FAQ

What are your hours?

We are open from 8am – 6pm Monday through Friday and 8am – 1pm on Saturdays.

We see appointments 9am - 5:15pm Monday through Friday and 9am - 11:15am on Saturdays.

We offer standard surgical, dental, and sedated services M-Th as drop off procedures.

What forms of payment do you accept?

Visa, MC, Discover, Amex, ApplePay, Samsung Pay, CareCredit

Do we offer payment plans?

We accept financing provided by CareCredit

What kind of pets do you treat?

We see and treat canine (domestic dog) and feline (domestic cat) patients only.

I have an exotic pet, where can I go?

Chadwell Animal Hospital

Phone | 443-512-8338 

Do I need an appointment?

Yes, appointments are required, and we do not accept walk-in patients. Please contact us for scheduling.

How do I make an appointment?

Schedule online, call us, refer to our contact us page

How long does it take to get an appointment?

Non-urgent appointments are generally seen within 2 weeks. Urgent appointments can be as soon as the same day; please call us for triaging and availability.

Do you offer boarding, daycare, or grooming services?

We do not offer boarding or daycare. We offer nail trims and medically essential grooming, such as shave downs for severely matted animals, only. We do not offer standard grooming.

What are the recommended vaccines for a dog?

Rabies is required by law for all dogs over the age of 16 weeks. The first vaccine is valid for one year, and Rabies vaccines administered after that are valid for three years in most cases. Additionally, we recommend Leptospirosis, Lyme, and Distemper vaccines (DAPP) for all canine patients. Bordetella and Canine Influenza vaccines are available for those whose lifestyle requires them.

What are the recommended vaccines for a cat?

Rabies is required by law for all cats over the age of 16 weeks, even if they are indoor only. The first vaccine is valid for one year, and Rabies vaccines administered after that are valid for three years in most cases. Additionally, we recommend Feline Distemper (FVRCP) and Feline Leukemia vaccines for all feline patients.

Why should I spay or neuter my pet?

These procedures reduce sexual behaviors, prevent unwanted reproduction, reduce the risks of some cancers and health issues, and spaying prevents pyometra in female animals.

What age should I spay/neuter my dog?

We recommend that most dogs remain intact until they are sexually and skeletally mature, which ranges from 1-2 years of age, depending on size and breed.

What age should I spay/neuter my cat?

6 months is the recommended age for all cats

Why should I give my cat/dog flea and tick preventative year-round?

In Maryland, we see fleas and ticks year-round, which requires that pets be on preventatives for the whole year.

Why should I give my cat/dog heartworm prevention year-round?

In Maryland, we have the potential to see mosquitos year-round. In addition, heartworm preventative medication helps prevent many of the most common intestinal parasites. Stopping prevention may require additional testing to safely restart.

What flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives do you recommend?

We stock Simparica Trio chews for dogs and Bravecto Plus topical for cats. Both medications provide protection against fleas, ticks, heartworms, hookworms and roundworms. If you have a preference for another product, we can discuss options and you may utilize our online store to purchase those.

How can I order food, medications, and preventatives for my pet?

We offer an Online Store, a convenient App, or we can always discuss refills over the phone.

Does Howard County Animal Hospital authorize prescriptions through Chewy, 1-800-Pet-Meds, or other third party online retailers?

Howard County Animal Hospital values our clients’ time, and we understand your need for home delivery options for your pet’s products and medications. We understand that online retailers offer a quick, convenient, and low-cost option for receiving your pet’s food, medications, and other products.

Recent activity by some of these retailers has brought concern among veterinary providers. We have seen an increase in fraudulent and incorrect prescriptions originating from a number of third party sources. Additionally, we had had reports of products that are:

- Incorrectly dosed
- An RX that would interact with another medication the pet is on
- A medication that is harmful to that particular pet
- Counterfeit
- Filled without proper approval 

Howard County Animal Hospital values the relationships we build with our clientele, and we believe in providing the best possible care for your furry family members. As such, effective November 8, 2021, we will no longer be communicating with any third-party online retailers to “sign off” or confirm prescription requests. We are happy to provide you with a written prescription, which is your right, and which you may take to any physical or online pharmacy of your choosing. However, this prescription must be picked up in person (we cannot send this via email) and comes with an administrative fee of $5. We understand this may come as an inconvenience to you, which is why we offer the following solutions:

Vetsource, our online pharmacy

Purina Vet Direct

Hill’s to Home

Heartworm and flea preventatives and a number of other medications and supplements are available in practice and eligible for up to $55 in manufacturer rebates.

If you would like to purchase a product from the online retailer of your choice, please provide us 72 hours to create a written script, which you may pick up during normal business hours and utilize at your choice of pharmacy.

Why do I need a heartworm test to get heartworm preventative if my dog has been on a preventative year-round?

No medication can be 100% guaranteed, we require annual testing for your pet’s safety, and because it is required for manufacturer coverage of necessary treatments should your pet ever contract heartworms. More information can be found on the American Heartworm Society page. 

Why does my pet need an annual fecal?

Many infected pets show no signs of illness and prolonged infestations can cause serious harm to your pets, and may potentially pose a risk to you and your family as well.

How contagious are intestinal parasites?

 Intestinal parasites, like roundworms, hookworms, and giardia are threats to pets and many are even transmissible to humans. Many infected pets don’t show any signs of illness at all.

Do you accept pet insurance?

Most pet insurance works on a reimbursement basis. The pet owner is responsible for any payment due at time of service, then will need to submit a claim with their pet insurance provider for reimbursement of any amount that is covered by the policy. Have questions about getting insurance for your pet? Ask us during your visit!

I’m looking for a new pet, where can I look?

Petfinder.com, TICA, AKC-associated breed parent clubs, local rescues and shelters

How do I register my pet’s microchip?

We use Fi Microchips that are automatically registered to the hospital. To transfer the registration to you, you will need the yellow registration card that we gave to you when the microchip was implanted. Scan the QR code or use this link: https://support.tryfi.com/hc/en-us/sections/4416116205587-Fi-Nano-Microchip-Registration-for-Pet-Owners to access the Pet Owner Registration Page. Registration is free for life, and any moves or changes in ownership can be easily done via the Fi portal.

My pet is lost, what do I do?

• Call us! We can help with sending out lost pet alerts and walking you through some local resources for helping find your missing pet.
• If your pet has a microchip, contact the company it is registered with and notify them that your pet is lost; they will place an alert that will pop up if the microchip is scanned.
• Contact your local animal shelters and online (usually on FB) lost and found pet groups. Be ready to provide a description, a photo of your pet, and a way to contact you if they are found.

Do you have puppy classes? How about training for older dogs?

We offer puppy classes every Thursday at 6pm. Information can be found here.

For older dogs, we recommend checking out:
Alma’s Balanced Canines (https://www.facebook.com/almasbalancedcanines/)
Limitless Canines (https://www.limitlesscanines.com/).