Q:
Are you currently accepting new patients?
A:
Yes! We have a lengthy registration process, so please give us a call to set up your account, register your pet, and get a history. We can then schedule your appointment. At the time of scheduling a new-patient appointment we collect a scheduling fee for the base cost of the exam (per pet) to hold the appointment. This scheduling fee will be applied to your visit when you check-out. However, if a cancellation or reschedule is made less than 24 business hours prior to your appointment or if you miss your appointment, this fee will be be non-refundable.
Q:
What do I need to do to set up an appointment?
A:
Give us a call at 773-697-9757 and speak with our reception team to set up an appointment. New clients or patients must call to register and review history. For current clients who need non-emergent appointments, you can also fill out an appointment request here, request an appointment through your patient portal, text us at 773-697-757, or email us at info@dukeanimalhospital.com.
Q:
Do you take walk-in appointments?
A:
Due to a high patient load, we schedule all appointments ahead of time. If you walk in, we are happy to register you and get you scheduled for an appointment but cannot guarantee we can accommodate you and your pet same-day without a scheduled appointment.
Q:
Do you see emergencies?
A:
We are a general medicine facility, and when able to we do accept emergency appointments. This is done so on a case by case basis and is dependent on our current patient load, our staffing, and what is going on with your pet - after all, we want to ensure all patients in our care receive the time and attention they deserve.
If you feel you have an emergency, please give us a call to see if we can accommodate you and your pet or if we would refer you to a 24 hour emergency facility.
When emergency appointments are offered, you should expect to work primarily with a technician as the middle-person between you and the doctor. The technician will be working closely with your pet and relaying information to and from the doctor, who will examine your pet but will still be in with other appointments. Your pet will be taken to the treatment area to have its vitals checked, and we'll update you until we can get you into a room if one becomes available. Once in a room, we will work to keep your pet's appointment moving and to make sure your pet is as comfortable as possible while in our care. The doctor seeing your pet will try to stop in during your visit to say hello to you and discuss your pet's case, but this cannot always be guaranteed.
Our emergency exams come at an elevated fee due to the fact that we are squeezing in a patient when we do not have the availability on the schedule. The exam fee can vary depending on the severity and urgency of the case, and we will provide pricing throughout your visit. Emergency appointments take longer than regularly scheduled appointment.s
Q:
What types of animals do you see?
A:
All of our doctors see cats wand dogs, and each of our doctors see a variety of exotics. In our clinic, we see:
- Rodents (guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, gerbils, etc.)
- Ferrets
- Rabbits
- Insectivores (hedgehogs)
- Chinchillas
- Sugar gliders
- Snakes
- Lizards
- Turtles
- Birds
At this time we do not see wildlife, farm animals, amphibians, fish, or arachnids.
Q:
Where can I park?
A:
We have a free parking lot just south of our building. It is only accessible if you're coming Northbound on Ashland Ave. due to a medium in the street.
We do have 1 handicap parking spot.
Our parking lot is only for customers of Duke Animal Hospital - you cannot park here if you're going to any other business in the area, even Ten Cat Tavern.
The parking lot is monitored by a third party towing company and violators will be towed at the vehicle owner's expense.
Q:
Which veterinarian should I pick for my appointment?
A:
If you're wondering who you should try to establish care with, it's best to consider your own typical availability and ask the receptionists which veterinarians tend to be in clinic when you're most likely to make appointments. You don't have to stick with one veterinarian for every visit, although it is recommended if there is a complicated medical history.
When scheduling, we'll ask if you have a doctor preference. It's fine if you do, and if you don't we'll book you with the doctor that either your pet has seen most recently, or who has availability that matches your time request. You can take a look at our Meet the Staff page to learn more about our veterinarians.
Q:
What should I expect during my first appointment with your facility?
A:
For every appointment, you'll be greeted by our receptionists and if you have a dog with you they'll help you get their weight. The receptionists will notify the medical team that you've arrived and you can grab a refreshment while your technician prepares a room.
Once in a room, your technician will review your pet's history, go over their at-home care, and get a baseline summary of the reason for that day's visit. Once your technician has gotten a history, they'll update the doctor, who will come in to greet you. The doctor may ask some similar questions to verify information, and will perform a physical exam looking at the eyes, ears, and teeth, feeling the lymph nodes and general body condition, and taking a temperature. This physical will help determine diagnostics or treatments to recommend.
Q:
I just adopted a new pet - when should I bring them in?
A:
We recommend an exam soon after adoption to establish care and give us a baseline on their health. Sometimes there are ailments present that we can catch early on, and we can give recommendations and tips for diet, transitions into a new home, and the general well-being of your new companion.
Q:
What will I need to bring to my first appointment?
