About Valley Veterinary Clinic

• What are your hours of operation?
• What if I have an emergency after hours?
• What is your payment policy?
• What is pet insurance?
• Why should I have my dog or cat vaccinated yearly if San Juan County requires the rabies vaccine to be given every three years?
• Why can’t I get a prescription refilled if my pet has not been examined by a veterinarian in the last year?
• Why must my dog have a heartworm screening done yearly if he is on Heartguard or another heartworm prevention year round?
• How old must my cat or dog be to be spayed or neutered?
• Can I tour your clinic or boarding facility?
• Can I visit my hospitalized pet?
• What vaccines are needed for my pet to be boarded at Valley Pet Lodge?
• What vaccines are needed for grooming?
• Why should I brush my dog or cat’s teeth?
• Should I buy from an internet pharmacy?
• My dog is “scooting” on the carpet. Does he have tapeworms?

Our clinic is open from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM Monday-Friday and 8:00 AM to 12 noon on Saturday. Appointments begin at 8:00 AM. Valley Pet Lodge/Salon is open at 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM Monday-Friday and 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM/2:00PM- 5:30 PM on Saturday. Pre-arranged Sunday pickups from boarding are from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM.

Call our emergency number 320-0270 to get in touch with the veterinarian on call. There will be additional charges for after hours examinations.  We are here for you if you have any questions at all.  Please call us!

We feel it is our obligation to you and your pet to provide the most progressive medical and surgical service. The fee structure for service at an animal hospital is based on the financial demands of maintaining a professional staff and modern facility. Out of necessity fees will be structured to support this type of service. We do accept cash, MC/VISA, Discover Card, American Express, Debit cards, Care Credit and personal checks. Services must be paid in full before a pet is discharged.

You can apply for Care Credit either online at www.carecredit.com or on their toll free telephone number 1-800-677-0718.

The importance of an annual comprehensive risk assessment examinations performed by a veterinarian cannot be overlooked. This procedure is valuable to both you and you pet at its stage in life. Annual health examinations will help determine the general well being of your pet and identify potential problems (or physical risks) even in apparently healthy animals. Early detection ensures prompt action which may solve the problem before serious consequences occur and may prevent suffering of the pet, as well as expense to the pocket book. We will determine at the time of the annual examination which vaccines are due and give those at this time.  This important time with you and your pet also allows the veterinarian to discuss and recommend other preventive health care measures.

As with humans, state law prohibits us from refilling a prescription for a pet we have not examined in a year. We cannot prescribe medications for an animal we have never seen. A client/patient/veterinarian relationship must exist for the safety and well being of your pet. We cannot diagnose over the phone and you should not want us to! Your pet’s health is our primary concern and unless we can physically examine an animal it is impossible to determine health status.

Left untreated, heartworm disease can cause secondary problems of liver or kidney insufficiency. If the disease has progressed too far, treatment may not be possible. Early detection of heartworm disease is important. Your dog may have thrown up a dose or you forgot to give one at which point your pet is unprotected. Here in San Juan County we recommend giving heart worm preventative such as Interceptor all year. Heartworms are much easier to prevent than to treat!  These preventatives also have medication in them to help control intestinal parasitess such as roundworms and hookworms, which are picked up by an oral-fecal route. 

We will spay or neuter your cat or dog at 6 months of age. They will need to be current on their upper respiratory vaccinations as well as their rabies vaccination. All dogs will need to have had a negative heartworm test prior to undergoing the anesthetic. The heartworm test can be done the day of surgery, but for your pet’s health, we require the vaccines be done at least one week prior to surgery. Spaying and neutering is important to help control pet over-population. There are also many health benefits to spaying and neutering. Spaying before the first heat cycle decreases the incidence of mammary tumors. Neutering your male dog can greatly reduce the chance of developing prostatic disease.

Yes. We welcome tours during our regular hours. Ask any staff member for a tour.

We encourage you to visit your hospitalized pet and will keep you updated daily on your pet’s condition.

Dogs are required to be current on the upper respiratory vaccines for distemper, parvovirus, corona virus, Parainfluenza.  These vaccines must have been done in series as puppy vaccines and current within 3 years for adult dogs.  In addition the Bordatella vaccine (for kennel cough) must be current within 6 months. Rabies vaccine must be current within 3 years although 1 and 2 year vaccines are also accepted.

Cats must have had a negative feline leukemia test and be vaccinated against the upper respiratory viruses for rhinotracheitis, calci virus, panleukopenia, Chlamydia psittaci within the last 3 years.  They also need the feline leukemia vaccine within the last year and rabies vaccine within the last 3 years.  1 and 2 year rabies vaccine is also accepted. 

Your pet needs to have finished the complete series of vaccines at least one week before boarding. A complete series of vaccinations is 3-4 upper respiratory vaccines done at 4 week intervals for dogs and cats; two bordetella vaccinations  (injectable form) done 10 days apart or one Bordetella intranasal vaccine done at least 5 days prior to boarding for dogs, and a rabies vaccine. We do not take pets under 4 months of age for boarding.

Boarding is done by reservation only. Please call 327-7732 to set a reservation.

Currently we do not offer this service.  We hope to offer grooming again sometime in 2010.

Brushing a dog or cat’s teeth will greatly reduce the amount of food debris and bacteria under the gum line which creates periodontal disease and tooth loss. If you start brushing your pet’s teeth at an early age they become used to it and many actually enjoy it. We recommend pet toothpaste, such as C.E.T. is used. We are happy to show you how to brush your pet’s teeth.

Look here for information on brushing your pet's teeth.

While it is possible that your dog has worms, it is more likely that he needs to have his anal sacs expressed. The anal sacs are located on either side of the anus. They fill with an odiferous fluid that may be expelled when the dog defecates. Sometimes the fluid builds up and can become solidified and an anal sac can become infected or rupture. Dogs prone to the anal sac problems may scoot or drag the anal areas across the floor or may lick excessively under tail. These dogs should have the anal sacs manually expressed periodically.