We offer many options in alleviating pain and maximizing function in dogs with partial or complete CCL tears, and have had great success, however, not all tears are appropriate for alternative treatment alone. There are many determining factors that must be assessed by one of our veterinarians before we can say what is right for your pet.
It depends on the herbal medication and what it is treating. If you are unsure whether the herbal should be refilled, you can ask us via email, on this website or by calling the technician line at 423-531-8899 option 2 and leaving a voicemail.
- No, we do not. Leaving the ovaries and removing only the uterus at the time of spay presents a few problems. The risk of ovarian and mammary cancers remains heightened. The dog will still go through heat cycles if her ovaries are left intact – they will still attract male dogs during their heat cycle, and if bred soon after an OSS, could develop peritonitis, which can be fatal.
- We do recommend waiting until 12-24 months to spay for large breed dogs to allow for complete skeletal development before surgery.
- While women often keep their ovaries during a hysterectomy, dogs are not women. The biology is different.
We do not offer boarding but we often refer to Play Dog Excellent or GoDog for boarding.
We do not offer grooming but we have referred many clients to Chattagroomer and we receive great feedback about them!
This is case-dependent. We are governed by the rules of the State of Tennessee and adhere to those rules carefully regarding Rabies laws. We may make a very rare exception in an extreme circumstance, but typically we do not.
You can request a surgery date via email on this website or by calling the technician line at 423-531-8899 option 2 and leaving a voicemail.
We no longer offer awake dental cleanings. If your veterinarian is recommending a dental cleaning, it is likely due to calculus buildup on the teeth and below the gum line that will need to be removed with an ultrasonic scaler. Pets do not permit this type of instrument in their mouths due to the noise, and possible discomfort of cleaning below the gum line. Also, if the tartar is excessive, it may be concealing a painful area that would be uncovered during the process causing pain to the pet, or could even conceal a tooth issue that indicates need for removal, which certainly could not be done if the pet was awake.
We can offer daily dental care tips you can use at home to keep your pet’s teeth and gums as healthy as possible. This does not mean that the pet will never need an anesthetized dental procedure, but it can certainly postpone having those performed, just as routing dental cleanings at your dentist’s office can help you prevent major issues.
We practice Fear Free protocols in everything we do. From the time your pet enters our hospital, our goal is helping them feel safe and cared for. Our Fear Free staff members oversee the hospital aesthetic, ambiance and methods that are practiced during the entire visit to CHAI for all our patients to ensure that the next time they come into CHAI, they have a fond memory from their prior visit. This creates trust which creates improved vet visits and less stress for all involved.
Unfortunately, in the south, there are few RELIABLE alternatives to conventional heartworm prevention. There are many on the market that claim to prevent the deadly disease, but we see far too many pets who are on alternative treatment protocols who develop heartworm disease.
At CHAI, we prefer to titer test before vaccinating an adult dog with the Distemper/Parvo vaccine when possible. A titer test measures the blood antibodies to a disease to show if a pet has adequate antibodies to prevent infection from the disease if they were to encounter it. A titer test is far more reliable than a vaccine because a pet who is vaccinated may or may not build immunity to the disease they are vaccinated against. Vaccines work by stimulating the immune system, which causes the immune system to build antibodies against the disease we’re trying to prevent. If a pet is immune-compromised, they may not build the required antibodies and could still become infected with the disease. Vaccines are not always harmless and in the case of vaccines, repeating them every 1-3 years just because “it’s time” can cause many health issues in your pet. We believe vaccines are an absolutely vital part of your pets care but we only want to vaccinate when biologically necessary to prevent disease.
We recommend keeping Rabies vaccinations current unless your dog or cat has an underlying disease or prior Rabies vaccination reactions that make the vaccine riskier for them. Rabies titers are not recognized by law as confirming protection, since Rabies is transmissible to humans and nearly 100% fatal.
We do not perform vaccine titers for feline infectious diseases.
This depends on your pet’s environment. There are many pets who can use the amazing product Wondercide. If however your pet’s flea/tick load exposure is significant or if they are flea-allergic, your pet may require a pharmaceutical product.
There is a refill tab on the website main page. You can request refills there even if you don’t know the name of the medication. We will call you if we have questions about your submission.
- If you are an existing client, our exam fee is $60.00
- If you are a new client, our initial exam fee is $90 for a general exams and $150 for alternative consults with examinations. After the first time, they go down to the existing client rate.
- Annual visits vary because your pet may not be due for all services but in general, a dog who needs all vaccines, fecal test, heartworm test and exam is $240
This is a very broad question with no simple answer because our vaccine protocol is based on more than just the age of a pet. In general however, we recommend beginning vaccines at around 8 weeks of age and repeating every 4 to 5 weeks through 20 weeks of age. Puppies receive 4 DAP vaccines during that time period, and Bordetella (kennel cough) if needed. We vaccinate for Rabies between 4 to 6 months of age in most cases.
It depends on the pet and your ability to prevent them from accidental breeding. If they are in an environment where they are safe from unplanned breeding, we recommend waiting until they are at least 6 months of age for small and medium age dogs and until 12-24 months for large breed dogs.
Heartworm prevention is a prescription medication and therefore requires an annual examination and negative heartworm test in order for CHAI to approve a refill. At the examination, we will ensure your pet is healthy, has not contracted heartworm disease during the last year, and we will get an updated weight to ensure their dosage is correct.
Probably! An assessment must be made by our veterinarian to determine the best course of treatment for your pet. This is not a question that can be answered with a definite yes or no. Most chronic musculoskeletal issues can be dramatically improved with alternative treatments such as acupuncture, VOM and/or laser therapy. The right course of treatment depends on the issue and pet.
Almost all pets are willing participants in acupuncture treatments. Some even come through the hospital door and go straight to “their” room where they can receive their treatment. Not every pet is a great candidate, however. The veterinarian will assess your pet’s candidacy for our modalities during their examination.