A:
Aside from you and your pet(s), you'll need to have made sure your pet's full records were sent to us prior to your appointment. Our reception team is more than happy to reach out to your previous vets - just provide us with the name of the clinic your pet was last seen at, and their phone number if you have it.
Q:
Can my pet be loose in the lobby?
A:
Dogs must be on leashes at all times in the lobby, and small pets (cats, ferrets, etc) should be kept in a carrier.
This is not only for your pet's safety, but for the safety and well-being of other pets in the lobby. An accident can quickly occur when our doors open to Ashland, and we would not want to risk an aggressive animal walking through the door, your pet darting outside, or a small animal being injured by a pet in our lobby if they're wandering outside of a carrier.
If you do not have a carrier, you should keep your pet on your lap until we can get you into a room. If you know in advance that you are coming in without a carrier, we recommend calling ahead to see if we'll have a room ready to go straight into.
Q:
My pet becomes upset or aggravated when confined to their carrier or when exposed to other dogs. Is there anything we can do to make our pet as stress-free as possible?
A:
When scheduling your appointment, let the receptionist know that your pet should be roomed immediately. We will always do our best to accommodate this, although cannot guarantee it. We recommend calling when you're a few minutes away to see if a room is ready, that way if there is not you can wait in the car or take a stroll around the block while waiting for a room.
Q:
How do I get an estimate for services?
A:
We provide estimates for vaccines and annual wellness items.
For quotes for additional services, please schedule an exam with a doctor. Once the doctor assesses your pet, they'll be able to provide an estimate and quote for a diagnostic and treatment plan.
We do not offer quotes on diagnostics, medications, or procedures for pets we have not established care with.
Q:
How often does my pet need to see the veterinarian if they're healthy?
A:
If your pet is healthy, we recommend once yearly check-ups for all pets to make sure there are no changes in your pet's health, update you if there are new veterinary recommendations, and keep an eye on your pets overall well-being to make sure they are as healthy as they can be at their age. Cats, dogs, and ferrets do require vaccines to be kept current, such as the rabies vaccine.
Q:
How do I know when I need to seek medical attention for my pet?
A:
In general, anytime something new occurs with your pet (lumps, rashes, changes in demeanor, variations from their "normal") we recommend an exam with a veterinarian to treat any ailments and/or to check for underlying medical concerns. If your pet is vomiting, has diarrhea or constipation, swelling, is expressing pain, or having labored breathing we do recommend immediate medical attention.
Q:
Who can bring my pet in for medical attention?
A:
All authorized caregivers of your pet must be registered with your pet's account. While we only have slots for the primary and alternate contacts, we can add alerts and communications authorizing others who are allowed to make medical decisions for your pets.
If you are traveling we recommend sending us an email with the full contact information of authorized caregivers, dates you will be gone, and how we can reach you.
Q:
I've never brought my pet in but I need medical advice - what should I do?
A:
In the event that you need medical advice, we recommend reaching out to your current veterinarian. Unfortunately, we cannot recommend medical advice for patients we have not seen before. Give us a call to schedule an exam so we can assess your pet's needs.
Q:
What should I do if my pet eats a possible toxin?
A:
Give us a call to see if our veterinarians know if what your pet ingested is toxic. There are a myriad of items that may or may not be safe for your pet's health, so if we are not sure if symptoms will occur we will advise you to reach out to the ASPCA Poison Control Hotline at (888) 426-4435.
The ASPCA has certified toxicologists who are equipped to help you determine if your pet needs medical attention or can be monitored at home. We recommend to them at times because they have a large database for checking your pet's weight, amount ingested, likely ingredients, and symptoms to watch out for, and they are an invaluable resource to veterinarians all over the country. The ASPCA does charge a consultation fee*, so be prepared with your credit or debit card. If the toxicologists recommend an exam with a veterinarian for immediate treatment, please obtain a Case Number from them - this will be vital for us to communicate with them about your case and get the treatment your pet needs.
For general information, you can also download their Animal Poison app for iOS or Android - this should not be used to replace veterinary advice.
*As of May 2023, the ASPCA consultation fee is $90. This pricing may change, and we may not always have the most current pricing from the ASPCA.
Q:
What happens if I find an injured bird or squirrel?
A:
For any wildlife that is injured, we recommend reaching out to local wildlife rescues. For birds, the Chicago Bird and Collision Monitors can be reached at(773) 988-1867. For all other wildlife you can reach out to Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation at (847) 842-8000.
We will see severely injured wildlife for humane euthanasia services in order to end suffering. We accept donations for this service to go towards our good samaritan fund.
Q:
What should I expect when scheduling a surgery or dental?
