Frequently Asked Questions

Rabies is a zoonotic disease, which means it can be transmitted for animals to humans. Once an animal or person becomes sick with rabies, there is no treatment and the disease is fatal. Rabies vaccination is required by law for dogs and cats because it protects the human population from the rabid animals in the wild. The good news is that the Rabies vaccine is one of the least expensive and most effective.

Dogs and cats, by law, must be at least 12 weeks of age before receiving a Rabies vaccine from a licensed veterinarian.

Costs can vary widely depending on your kitten’s needs. Kittens should be weaned and go to their new homes at 7 weeks or older and that is also the time that they need to visit the veterinarian for a check-up.Young kittens should be tested for intestinal parasites, feline leukemia, FIV virus and dewormed at least twice with a broad spectrum dewormer. At about 6-8 weeks of age, it is time to start the kitten vaccination series.

There are multiple vaccines and a kitten’s need for vaccination will vary with its lifestyle (Cats that go outside need to be vaccinated for feline leukemia annually). The kitten’s first visit will be customized to your needs depending on the age and the lifestyle of the kitten and your personal preferences.

We are here to work with you to develop a plan of care that is best for everyone.

The doctor’s exam includes a nose to tail complete examination of your pet as well as the doctors review and consultation on key points noted on the exam. A body weight assessment, dental exam, pain score and fear and stress assessment will be performed.

This is the time to bring the list of questions you have to get the best feedback from the doctor. Talk about any lumps, bumps, quirks or behaviors with the doctor to develop a plan to move forward. We will also review preventive care recommendations for your pets and give you our best recommendation, so bring any records of vaccines or treatments that your pet has had.

Allergies in our pets are expressed differently than in a person. Oftentimes pets will show problems with their skin rather than the runny eyes and nose that we experience. Different types of skin lesions will develop and different distribution patterns will develop depending on the allergy.

Pets can suffer from food allergies, insect (flea) allergies and environmental allergies (atopy). Call us to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors for a full exam, including dermatological exam and consultation (434) 836-2499

Yes, we are a very reputable and trusted service that we have been dealing with for years and there are a number of different options for urns.

Most dogs that do not shed need to be groomed every 6 weeks. This can vary with the dog or with the type of haircut you prefer. Many people like to keep their cats’ hair clipped short as well. Come see one of our groomers with your dog and we will get you set up with what is right for your situation.

Just like your own fingernails, a dog’s and cat’s nails grow in time. Some dogs have slow growing nails, some dogs dig often and grind their nails down. A good starting point is every 6 weeks, but we have people who do it as often as every 2 weeks. We will be happy to show you how to do it at home as well.

This is a decision based on your personal needs as well as your pet’s comfort. Dogs left outside in the winter need long hair, but some dogs that stay inside are very hot natured and enjoy a short haircut all year long. Call one of our groomers and we can help you decide based on the breed of your dog and your specific situation.

As part of a full grooming, your groomer will do a rough clip to get the hair to a shorter length and then give your dog a full bath, clean the ears and trim the nails. Now fully clean and dry the groomer will do the finishing work that makes your dog look and feel like a new pup.

In addition, there is a wide array of additional services that you can choose to have to make your pet’s day special.

We protect all the pets in our facility against contagious diseases, this protects your pet, as well as the others in the facility. Vaccines must be current for Rabies, Distemper, Parvo, Bordetella (a causative agent of kennel cough), Canine influenza (dog flu), and a negative fecal exam annually.

Please bring your records with you or simply give us the name of your vet and we will have them fax the pertinent records to us and we can go over them with you.

Dr. Smith and Dr. Rohrig have done personal research and even visited some of the pet food processing plants in an effort to find the best foods for our pets. We carry Royal Canin pet foods and Hills pet foods and trust that the research has been done by qualified veterinarians and nutritionists and the quality controls are in place to ensure quality digestible ingredients.

