Hospital Policies

Appointment Policy

To allow ample time for all patients and scheduled surgical procedures, we operate primarily by appointment. Emergency cases shall always receive top priority, which is why occasional appointment delay is inevitable. Walk-in appointments will be seen on an as-available basis, or will be offered a drop-off.

For your convenience, drop-off appointments are available at an additional charge. Drop-offs are only available for current patients of our hospital – new patients will need to make an appointment. A ‘drop off’ means you could bring your pet in at your convenience and leave him/her with us for several hours. While your pet is with us, our doctor can examine the patient in between appointments. Once the doctor is done, we will give you a call to go over the diagnosis and to give you discharge instructions.

If you need to cancel or change your appointment, we kindly request that you give us 24-hours notice. Missed appointments may be subject to a cancellation fee.

Payment Policy

Veterinary fees are a reflection of services provided and, as such, we require full payment at the time that services are rendered. When appropriate, we will provide a written estimate in advance so we can discuss fees.

For your convenience, we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, CareCredit, and cash. Personal checks are NOT accepted, and we do not have any form of payment plan.

Leash/Carrier Policy

For the safety of you, your pet, and others, we require that your pet be on a secure leash or in a secure carrier when in the waiting room. Even though we make every effort to make our patients feel comfortable during visits, they may be a little uneasy about new people, new surroundings and other pets. This is one of the reasons we ask you to restrain your pet. If you do not have a leash, we will provide you with one to use during your visit.

After-Hours Policy (California Code of Regulations, Title 16, Section 2030)  

Veterinary service during nighttime hours, some daytime hours, and/or weekends, is provided at the discretion of the veterinarian in charge.

Continuous presence of personnel may not be provided during these hours.

If you have an after-hours emergency, please call Veterinary Specialty Hospital (2a 4-hour emergency hospital) at 858-875-7500.

Boarding Policy

All pets that stay with us must be up-to-date on all recommended vaccinations. If your pet is not up-to-date on vaccines, we can administer them while he/she is boarding with us. Pets new to our facility are required to have an examination with the doctor before boarding.

While we do board animals that are on medication (including injections), please note that there is an additional charge for each day we administer medication.

Radiograph Policy

(California Code of Regulation Section 2032.3)

Per California Code of Regulation section 2032.3, radiographs are the property of the facility that originally ordered them to be prepared. While we do loan out x-rays to be taken to other hospitals for review, please note that they remain our property and must be returned to us in a timely fashion.

Prescription Medication Policy

(Section 2033 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations)

By law, your pet must be examined on a periodic basis to determine your pet’s continued need for the prescribed drug(s).  Usually, this means that your pet must be examined a minimum of once per year.  However, for some medications (such as topical steroids, NSAIDs, dry eye medications, or antibiotics), your pet may need to be reexamined more frequently than every 12 months, based on the doctor’s recommendation.   As defined by Section 2033 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations, and effective February 3, 1996:

“Prescribing, dispensing, or furnishing a drug without establishing a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship with the patient and its owner, constitutes unprofessional conduct.  A drug shall not be prescribed for a duration which is inconsistent with the animal’s medical condition or type of drug prescribed. In no event shall the duration exceed more that one year from the date that the veterinarian has examined the animal and prescribed such drug, unless the veterinarian has conducted a subsequent examination of the patient to determine the patient’s need for the prescribed drug”.

Lien Law

(California Civil Code Sections 3051 and 3052)

According to Civil Code sections 3051 and 3052 a veterinarian may keep an animal after treatment if the bill is not paid. If the amount due for veterinary services has not been paid within 10 days after the payment has become due, the law authorizes the veterinarian to sell the animal. However, he/she must give at least 10 and not more than 20 days notice to the owner prior to the sale. The proceeds of the sale must be applied to the discharge of the lien and the cost of keeping and selling the animal. The remainder, if any, must be paid to the legal owner.
It should be noted that the statutory lien provision does not permit the veterinarian to kill an animal which has been liened, but only to sell it. In fact, any veterinarian who threatens to kill an animal which he/she has liened, is subject to prosecution by the board on the charge of fraud under the provisions of Section 4883(i) of the Business and Professions Code (California Veterinary Practice Act).

California Abandoned Animal Act

(Civil Code Sections 1834.5 and 1834.6)

According to the statutory abandonment provisions (Sections 1834.5 and 1834.6 of the Civil Code), if an animal is not picked up within 14 days after it was due to be picked up, the animal is considered to be abandoned.

Once the animal is determined to be abandoned, the veterinarian must keep the animal an additional 10 days while attempting to find it a new owner. If after the initial 14 days and the additional 10 days (for a total of 24 days) the legal owner has not retrieved the animal or the veterinarian has been unable to locate a new home for the animal, the veterinar­ian may humanely destroy the animal in compliance with the notice require­ments and formalities of these sections of the Civil Code.
One contingency, however, is that if the owner attempts physically to retrieve the animal or otherwise contact the veterinary facility, or give notice of intent to retrieve the animal within the initial 14-day period, even though the veterinarian’s bill has not been paid, the animal cannot be considered to be abandoned.
There shall be a notice posted in a conspicuous place, or in conspicuous type in a written receipt given, to warn such person depositing an animal at such animal care facilities of the provisions of this section.
An abandoned animal, as described in Section 1834.5, shall not be used for scientific or any other type of experimentation, nor shall such an abandoned animal be turned over to a pound or animal regulation department of a public agency.
For the safety of you, your pet, and others we require that your pet be on a leash or in a carrier when in the waiting room.  If you do not have a leash or a carrier one will be provided to you during your visit.
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