A:
Surgeries and dentals are scheduled after an exam with a doctor, and must be scheduled within a month of a staging exam and pre-operative bloodwork. We recommended scheduling procedures at the close of your exam to ensure your pet is appropriately scheduled with their veterinarian. At the time of scheduling, we collect a non-refundable scheduling fee to hold the procedure slot. This fee is applied directly to the costs of your pet's procedures unless the surgery is missed or cancelled/rescheduled less than 48 business hours prior to the surgery slot.
Surgeries and dentals are offered Monday through Saturdays, with drop-offs set up between 7 am and 8 am. This is a fifteen minute appointment with a technician to go over your consent form and gather contact information for the day. We'll also make sure your pet hasn't shown any symptoms of being sick before taking them to the back to prep them for their stay.
Many pets will need to be fasted for their procedures, so make sure you clarify your instructions when scheduling. If your pet is required to fast, food and treats cannot be offered, but water is okay. If your pet is taking medication, clarify with your doctor if medication should be offered the morning of the procedure.
While you will receive an appointment reminder for the procedure, start-time can vary. When your pet wakes up from their procedure, we wait to assess how they've been affected by the anesthesia. Some pets bounce back quickly from anesthesia, while others may take longer for the effects to wear off. Once we have an assessment of how your pet is waking up, we'll reach out to you to set up a discharge time.
Discharges are scheduled when your pet is estimated to have recovered well from their anesthesia, and is a 15 minute appointment. Your surgery technician will come in to discuss the procedure, settle your invoice, and then let the doctor know when you're ready to review any final questions. Discharges are typically scheduled for after 5 pm, however your surgery technician will contact you to set up a time to meet with you.
Q:
Do you accept pet insurance?
A:
We do not work directly with pet insurance companies. Payment is due at the time of services and we will email notes and the invoice from the visit for you to submit to your insurance company for review and reimbursement.
You can use Pawlicy Advisor or check other consumer reports for insurance comparisons and quotes.
Q:
What do I do if I find a stray pet?
A:
We can scan stray animals for microchips. Give us a call to let us know if you'd like our assistance, and the client service representatives will help you determine what time you're heading over so we can be prepared. If a microchip is found, we'll look in our records to see if it's a patient of ours. If not, we'll check the online database for more information and see if we can find contact information for you.
If a microchip is not found, we recommend posting that you found this stray or lost pet on social media, and reaching out to rescues and shelters in the event that you are not able to house this animal. We unfortunately do not take in strays or lost pets in our facilities, as we are not zoned to keep them here.
Q:
How do microchips work?
A:
A microchip provides a unique identification number for your pet. Police stations, veterinarians, and many rescues/shelters have microchip scanners to search for these numbers. Once a number is found, we enter it in a database to find out where it has been registered. We'll reach out to the registration company for most recent contact information. This is why it is so important to update your pets' registration when phone numbers and address change - this is the best way to reunite you!
Q:
Do you offer boarding?
A:
We do not offer boarding services for animals.
While some of our employees personally offer pet sitting services, this service is not through our clinic.
Q:
My pet bit someone - what do I do?
A:
Animals bites must be reported and animals must begin their rabies observation within 24 hours of them biting any human or animal.
If your pet is current on their rabies vaccine, we can perform a rabies observation exam at Day 1 and Day 10 which we submit to Cook County.
If your pet is not current on their rabies vaccine, they must be seen at a facility that offers on-site boarding for rabies quarantine. Your pet will remain in their facility during this time.
Q:
I found wildlife in need of medical attention - what do I do?
A:
We cannot treat wildlife here at Duke Animal Hospital. For animals that are suffering we can perform humane euthanasia.
If you found a bird, raccoon, squirrel, or other wildlife that is in need of medical attention please reach out to the below:
For Birds:
Chicago Bird Collision Monitors
773-988-1867
For Wildlife:
Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation
847-842-8000
Fox Valley Wildlife Center
847-697-2880
Willowbrook Wildife Center Clinic
630-942-6200
Q:
How do I apply for a job?
A:
Email your resume and a cover letter to info@dukeanimalhospital.com. While prior veterinary experience is recommended, it is not mandatory. Personal experience working with animals or in similar fields can sometimes be enough to land you an interview. From there, it's up to you to show us your passion for animal care.
Q:
Can I volunteer at Duke Animal Hospital?
A:
At this time we do not accept volunteers at the hospital. However, if you are interested in shadowing, this can usually be arranged. Please email dukeanimalhospital@gmail.com with an inquiry explaining your reason for shadowing, what you expect to gain from us, and your availability. If we're a good match, a manager will reach out to you to set up shadowing time where you'll work closely with the staff to help further your understanding of how veterinarian clinics work.