Frequently Asked Questions

In order to provide the highest quality of medicine and minimize wait times, we operate primarily by appointment.

• Scheduling: Appointments can be made by calling the clinic at (510) 998-9001

• Arrival Time: We ask that clients arrive 10 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment time to complete any necessary check-in paperwork (even if paperwork was filled out online prior to your appointment).

• Late Arrivals: To remain fair to all patients, clients arriving more than 15 minutes late may be asked to reschedule their appointment.

We understand that pet health issues don't always follow a schedule, but we discourage walk-ins if possible. You can give us a call and we can try to fit your pet in as soon as possible. Urgent cases will be handled based on medical priority:

• Triage System: All walk-ins will be triaged immediately by a technician.

• Non-Emergencies: If the pet is stable we will either try to accommodate a fit in appointment (based on doctor’s availability) or we will schedule an appointment for a later date. Please be prepared for a significant wait time.

• Walk-In Fee: A higher "Urgent Care/same day“ exam fee may apply to non-scheduled visits.

Life-threatening emergencies always take top priority. We strongly recommend that you take your pet to an Emergency Hospital (PETS Referral Center or OakVet Animal Specialty Hospital) if possible. If your pet is experiencing a crisis (difficulty breathing, active seizures, major trauma, or ingestion of toxins), please call us while en route so our team can prepare for your arrival. Critically ill patients may be transferred to a 24 hour Emergency facility if appropriate.

A consistent schedule allows us to see as many pets in need as possible. An idle veterinarian is a sad veterinarian.

• Notice: We require at least 24 hours' notice for cancellations.

• Fees: Failure to show or late cancellations may result in a "No-Show" fee or a requirement to pre-pay the exam fee for future bookings.

Heading to the vet can be nerve-racking for both you and your pet, but a little "pre-game" prep goes a long way in making the experience more about health and less about stress.

Here is how you can set your pet up for success:

🐾 Before You Leave Home

• Burn off energy: For dogs, a long walk or a vigorous play session before the appointment helps them stay calm in the waiting room. For cats, a little laser-pointer time can help dial down the anxiety.

• The "Travel Cave": If you have a cat or a small dog, leave the carrier out in the living room for a few days. Put treats or a favorite blanket inside so it feels like a safe fort rather than a "vet-mobile."

• The Hunger Strategy: Please fast your pet if instructed to do so for surgery or specific lab testing. Otherwise, please bring them in slightly hungry. This makes the vet's treats much more persuasive during the exam.

• Practice Handling: Spend time touching your pet’s paws, looking in their ears, and lifting their lips at home. If they’re used to you doing it, they won’t be as shocked when the doctor does.

📋 What to Bring

High-Value Treats: Use the "good stuff" (boiled chicken, squeeze treats, cheese, cut up hotdog, etc) that they don't get daily.

Medical Records: We will try our best to procure records for your pet prior to their appointment. Please bring any paperwork you may have. Anything can be helpful.

Stool Sample: If your pet is having diarrhea, please bring a stool sample to your appointment. Fresh is best (ideally within a couple hours).

A List of Questions: We always forget things in the moment. Jot down any changes in appetite, energy, or weird lumps. Marking any concerning lumps or bumps with a sharpie or other pen (can be difficult with black animals) can be extremely helpful.

🏥 At the Clinic

• Check-in from the car if your pet tends to be aggressive or overly stressed at the vet: Please call when you arrive. This prevents "waiting room tension" between your pet and any other pets in the waiting room. A call ahead will help us streamline you and your pet’s delivery into the exam room.

• Stay cool: Pets are masters of reading body language. If you are anxious and gripping the leash tight, they’ll assume there is a reason to be afraid. Take a deep breath—you’re the "emotional anchor."

• Pheromones: Consider using calming sprays like Feliway (for cats) or Adaptil (for dogs) on a bandana or inside the carrier.

Pro Tip: If your pet is historically terrified or aggressive at the vet, don't be a hero! Ask your vet about "pre-visit pharmaceuticals"—mild sedatives you can give at home to take the edge off.

