Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't you give a diagnosis over the phone?
In order for a proper diagnosis to be made, a thorough physical examination of the pet and review of pertinent medical history is essential. Furthermore, there are a variety of similar symptoms that may be the result of very different medical problems. Additionally, by State of Georgia law, a veterinarian must have a relationship with a patient before that vet may diagnose conditions or prescribe any medications.

What consists of a typical physical exam?
A physical exam includes the checking of the ears, eyes, teeth, skin, coat, palpation of the body, listening to heart and lung sounds and potentially blood work, urinalysis and checking for parasites. From a traditional Chinese medicine standpoint, pulse and tongue diagnosis may also provide relevant information in diagnosis.

Why do you schedule one hour for a new client appointment?
We here at Loving Touch Animal Center believe that it is very important to establish a strong rapport between doctors and clients. Many clients come to our clinic for a second opinion and therefore have much previous medical history (i.e. blood work, other veterinarian's treatments/observations and radiographs) that takes time for our veterinarians to review and process. We try to allot plenty of time to give each client and patient the time and energy they deserve.

Why do you require annual heartworm testing for all canines, even if on monthly heartworm prevention?
Loving Touch Animal Center recommends year-round canine heartworm prevention due to the weather variations experienced in the state of Georgia. Due to the possibility of heartworm prevention "breaks" (i.e. owner compliance or the possibility that the pet may have vomited or spit out the preventative unbeknownst to the owner) it is part of our clinic's veterinary protocol to check canine heartworm status annually before we will authorize a refill on heartworm preventative.