We personally guarantee all the pet foods we sell and will provide a full refund to anyone who is not fully satisfied for any reason.

The pet food industry is not regulated as tightly as the human food industry. There are very minimal requirements that are placed on a manufacturer of pet food as to what they must print on the bag. Pet food companies can work around the rules in many ways. For example, it is perfectly legal to make a temporary change in the ingredients in a food for up to 6 months without telling anyone or changing the label at all.

This will vary with your dog or cat’s hair type. Some dogs and cats have hair that simply doesn’t get tangled or out of place. Some show dogs get brushed out twice daily. It depends on your situation. In any event, it is good to condition your dog to being brushed and handled which makes grooming enjoyable for everyone involved.

We issue rabies tags for dogs that reside in Pittsylvania County (these can also be obtained at the Chatham court house). Pets residing in the City of Danville, can obtain tags at the Harris Financial Building on Memorial Drive or at the Danville Area Humane Society.

Our office hours are Monday- Friday 7:00 am – 6:00 pm and Saturday 8:00 am – 2:00 pm. After hours it is best to find an emergency clinic. Two of the best choices that may be near your location are:

We accept most major credit cards as well as Care Credit. Care Credit is a medical credit card that can give you instant approval and often give you 6 months without interest payments to pay off your balance. Visit https://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/

Ticks and fleas can carry diseases that affect pets as people as well. The life cycle of each pest is very different and this is part of the reason why many treatments are not fully effective. We have a variety of products that will fit your pet’s and your situation’s needs.

Bravecto is an oral flea and tick medication that is effective for 3 months in dogs and cats. Revolution and Frontline Gold are topical products that treat and prevent fleas and ticks in dogs and cats.

Both dogs and cats need to be protected from heartworms. We have a couple of options for dogs and cats that are highly effective, reasonably priced and suit most people’s lifestyles. Bravecto plus and Revolution prevent heartworms in cats. Heartgard and Milbegard protect dogs from heartworms.

Your pet will be under general anesthesia for a surgery such as a spay(ovariohysterectomy) or neuter (Orchiectomy). Before we undergo general anesthesia and major surgery, we will take all the precautions necessary to make sure it is the safest procedure possible.

One of our doctors will examine your pet for evidence of any diseases or conditions that could interfere with the procedure or the recovery process. We would like to run a few simple blood tests to look for underlying problems with the kidneys or liver that could interfere with the surgery.

We will give your pet pre-emptive and multi-modal pain control before and after the procedure to be sure he is comfortable and we will update any vaccines on contagious diseases to keep him protected. The price can vary depending on your pet’s needs.

Please bring your pet in to meet your doctor before the surgery to discuss the procedure. If that is not possible, please bring all of your veterinary records with you on the day of the procedure. We can give you a very accurate estimate of the cost when we know all the variables.

That first day, we will introduce your dog to the facility and find a playgroup that best suits him. It is important that he is comfortable, safe and has fun while at camp. All pets are protected from contagious diseases and day camp can be purchased by the individual day or as a 10-day punch card or unlimited monthly plan.

Hotel space is available while supply lasts. That being said, we usually have space if you call 5-7 days in advance. The exceptions to this rule are major holidays: July 4, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas. These holidays can book up several weeks in advance. All pets are protected from contagious diseases. Please bring all of your veterinary records with you.

Yes, of course we try our very best to accommodate everyone’s needs. After all, we are here to serve you. We promise a time with the doctor to those who have made appointments in advance and walk-in appointments may have to wait variable times to be seen, but we will do our best to work you into the schedule.

To ensure that you do not have to wait, give us a quick call for an appointment (we often have one available the same day). 434-836-2499

With the purchase of a rewards card, you will receive 2 complimentary exams and 3 complimentary nail trims throughout the year.

In addition, you will receive 5% rewards on everything that you purchase from Danville Family Vet, including veterinary care, medications, food, day camp, hotel stays, grooming, etc. Check it out here: https://familyvet.org/rewards-login/