For your convenience we accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.

We also accept checks (with a valid ID).

We strongly encourage Pet Insurance for you pets. There are many Pet Insurance companies out there and we recommend you get a comprehensive comparison of plans at https://www.pawlicy.com/

We also accept CareCredit and Cherry.

It can be incredibly stressful when you’re not sure if your pet is just "off" or if something is seriously wrong. Since animals can’t verbalize what is going on and are experts at hiding pain, trusting your gut is usually the first step—if you're worried enough to ask, it’s often worth a phone call to the vet.

Here is a quick guide to help you triage the situation.

🚨 Red Alerts (Seek Immediate Care)

If your pet shows any of the following, do not wait. Head to an emergency clinic immediately:

• Difficulty Breathing: Labored breathing, gasping, or blue/pale gums.

• Seizures or Collapse: Especially if the seizure lasts more than 2–3 minutes or if they cannot stand up afterward.

• Severe Trauma: Hit by a car, falls from heights, or deep puncture wounds (even if they seem "fine").

• Inability to Urinate: This is a life-threatening emergency, particularly in male cats.

• Bloated Abdomen: If your dog is unproductive retching (trying to vomit but nothing comes up) and their stomach looks swollen, this could be bloat and a life threatening emergency

• Toxin Ingestion: If you saw them eat chocolate, lilies (for cats), grapes, xylitol (a sweetener used in gum, mints, and certain foods), human medication, or any other possible toxin.

⚠ Yellow Alerts (Call the Vet Now)

These signs are serious and usually require a same-day appointment:

• Persistent Vomiting/Diarrhea: More than two or three times in a 24-hour period, or if blood is present.

• Extreme Lethargy: They aren’t responding to their name or favorite treats.

• Eye Injuries: Squinting, discharge, or a cloudiness in the eye can worsen very quickly.

• Sudden Disorientation: Walking in circles, bumping into walls, or a "head tilt."

• High Fever: If their nose/ears feel hot and they are acting withdrawn.

Quick Vital Check

If you can safely handle your pet, check these three things:

• Gum Color

• Normal Range - Bubblegum Pink

• Emergency Sign - Pale, White, Blue, or Deep Red

• Capillary Refill

• Normal Range - Press gums; color returns in < 2s

• Emergency Sign - Takes > 3s for color to return

• Heart Rate

• Normal Range - Varies by size (Dogs: 60-140 / Cats: 140-220)

• Emergency Sign - Racing uncontrollably or dangerously slow

Think of veterinary preventative care as the "wellness" side of medicine—it’s everything you do to keep your pet healthy so you don't end up at the emergency clinic later. It is much easier (and cheaper!) to prevent a disease than it is to treat one.

Here is a breakdown of what preventative care actually looks like in practice:

The Core Components

Preventative care isn't just one thing; it's a combination of physical exams, screenings, and lifestyle management.

• Wellness Exams: Usually recommended once or twice a year. The vet checks your pet from nose to tail, looking for lumps, heart murmurs, or dental issues you might have missed.

• Vaccinations: These protect against serious, preventable diseases like Rabies, Distemper, Parvovirus, Leptospirosis, and Feline Leukemia (to name a few).

• Parasite Prevention: Monthly treatments to keep fleas, ticks, and heartworms (which are transmitted by mosquitoes) at bay.

• Routine Lab Work: Blood tests and fecal exams can catch early signs of kidney disease, diabetes, or internal parasites before your pet shows any symptoms.

Why It Matters

Pets are really good at masking pain. This is an evolutionary survival instinct—in the wild, showing weakness makes you a target. By the time a cat or dog is visibly "acting sick," the condition is often quite advanced.

Benefit

• Early Detection - Identifying issues like arthritis or hyperthyroidism in the early stages.

• Cost Savings - A $50 heartworm pill is much cheaper than the $1,500+ treatment for a heartworm infection.

• Longer Life - Consistent care can add years to a pet's lifespan by managing chronic conditions early.

