Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to some questions that we commonly receive. If you have additional questions that aren't covered here, please feel free to contact us.
1. How often should my pet have an exam and blood work?
For relatively healthy pets we recommend yearly exams with blood work as needed. If your pet is young or older then more frequent visits will be necessary. By signing up for our wellness program we can help take the guesswork out of managing your pet’s health.
2. Why does my pet need a dental procedure?
Extracting abscessed teeth and cleaning gums and teeth are necessary to prevent septic infections in our pets. Sepsis is a severe condition that requires intensive care and a long recovery. By keeping our pets’ mouths clean and inspecting for any issues we can keep these more severe issues at bay.
3. What are heartworms and how can I prevent them?
Heartworms are a parasite that is found in all 50 states, but is most prevalent in the southern states. They are spread from one infected pet to another by mosquitoes. Treating heartworm infections is costly and very intensive and lengthy. The best treatment is prevention. Brainerd Hills Veterinary Hospital carries a variety of preventative medicines including topical, injectable and edible medicines.
4. What financing options do you offer and is payment expected at time of service?
Payment is expected at time of service and if payment cannot be made in full, we offer Care Credit as an option that gives you an affordable way to pay for visits and surgeries. Brainerd Hills Veterinary Hospital accepts cash, credit card and check payments for services offered.
5. How can I tell if my pet is in pain?
This is a very hard symptom to diagnose by the untrained professional because animals hide pain. This is a carry-over from their ancestors who would hide pain to avoid becoming prey in the wild. Some obvious signs are changes in appetite, whimpering and aggression.
