Here are some questions/answers that we are frequently asked. If you have additional questions that aren’t covered here, please feel free to give us a call at (765) 647-6674.
Our hospital is open
Monday: 8:00AM – 5:00PM
Tuesday: CLOSED
Wednesday: 8:00AM – 12:00PM
Thursday: 8:00AM – 5:00PM
Friday: 8:00AM – 5:00PM
Saturday: 8:00AM – 12:00PM
Sunday: CLOSED*Clinic is closed 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM for lunch
Dr. Ertel does surgeries on Monday and Thursday mornings. She sees appointments on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Fridays, and the 2nd & 4th Saturdays. Farm calls are set up on an as needed basis depending on the schedule or client preferences.
Dr. Dierckman does some surgeries and appointments on Wednesday and Friday mornings.
No after-hours emergency services are offered to established clients at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience.
**Feel free to request a particular Dr when you call to schedule your appointment!**
Yes, patients are seen by appointment. This allows us to be able to give every client and patient the time and care they deserve.
We have the option for a standard appointment with one of our veterinarians or an appointment with a licensed vet technician for basic appointments like vaccine boosters, toenail trims, suture removals, etc.
We do offer drop-off appointments in cases where a pet needs non-urgent care that can’t wait days for treatment and on days that all appointments are already filled.
Cash or Credit Card
Payment is required at the time of service. We currently do not offer any type of payment plan. If needed, we do except pre-payment/down payments on surgeries and we can do bloodwork, vaccines, etc. prior to the day of surgery to help spread out the expense.
No. We are familiar with several boarding kennels in the area for clients looking for recommendations.
We only offer basic sedated cat grooming at this time. We do not groom dogs other than sanitary trims and toenail trims.
We have both indoor and outdoor kennels. All cat and dog patients are kept in the indoor kennels. The outdoor kennel is reserved for our livestock patients.
At this time, we only perform euthanasia at home for established patients/clients. These must be scheduled ahead of time and cannot be done on an emergency basis due to already scheduled appointments in the clinic. We highly encourage and recommend planning ahead.
Surgical FAQ’s
Many people have questions about various aspects of their pet’s surgery, and we hope this information will help. It also explains the decisions you will need to make before your pet’s upcoming surgery.
All surgeries are on an appointment basis. We currently offer surgery appointments on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
All food must be withheld after 8 pm the evening prior to the surgery appointment. Access to small amounts of water is ok overnight.
Patients are dropped off typically between 8:30 – 9:30 AM and will stay the day with us. Pick-up time is usually between 3:30 – 4:30 PM.
Senior pets (over 7 years old) or pets with pre-existing conditions are required to have bloodwork done prior to surgery. This is for the safety of your pet and will allow the doctor to assess organ function prior to developing an anesthetic plan.
Depending on the type of procedure as well as individual patient factors, some pets may receive IV fluids before, during and after surgery. Other patients may receive subcutaneous fluids or fluid under their skin.
All patients will receive pain medication at the time of surgery and will be prescribed pain medication to go home with them following surgery.
We require all routine surgeries (spay, neuters, mass removals, dentals, etc.) to be current on their Rabies vaccination and DHLPP (dogs) or FVRCP (cats) vaccination. If there is no proof of current vaccination, then they will receive one at the time of surgery.
For most surgeries, dissolvable suture material is used. It will dissolve in 2-3 weeks after surgery. Some types of surgeries may require sutures that have to be removed, typically 10-14 days later. You will be advised on when to bring your pet back to have the sutures removed at the time of surgery discharge.
It is expected that patients will feel discomfort and/or pain after surgical procedures. In order to keep your pet comfortable, pain medication will be prescribed. We have several options for pain medications depending on the type of procedure and what each individual pet may need. Typically, patients will receive an injection of pain medication that lasts 24 hours and then additional oral pain medication will be sent home for several days during the recovery period.
Spaying or neutering can be done at approximately 6 months of age or older. There are some reasons why spaying/neutering might be delayed – give us a call and we’d be glad to discuss the ideal age for your particular pet.
Your pet is given an exam prior to surgery to help determine whether your pet is healthy enough to undergo the surgical procedure.
This is a blood test that is run in the clinic prior to surgery. It tests the organ functions, blood count, hydration, electrolytes, etc. of your pet. The pre-anesthetic blood screening is done to assure safety during surgery and the ability to heal following surgery. This is not required, unless your pet is sick or over 7 years of age.
For most surgeries we highly recommend restricting activity for at least 10-14 days post-surgery. This allows for adequate time for healing and reduces the occurrence of post-operative complications. All pets should wear an e-collar after surgery to prevent licking at the surgical site for at least 10 days.