• Public Health - Some pet diseases (like rabies or certain worms) are zoonotic, meaning they can spread to you.

Age-Specific Care

Preventative care shifts as your pet grows:

• Puppies/Kittens: Focus on series of vaccines, deworming, and spaying /neutering.

• Adults: Focus on weight management and dental health.

• Seniors: Focus on "senior panels" (comprehensive blood work) and joint support.

Pro Tip: Dental health is one of the most overlooked parts of preventative care. Bacteria from gum disease can actually travel through the bloodstream and damage a pet's heart and kidneys.

Veterinary recommendations for spaying (females) and neutering (males) have evolved.

While the primary goal was once simply population control, we now view these procedures as a major pillar of long-term preventative health.

However, in 2026, the "when" is becoming just as important as the "why." Here is the current breakdown of the benefits and the latest scientific nuances.

Lifespan and Health Benefits

Statistically, fixed pets live longer. Studies show that neutered male dogs live about 18% longer and spayed female dogs live about 23% longer than their intact counterparts. For cats, the gap is even wider.

• Cancer Prevention:

• Females: Eliminates the risk of uterine and ovarian cancers. Most importantly, it dramatically reduces the risk of mammary (breast) cancer, which is malignant and potentially fatal in 90% of cats and 50% of dogs.

• Males: Eliminates the risk of testicular cancer and reduces the incidence of prostate infections and enlargements.

• Preventing Pyometra: This is a life-threatening uterine infection that can affect unspayed cats and affects about 1 in 4 unspayed female dogs. It is a surgical emergency that is entirely preventable through spaying.

Behavioral Advantages

Hormones drive many of the behaviors that make living with a pet difficult. Removing the source of these hormones (the ovaries or testes) can lead to:

• Reduced Roaming: Intact pets will go to extreme lengths to find a mate, leading to jumped fences, car accidents, and lost pets.

• Less Marking: Neutering reduces the urge for males to "lift a leg" or spray urine on your furniture to claim territory. It can also reduce the frequency of marking during walks. This behavior, once established, may persist despite neutering.

• Calmer Demeanor: It eliminates the "heat cycle" in females (no more yowling or bleeding) and can reduce hormone-driven aggression in some males.

Timing Matters

The old "fix them at 6 months" rule is shifting toward a more personalized approach, especially for dogs:

• Small Dogs & Cats: The 6-month standard generally still applies, as they mature quickly.

• Large & Giant Breed Dogs: Recent research suggests that waiting until these dogs are skeletally mature (often 12 to 14 months) may reduce the risk of certain joint issues (like CCL tears) and bone cancers.

A Note on Responsibility: If you choose to delay spaying or neutering your pet, you must be extremely vigilant. An "unplanned" litter contributes to the millions of animals in shelters and carries its own significant medical risks for the mother.

Diarrhea is one of the most common reasons for vet visits, and while it’s often just a "dietary indiscretion" (vet-speak for eating something gross), it can sometimes escalate quickly into dehydration.

Here is a step-by-step guide on what to do right now:

• Rule out any indications of an emergency:

• Pure bloody diarrhea (a few streaks of fresh blood in the diarrhea is okay) or black/tarry stools

• Inability to keep any food or water down

• Severe lethargy

• More than 3-4 episodes of diarrhea in a few hours or consistent straining

• Suspicion of ingested toxin

• If your pet is very young, very old, or very small. These animals are at bigger risk for dehydration.

If you are concerned about an emergency, please reach out to PETS Referral Center or OakVet Specialty Hospital

• If an emergency has been ruled out, mild cases can often be managed at home

• Keep water available at all times, but do not allow your pet to down an entire bowl. Small amounts frequently is key.

• You can add some low sodium chicken or bone broth to encourage drinking.

• The bland diet

• Boiled skinless, boneless chicken breast (drain the fat)

• White rice (you can either make this in water or in low sodium chicken broth)

• Optional: a tablespoon or two of low fat cottage cheese

• Feed about 2 parts rice to 1 part meat and give small amounts frequently

• Change the ratio to 1 part rice to 1 part meat for cats

If your pet has a chicken allergy, you can try lean ground turkey or beef with any fat drained off.

