Frequently Asked Questions
Pets can’t talk, but as a pet owner, you know your best friend well enough to tell when something isn’t right. Let us know if you’ve noticed any troubling symptoms and we’ll do a thorough examination to determine what may be causing your pet’s discomfort. At Niagara Falls Animal Medical Centre, we provide compassionate and quality pet care for your dogs, cats, reptiles and much more. See some of what our customers frequently ask in our veterinary hospital in Niagara Falls.
Veterinarians can’t diagnose over the phone. Besides being unethical and illegal, diagnosing by phone doesn’t allow veterinarians to physically examine a pet. A physical exam is necessary so your veterinarian can provide an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment. Treating a pet for the wrong disease or condition will cost more in the end and could be harmful or even deadly to your pet.
We make every effort to accommodate our clients’ requests. However, there may be circumstances that prevent a certain veterinary team member from being available during your pet’s visit. Scheduling conflicts, emergencies, and vacation schedules all play a role in their availability. Please feel free to ask for a specific veterinarian or veterinary technician when you schedule your appointment, and we will do what we can to facilitate your request. However, please be understanding if we can’t. All of our team members are highly skilled professionals who look forward to your pet’s visit.
Our top priority is to make sure that our patients receive the highest standard of care and best possible outcome. This is why we sometimes make the decision to refer patients to veterinary specialists or specialty clinics when advanced training or equipment will be beneficial.
Our veterinarians make every effort to stay current and skilled in many aspects of animal health, providing comprehensive care for your pet. However, board-certified specialists have extensive experience and training in a particular area of veterinary medicine or surgery. And specialty clinics and university-affiliated referral centers have specialized equipment to perform procedures that are not routinely undertaken by general practitioners. Be assured that when we refer a patient to another hospital, we continue to stay involved with his or her care, consulting with the treating specialist and often providing any needed follow-up care and rehabilitation.We’d be happy to send proof of vaccination to your pet’s kennel. Just let us know the email address.
Your pet’s comfort is our main priority. Using our knowledge of pain medication and pain relief strategies, we do everything we can to prevent and manage your pet’s pain under all circumstances. We will tailor a pain management plan to your pet’s medical condition and individual needs.
Our veterinary team takes every precaution so that your pet receives the highest-quality care. We perform a physical exam and preanesthetic blood testing before surgery and monitor your pet during surgery. During the procedure, a veterinary technician will continually assess your pet’s heart and respiratory rate, blood pressure, and other vital signs to help reduce anesthetic risk. We also provide appropriate pain medication to keep your pet comfortable during recovery.
During normal business hours, bring your pet in immediately. Call us right before you leave or while you’re on your way to help us prepare for the situation. If your pet gets sick outside our normal hours, take your pet immediately to the Emergency Clinic at 905-641-3185.
Don’t panic, but call us right away. If it’s outside our normal business hours, take your pet immediately to the Emergency Clinic at 905-641-3185.
We keep track of your pet’s weight just like your doctor’s office keeps track of your height and weight each time you visit. Having an accurate and current measurement of your pet’s weight will help us ensure that we prescribe the right dose of preventives, medications, and any needed anesthetics. It can also help us notice any early clues to health concerns. In addition, a regular weigh-in can help you track and manage your pet’s weight.
For the safety and protection of all clients, patients, and veterinary team members, we require all pets to be on a leash or in a carrier when they arrive at Niagara Falls Animal Medical Centre. They must continue to be restrained while they are in the reception area and while traveling to and from the exam rooms. Your veterinarian or veterinary technician will let you know when it’s OK to let your pet off leash or out of his or her carrier.
There is often a lot going on at our hospital. Combine that with the unfamiliar surroundings and new animals, and any pet—even one that is well-trained—might become uneasy or overly excited. We want you and your pet to have as pleasant an experience as possible every time you visit our hospital, so we ask all our clients to respect our policy.Call us. Just like doctors, veterinarians sometimes need to try more than one treatment/medication to find the correct solution to cure or manage a pet’s condition. Please let us know if something we recommended or prescribed isn’t helping. We want to work with you to find the right answers for your pet.
Although we can’t provide lengthy consultations or a diagnosis over the phone, we welcome questions from our clients. Please feel free to call or stop by anytime.
For our clients’ convenience, we do offer drop-off appointments. Please call to arrange this service. We usually ask that you drop off your pet in the morning. We will call you once your pet is ready to be picked up.
Unfortunately, we do not offer any payment plans at this time. We request that you pay for services provided at the time of your pet’s visit. If you have any questions about our payment policy, please feel free to ask.
We recommend that you include the cost of veterinary care in your annual expenses. However, we understand that this sometimes isn’t possible. If you contact us ahead of time, we can help you determine ways to keep costs down and stay within your budget. For instance, some preventive veterinary care can be spread out over several visits. Your veterinarian will work with you to come up with a cost-effective plan to keep your pet current on vaccinations and other necessary services. We do accept major credit cards, as well as veterinary insurance plans, which can help cover many routine and emergency services. Ask about pet insurance; we can provide the info you need.
We can accept any of the following payment methods:
We also accept most pet insurance plans.
Please call 905-354-3827 to book a convenient appointment time, or use our online appointment scheduler to request a date and time.
6838 Morrison Street
Niagara Falls, Ontario
L2E 6Z8In an emergency, call Niagara Veterinary Emergency Clinic at 905-641-3185.
Niagara Veterinary Emergency Clinic
3300 Merrittville Hwy
Thorold, Ontario, L2V 4Y6