What To Expect

Welcome to Congress Avenue Animal Hospital

When you look for a veterinary hospital for your pet, we know you want the highest quality care and friendly, efficient service—and that’s just what we provide at Congress Avenue Animal Hospital!

When you arrive, you can expect to be greeted warmly, and then taken to an exam room. A basic physical examination includes nose-to-tail check, including dental exam. While many pets are nervous or frightened when they visit the vet, we will do everything we can to put your pet at ease.

It’s a good idea to keep an accurate medical diary not only of the procedures and vaccinations your pet receives at the vet, but also of notes on things like your pet’s elimination habits and any physical changes or unusual occurrences. Keep track of small shifts in your pet’s behavior, including urinary marking habits and mood swings, along with diet and routine modifications. Take this notebook when you visit the vet. These seemingly unrelated occurrences may help explain results of your pet’s medical tests. Also, if you need to change vets, it’s good to have this journal to provide a complete medical history.

Our veterinarian and medical team will clearly communicate any findings from the exam and make sure to fully explain any recommended treatments, testing, and procedures—including giving you an estimate for services.

If your pet needs surgery or any other procedure requiring anesthesia, we will suggest testing to ensure that your pet is healthy enough to undergo the operation and to be anesthetized. This is especially important if your pet is very young, very old, or extremely ill. Blood work will be needed, and pre-anesthetic testing may include a chest X-ray and urinalysis. An IV fluid drip and antibiotics may also be necessary depending on the procedure being done and your pet’s health.

There may come a time when your veterinarian feels your pet would benefit from the expertise of a specialist. These are doctors who have completed advanced studies in areas such as internal medicine, surgery, and emergency care. We will work closely with the specialist to whom you are referred to see that your pet gets the best care possible.

If you are a new patient, you can speed check-in by making sure to fill out our New Patient Form in advance of your visit. 

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us before your appointment if you have any further questions or concerns.