Financial Policy

Thank you for choosing Canisteo Veterinary Hospital. Our primary mission is to deliver the best and most comprehensive veterinary care available for your pet. An important part of the mission is making the cost of optimal care as easy and manageable for our clients as possible by offering several payment options. Canisteo Veterinary Hospital requires payment in full at the end of your pet’s examination and/or at the time of discharge.

For surgeries and procedures, please feel free to request an estimate of total cost if one has not already been provided. For some treatments or hospitalized care, we will require a deposit to begin your pet’s treatment.

We are a busy practice and do everything we can to accommodate your schedule when we book you for a surgery or an appointment. Cancellations can take away this opportunity for other clients to be scheduled during those times so we ask for at least 24 hours notice when cancelling appointments.

Owners will be held responsible for all fees associated with the collection process, should an account be sent to a collection agency including but not limited to: agency fees(at a maximum of 33.33% of the debt), attorney fees, and any other fees incurred by the collection efforts.

Hospitalizations

All hospitalized animals must be current on their vaccinations or they will be updated here, unless precluded by illness.

Fleas, ticks and ear mites are a nuisance and can spread or carry diseases. For this reason, any hospitalized animal found to be carrying any of these will be treated. Please ask about home treatments and ways to prevent other pets (and people!) in the house from becoming infested.

Appointments

To allow ample time for all patients and scheduled surgical procedures, we operate primarily by appointment. Clients who arrive 15 or more minutes late for their scheduled appointment will be treated as a walk-in case and will be seen as time permits after the other scheduled clients have been seen, or they may reschedule. Emergency cases shall 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.

New Clients

As the check-in process for new clients requires slightly more time, we recommend that new clients arrive 15 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment, with previous medical records, to ensure an on-time appointment.

We ask for proof of vaccination records upon transfer. This enables us to offer the best protection available for your pet against deadly diseases. It also allows our computer to send out reminders for upcoming vaccinations.

Prescriptions

Any prescription refill requires a Doctor’s authorization. For this reason, we kindly ask for 72 hours notice to have them filled. This enables us to have them ready for you to pick up.

Lobby

Please keep all animals leashed or in carriers. We have leashes you may borrow, and cardboard carriers are available to purchase. Please have all retractable leashes in a locked position and at a safe distance for your pets’ safety while in the waiting room.

We are a family-friendly establishment. However, in the interest of safety for both your family and other visiting pets, please do not leave children unattended in the lobby. Although we hope all our patients are going to kiss and be friendly, we can’t guarantee how other dogs are around children.

Emergency

We make every effort to be available to our clients, both on a daily and emergency basis. Sometimes we are away from the phone, assisting elsewhere in the hospital. Please leave a message and we will return your call. If you call after hours you will be directed via the answering machine to the animal emergency center.

Return Policy

Un-opened, not expired food products that were purchased through our hospital may be returned for either a full or partial refund depending on the brand of food, please call for further information.

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and FDA Compliance Policy Guideline 7132.09 state that our facility is not to allow patients to return unused prescriptions or over-the-counter products. Our office is held solely responsible in any instance of altered or contaminated prescription drugs harming any pet or pet owner. For this reason, we cannot accept any returns of opened items or any returned prescriptions. Also, any items that are beyond their expiration date are not acceptable for return. Please keep in mind that these policies are set in place to protect you and your pet from receiving potentially harmful substances.

There are NO refunds on services or procedures performed by our doctors or staff in the clinic.