We care about your pets

Four Corners Animal Hospital recognizes prevention of disease and early treatment is essential for optimal veterinary care. This ultimately saves time, expense, and reduces unnecessary patient suffering. Because pets age faster than humans, it is more important for them to have their annual physical and dental examinations. Fecal test for internal parasites, heartworm blood testing and prevention, flea and tick control, and vaccinations are all essential components of preventive medicine. As the patient ages, blood and urine tests become part of your pet’s preventive health care.

At Four Corners Animal Hospital vaccinations for puppies and kittens begin at six weeks of age, and they usually receive 3 sets of immunizations. Adults are typically immunized annually. Vaccinations administered to dogs include rabies, distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, leptospirosis, bordetella and in some cases lyme. Cats are vaccinated against rabies, rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia, calici and leukemia virus.

Four Corners Animal Hospital knows that bringing a pet in for surgery is a major decision and causes great worry for the family or any pet owner. We want to help you make the right choices and be informed about what is best for you and your pet. For the protection of patients in the hospital as well as your pet, vaccinations should be current on the date of admission. Please read all of the information provided.

At Four Corners Animal Hospital our double operating surgical suite allow us to perform routine procedures including spay, neuter, declaw, and cosmetic surgeries like ear crops and tail docks. Also, we are able to easily perform more extensive surgical procedures such as C-section, tumor excision and biopsies, orthopaedics, cruciate ligament rupture, patellar luxation and fracture repairs.

Patients are required to have a pre-anesthetic/surgical blood test done at least two days prior to surgery. This blood test screens the patient health status, anesthetic risk, and possible complications from the surgical procedure.

Patients scheduled for surgery should arrive between 8:00–9:00am on that day. These patients should have no food after 10:00pm the night before, and no water after 6:00am the morning of surgery. Patients are discharged as early as possible based upon their recovery from anesthesia, surgery, and potential complications. Most patients spend at least one night in hospital. Spay and neuter patients stay overnight. Declaw patients stay at least 2 nights. For overnight hospitalization, patients are released between 1:00-3:00pm the following day. Saturday discharge is between 11:00-12:00am. At discharge, please allow yourself sufficient time for after care instructions.

Please request a written estimate if necessary. Usually a deposit of at least half the estimated fee is required, and payment in full is due at the time of discharge. If you are worried about your pet, please call after 4:00pm the day of the procedure for an update.

Most pets over the age of 3 years that have had no previous dental care will have some degree of tarter build up and will need to have their teeth cleaned. Routine dental exams and cleaning should be done at least every two years after this. Keeping our pet’s teeth clean and healthy is just as important as keeping our own mouth clean and healthy.

Dental disease can cause or worsen many medical problems, and it is often painful for your pet. Regular dental prophy reduces the risk for cardiac and other systemic diseases, minimizes the need for extractions, and is a lot less expensive in the long term.

Unlike humans, dental procedures in pets are done under general anesthesia. Patients must have a pre-anesthetic blood test done at least two days before the procedure. This blood test screens the patient health status, anesthetic risk, and potential for complications.

Four Corners Animal Hospital prefers patients scheduled for dental procedures to arrive between 8:00–9:00am on that day. These patients should have no food after 10:00pm the night before, and no water after 6:00am the morning of the procedure. Patients are discharged as early as possible after their recovery from anesthesia, usually between 5:00-5:30pm the same day. At discharge, please allow yourself sufficient time for any after care instructions.

Four Corners Animal Hospital will be glad to provide a written estimate when requested or when necessary. Usually a deposit of at least half the estimated fee is required, and payment in full is due at the time of discharge. If you are worried about your pet, please call after 4:00pm the day of the procedure for an update.

Four Corners Animal Hospital is fully equipped with an x-ray machine and automatic film processor. This provides high quality radiographs to aid in the quick diagnosis of many medical disorders. Most patients require sedation in order to have their radiographs taken. Consequently, these patients may have to stay with us for a few hours to recover from the sedative. This equipment allows us to obtain excellent OFA radiographs.

At Four Corners Animal Hospital all boarding pets are housed in separate rooms away from hospitalized patients. Hospitalized patients have their own wards and intensive care unit. The HVAC system is designed to be completely independent and separated so that the air does not mix or carry air born germs from one area to another.

For the protection of your pet as well as other pets being boarded, all boarding dogs must be current on vaccinations, negative heartworm test, negative fecal test, and free from ticks and fleas. Vaccinations required for dogs include rabies, distemper, parvovirus, parainfluenza, adenovirus, and leptospirosis. Because of the increased risk for kennel cough when dogs are boarded, bordetella must be administered within the past six months. Cats must be vaccinated against rabies, feline rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia and leukemia. Pets having fleas or ticks will be treated at the owner’s expense. If you wish to bring bedding and toys for your pet, they must be machine washable.

We cannot be held responsible for lost of any items brought with your pet. If your pet is on medications please bring them when dropping off your pet. There is an additional fee for medicating your pet while boarding with us. We would be happy to feed your pet a special diet provided it is simple and self-explanatory.

Please note that pets requiring more than one medication, insulin or intensive care, would be upgraded to ‘hospitalization’ at the current rate based on the veterinarian’s assessment of the medications and level of care necessary. Please let us know of any unusual conditions before the pet is boarded so that we could clarify these fees.

Dogs are kept in air-conditioned runs that are washed twice daily. During this time they are walked outside for exercise twice daily for 15 minutes. They are fed Science diet and fresh water. Dogs are provided only with food, water, two daily walks, and a clean run.

Cats are kept in a separate climate controlled room with large windows. They are fed Science diet, fresh water, and their litter boxes are cleaned twice daily. They are allowed free roaming exercise in a separate room for at least one hour. We provide only food, water and a clean environment for the boarding cats.

Please note that some pets may experience certain medical problems associated with boarding that are beyond the hospital control e.g. coughing, weight loss, diarrhea, discolored fur, etc. We are unable to discharge pets on Sundays, holidays, and outside regular hospital hours.