Policies

Patient Care and Service

All patients are required to have a physical examination by one of our veterinarians within the past 12 months* to provide any medical services or prescriptions: including vaccinations, boarding, surgery, euthanasia, grooming and/or prescription medications and foods.

*Some service require a physical examination at the time of service regardless of past exam history. Some patients may need more frequent exams and/or labwork to provide certain services or ongoing medications.

At least one person over 18 years old must be listed as an owner on every patient account. Individuals under 18 years old and/or not listed on the account or approved by the listed owner will not be allowed to sign consent and financial documents or make medical decisions.

We reserve the right to deny service to anyone, with consideration for legally required continuation of care for patients that are already undergoing treatment.

Leash/Carrier Policy

In the interest of safety and comfort for all our patients, their owners, and our staff, all dogs must be on a leash and all cats and other pets must arrive and remain in an appropriate carrier or on a leash while in the waiting area, exam rooms and other public areas of the hospital.

Appointment Policies

To allow ample time for all patients and scheduled surgical procedures, we operate primarily by appointment. Walk-in appointments will be fit in when time is available; please note you may be asked to return at a later time if it is not an urgent medical need. Emergency cases will always receive top priority, which is why occasional appointment delay is inevitable. Please realize that we make a sincere attempt to see each client on time.

For your convenience, we can accommodate “drop-off” appointments for current patients whose account is in good standing. This means we can schedule the patient to be admitted at a time that is convenient for you, and then examined at a later time when the veterinarian is available. Please note: some types of services (eg, surgeries) may require your pet to be admitted for care. We reserve the right to deny drop off services at any time. Call us if you think this might be a good option for you and your pet.

New Patient Policy

All of our doctors are currently accepting new patients. We ask that you arrive 5-10 minutes prior to the start time of your appointment, to fill out new patient paperwork. Please note that we try to schedule new birds and exotic animals (including ferrets, reptiles and pocket pets) weekdays between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm. This allows our doctors sufficient time and staff to devote to the complete care of your pet.

Deposit Policy

Como Park Animal Hospital recently began requiring a $50 deposit for all primary care visits. The deposit is due at the time of scheduling. Our client service representatives are equipped to take payment over the phone with a current credit or debit card. The deposit will remain as a credit on your account with us and will be used towards the total amount due on the day of your visit.

For clients with multiple pets, a $50 deposit will be required for each pet.

For clients using Care Credit, we will be able to refund the $50 deposit to the card used to reserve your appointment so that you may more readily reach your $200 minimum. Please allow 7-10 business days for the refund to be processed back into your account. We are unable to refund the deposit to a different card or issue cash.

For clients who wish to pay their deposit via cash, we ask that payment be presented within one business day from the date that their appointment is scheduled. Failure to fulfill the deposit requirements in the allotted time may place the scheduled appointment at risk of cancellation by Como Park Animal Hospital.

To ensure consistency and fairness, our deposit policy will apply to all clients regardless of the length of relationship. Deposits are refundable up to 24 hours prior to a scheduled appointment. Any appointments that are rescheduled more than 24 hours in advance will be allowed to use their deposit for the future appointment. Cancellations or reschedules made less than 24 hours in advance risk forfeiting their deposit and will be required to make a new deposit for future appointments. Missed appointments will cause forfeiture of deposit.

Como Park Animal Hospital will continue to require deposits for services involving estimates.

Payment Policies

Payment in full is required at the time of service. A deposit/down-payment may be required for patients who are being dropped off for services, surgery or hospitalization, with the remainder of the balance due at the time of pick up.

We will do our best to provide you with an estimate of anticipated costs for services to be provided. Please note, in some cases there may be services required that cannot be anticipated. We will always try to keep our clients informed of changes in care and costs as they occur.

Confidentiality Policy

In accordance with AAHA standards, and to protect our clients’ privacy, we have a strict patient record confidentiality policy. Medical information cannot be shared or dispersed without the express written consent of the owner. This means if you need records to be sent to another clinic, boarding or other facility, you will need to fill out and submit a Medical Records Release Form.

Medical information will not be disseminated to any individuals, including family, friends or benefactors, unless expressly permitted by the listed owner in writing.