Appointments
Appointment guidelines & pet safety policies
Howell Avenue Pet Hospital works by appointment only. Please arrive 5 to 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment for check-in. A client service representative will take a few notes, and escort you and your pet to your exam room promptly. Please make sure you have your dog on a leash, and your cat in a proper cat carrier. If you do not follow this policy, a leash and/or cat carrier will be provided to you for the duration of your visit. Please help us to keep your pet safe, as well as the pets of our other clients by maintaining proper and safe control over your pet. If you need assistance of any kind, please inform our client service representatives at check-in, or call before you appointment. We are happy to accommodate special requests when possible.
Urgent care & wait time expectations
We will make every effort to work in urgent cases for our established clients. We almost always have a full schedule, so please understand that there may be wait times depending on the severity of the issue. This also means that if you are here for a regularly scheduled appointment, we may be tending to emergency situations, and there may be unforeseen wait times. We will always be as transparent as possible with you regarding wait times.
Drop off and pickup policy
We may also be able to see your pet as a “Drop Off”, if you prefer to drop your pet off with us and pick them up later. Some appointments require a drop-off, but we also offer it as a convenience to you at no extra charge. If you drop off your pet with us, the doctor and/or technicians will communicate with you via phone to keep you in the loop during your pet’s visit, and may discuss things further with you at pickup.
Annual exams
For annual exams, please bring a fecal sample to the appointment. If your pet received vaccinations at their appointment, you may notice a mild swelling near the should or hip area where the vaccines were administered. This is common and should subside within a week. Some pets are sore and lethargic after vaccines. This is also common and should subside within a day or so. If your pet has a rare reaction that causes a swollen face or weakness, please call our office immediately. If you have any questions about your pet’s health or behavior after receiving vaccinations, please call our office.
Puppy / Kitten exams
For puppy and kitten exams/vaccines, please bring a fecal sample to the appointment. Intestinal parasites are common in younger puppies and kittens, so we prefer to test for them at least twice. Your puppy/kitten may have a total of 2-5 visits depending on the age of your pet and their vaccination schedule. These visits are typically scheduled every three to four weeks.
Test results
All test results requiring treatment will be communicated to you. If you do not receive a phone call regarding your pet’s fecal test, your pet’s fecal test was negative for intestinal parasites and harmful bacteria. A technician or doctor will call you with positive results within 24-48 business hours and discuss treatment. A technician or doctor will also call you with any blood work results within 24-48 business hours.
Digital Platform
ePet Health is a digital platform that allows you to access your pet’s medical records and vaccination history, as well as a list of services your pet has received. To utilize ePet Health, you must create your account using the same email address that we have on file in our system. For more specific information regarding your account with Howell Avenue Pet Hospital, please call our office and ask to speak with a client service representative.