What not to do:

• Don't use human meds: Never give Pepto-Bismol or Imodium without a vet's explicit OK. Some ingredients (like salicylates in Pepto) can be toxic to cats, and Imodium can be dangerous for certain dog breeds.

• Don't "starve" them: While a short 6-8 hour fast is sometimes okay for larger, adult dogs, young animals, cats, and small breed dogs should never go without food for long. Feeding small amounts frequently is key.

When to call the vet:

If the diarrhea hasn't improved after 24 to 48 hours on a bland diet, it’s time for a professional opinion. They may need a fecal exam to check for parasites (like Giardia) or a probiotic/prescription medication to settle their gut.

Please bring a small, fresh sample of the stool in a plastic bag (a tablespoon is all we need!)—it’s the fastest way for us to get answers!

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT IF YOU’RE CONCERNED, WE’RE CONCERNED.

PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO US.

This can be a stressful situation, but the first step is to determine if this is a "wait and see" moment or a "go to the vet now" emergency. Remember that our pets have been known to make bad decisions and occurrences of foreign body (sock or underwear, toys, strings or thread) ingestion and obstruction can be of real concern.

• Rule out any indications of an emergency:

• Non stop vomiting: Multiple times in an hour or inability to keep water down

• Unproductive retching: Heaving or gagging but nothing comes up (this is a major sign of Bloat/GDV in dogs, which is fatal within hours)

• Blood: Bright red blood or dark specks that look like coffee grounds (digested blood).

• Pain: A hunched back, a bloated/hard abdomen, or whining.

• Lethargy: Your pet is limp, unresponsive, or unusually weak.

• Suspicion of ingested toxin

If you are concerned about an emergency, please reach out to PETS Referral Center or OakVet Specialty Hospital

• If an emergency has been ruled out: If your pet vomited once or twice but is still alert, wagging their tail, and has normal energy, you can try these steps:

• The "Gut Rest" (4–6 Hours): Remove all food and treats for a few hours to let the stomach lining settle.

Note: Do not withhold food from very small puppies, kittens, or diabetic pets without calling a vet first.

• Hydration Check: Offer tiny amounts of water (a tablespoon at a time) or ice cubes. If they vomit the water back up immediately, they need a vet.

• If your pet hasn’t vomited for a few hours, you can try the bland diet:

  • Boiled skinless, boneless chicken breast (drain the fat)

  • White rice (you can either make this in water or in low sodium chicken broth)

  • Optional: a tablespoon or two of low fat cottage cheese

  • Feed about 2 parts rice to 1 part meat and give small amounts frequently

  • Change the ratio to 1 part rice to 1 part meat for cats

If your pet has a chicken allergy, you can try lean ground turkey or beef with any fat drained off.

What not to do:

• Don't use human meds: Never give Pepto-Bismol or Imodium without a vet's explicit OK. Some ingredients (like salicylates in Pepto) can be toxic to cats, and Imodium can be dangerous for certain dog breeds.

• Don't "starve" them: While a short 6-8 hour fast is sometimes okay for larger, adult dogs, young animals, cats, and small breed dogs should never go without food for long. Feeding small amounts frequently is key.

• Don't "Wait and See" for Cats: Cats can become dangerously ill if they stop eating for even 24–48 hours. If a cat is persistently vomiting and refusing food, it is an urgent matter.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT IF YOU’RE CONCERNED, WE’RE CONCERNED.

PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO US.

Lethargy (extreme tiredness) combined with a decreased appetite is the most common way a pet says, "I feel really sick." Because these are "non-specific" symptoms, they could point to anything from a mild stomach upset to a serious internal issue.

Here is a guide on how to triage your pet right now.

• Rule out any indications of an emergency:

Check for these "Red Flags." If you see any of these, stop reading and go to an ER vet immediately:

• Pale, white, or blue gums: Healthy gums should be bubblegum pink. Pale gums can signal anemia, internal bleeding, or shock.

