulations. Medications purchased online may have been purchased outside the United States and have different strengths and labeling than U.S. products. Sometimes you can tell by checking the label. If approved by the FDA, it should say, "Caution: Federal law restricts this drug to be used by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian." Do not use products that do not have this warning or if the label has been removed.
• REBATES: Our veterinary practice also passes on manufacturers' promotions and/or rebates and these frequently result in greater savings. These rebates are not usually available from online stores or catalogs.
• CONVENIENCE: Using an Internet pharmacy means a delay in getting your medication. It typicallytakes 1-2 days for the online pharmacy to contact us and process the prescription, then there's a 2-5 day shipping time.
• INSURANCE: Pet Insurance companies require that all prescriptions be FDA approved. If you have pethealth insurance you may be reimbursed on medications when purchased from a legal online pharmacy. You will be required to provide a copy of your veterinarian's prescription order and a copy of the Internet pharmacy's invoice. When you purchase a prescription from our hospital there is no additional paperwork.Your hospital office call along with any prescription is all itemized on one invoice for easy submission to your insurance company.
• EDUCATION: Every week representatives from companies like Bayer, Pfizer, Novartis, Merial, and others visit our office. These representatives have access to the latest data and research, and are a valuable source of up-to-the-minute information. In addition, our staff regularly attends veterinary conferences and reads the latest veterinary medical journals and research papers. We stay up-to-date on the latest disease trends in our region and stay abreast of recent advances in veterinary medicine. However, our first source of information about products and treatment protocols are the pharmaceutical representatives. Because we offer a full-service dispensing pharmacy on site, these folks make a point of visiting our hospital frequently.

 

13. What do I do if my pet is poisoned?

Don't panic. Rapid response is important, but panicking can interfere with the process of helping your pet.

 

Take 30 to 60 seconds to safely collect and have at hand any material involved. This will be of great benefit to our veterinarians, as they determine what poison or poisons are involved. In the event that you need to take your pet to a veterinarian, be sure to take the product's container with you. Also, collect in a sealable plastic bag any material your pet may have vomited or chewed.

 

If you witness your pet consuming material that you suspect might be toxic, do not hesitate to seek emergency assistance, even if you do not notice any adverse effects. Sometimes, even if poisoned, an animal may appear normal for several hours or for days after the incident.

 

Call Clanton Animal Hospital in the event of an emergency. The telephone number is (256) 435- 8387. If after hours please call Animal Medical Center at (256)236-8387 Be ready with the following information:

 

• The species, breed, age, sex, weight and number of animals involved.
• The animal's symptoms.
• Information regarding the exposure, including the agent (if known), the amount involved and the time elapsed since the time of exposure. Have the product container/packaging available for reference.

 

Please note: If your animal is having seizures, losing consciousness, is unconscious or is having difficulty breathing, telephone ahead and bring your pet immediately to the our office.

 

Be Prepared

 

• Keep the telephone number of Clanton Animal Hospital somewhere you can reference it quickly - (256) 435-8387
• Stop by our office and pick up one of our complimentary refrigerator magnets.
• Invest in an emergency first-aid kit for your pet.
  
  The kit should contain: A fresh bottle of hydrogen peroxide, 3 percent USP (to induce vomiting) A turkey baster, bulb syringe or large medicine syringe (to administer peroxide) Saline eye solution, Artificial tear gel (to lubricate eyes after flushing) Mild grease-cutting dishwashing liquid such as Dawn original (for bathing an animal after skin contamination), Forceps (to remove stingers), A muzzle (to protect against fear- or excitement-induced biting), A can of your pet's favorite wet food and a pet carrier)
  
  
• Always consult a veterinarian for directions on how and when to use any emergency first-aid item.

 

ASPCA Poison Control: 888-426-4435 Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

 

14. How do I treat Fleas?

Follow the Rule of Threes, a simple 3-step process, to rid you, your pet, and your home of these pests.

 

1. Treat your pet.

• You may want to give your pet a Capstar, which is a small pill. It will kill the fleas on your pet, but it only lasts 24 hours.
• Bathe your pet well.
• Once your pet is good and dry for a few hours, treat with a topical or oral preventative.

Treat your home.

• Wash your pet's bedding in hot water.
• Wash any other places your pet likes to lay for any length of time (pillows, your bedding, etc.)
• Spray your home. We recommend Siphotrol Plus ll ( found at our office) This is a necessary step as there could be fleas and/or eggs in places you cannot see or wash.

Treat your yard.

• While your pet or pets are drying from their baths, and you are airing out your house after spraying, spread granules such as 'Over n Out' across your yard.
• For proper treatment, you should use a seeder.
• Fleas will be most prominent in places your pet plays and lays in the yard, but treat the whole yard!!! Any animals passing through could be carriers.

 

Now, please note that you may need to repeat the 3 steps. Why? Not all of the flea eggs may have been eradicated and now they have hatched. Don't fret. Repeat the steps and you should be totally flea free!!!!