• Labored breathing: Rapid breathing, panting while resting, or using the abdomen to help pull in air.

• Collapse or extreme weakness: If they cannot stand or are "stumbling" like they are drunk.

• Vomiting/Diarrhea + Lethargy: If they are losing fluids and cannot keep water down, they will dehydrate rapidly.

• Known Toxin Exposure: If they ate chocolate, grapes/raisins, sugar-free gum (xylitol), or human meds.

If you are concerned about an emergency, please reach out to PETS Referral Center or OakVet Specialty Hospital

If an emergency has been ruled out: Please reach out to us to schedule an appointment. Possible causes for your pet’s lethargy and inappetence could include:

• Infections: Viral (like Parvo or Distemper), bacterial (UTIs), or tick-borne diseases.

• Pain: Arthritis, a back injury, or even a dental abscess can make a pet stop eating and move less.

• Organ Issues: Early signs of kidney, liver, or heart disease often start with just acting tired and picky.

• Pancreatitis: inflammation of the pancreas can cause intense abdominal pain and nausea.

You can try offering a bland diet to your pet while you wait for your veterinary appointment (sometimes just offering something different can help):

• Boiled skinless, boneless chicken breast (drain the fat)

• White rice (you can either make this in water or in low sodium chicken broth)

• Optional: a tablespoon or two of low fat cottage cheese

• Feed about 2 parts rice to 1 part meat and give small amounts frequently

• Change the ratio to 1 part rice to 1 part meat for cats

If your pet has a chicken allergy, you can try lean ground turkey or beef with any fat drained off.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT IF YOU’RE CONCERNED, WE’RE CONCERNED.

PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO US.

There are many options for pet owners to procure their pet's medications. These options include purchasing directly from their veterinarian, purchasing online from an "Internet pharmacy," or purchasing from an "800 number" pharmacy. There are pros and cons to each of these options, and we want our clients to be fully informed so they can make the best choice for themselves and their animals.

Shattuck Animal Care Clinic is an authorized seller of the pharmacy products that we dispense. This means that the manufacturers of these drugs will stand behind their products if there are any problems. We obtain our products either directly from the manufacturers or from their authorized distributors, usually by overnight shipment, so the quality of these medications is assured. There are many authorized sellers of veterinary products in the US, but in some cases, the merchant is NOT authorized. These businesses obtain product by purchasing it from secondary agents who acquire the product from authorized channels and divert it into unauthorized channels. Some of the products that they sell are produced for markets outside the USA. Because these products are not manufactured or labeled for sale in the US due to the extended shipping and reshipping required, some of these products may be damaged by environmental extremes that they are exposed to and therefore rendered ineffective. There are also instances of clients that have purchased products from these types of pharmacies only to find that the products were expired at the time of receipt. The drug companies will not guarantee their products if they are not purchased from an authorized seller, so if any problems develop, the pet owner’s only resort is to contact the online pharmacy. Due diligence with regards to these pharmacies’ status as an authorized seller is important.

We support your right to choose where you purchase medications for your pets and we will do our best to facilitate approval of these prescriptions in an efficient and timely manner. We do, however, want to remind you that we are part of your community, we are your neighbors, and we are here to help you when your pet needs our care. Our pharmacy department is an integral part of our hospital, and the income derived from it helps to carry part of the practice overhead. We use pharmacy income to pay staff salaries, utilities, and other expenses related to operating the practice. Loss of pharmacy income affects the financial health of the practice, and will adversely affect our ability to provide other aspects of pet health care economically. We do partner with an online pharmacy and receive compensation for prescriptions ordered from our clients. Supporting this partnership helps support our clinic.

If you do choose to use a pharmacy other than our clinic or partnered online option, we will provide a written prescription to you to submit. You can either pick this up at our clinic or pay to have it mailed to you. Please understand that approving numerous online pharmacy requests will quickly overwhelm most veterinary clinics. Please let us know if you have any questions. We’re happy to help.