Sigman Veterinary Clinic

Frequently Asked Questions

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 (770)787-1581.

1. What are your business hours?

  Our hospital is open Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 6:00pm. Saturdays we are open from 8:00am until noon. The clinic is closed on Sunday.

2. Are you open during lunch?

  Yes! We are open during the lunch break from 12pm-1pm, however we ask that you do not come during that time to drop off or pick up your pet.  

3. Do I need to have an appointment?

  We prefer appointments! We allow walk-ins but cannot guarantee your wait time.  Please call prior to coming in for the best and quickest service possible. 

4. What forms of payment do you accept?

  Cash, Personal Check, VISA, Discover, Mastercard, and American Express. We offer Care Credit as of 5/18/22.

5. Can I make payments?

  Payment is required at the time of service. We do not offer payment plans. 

6. At what age can I have my pet spayed or neutered?

  We prefer pets to be 6 months of age or older. No pet is too old for spaying/neutering! Current vaccinations are required at the time of surgery. We offer a pre-anesthetic blood panel for all pets prior to undergoing surgery. Pets over 7 years of age are required to have a pre-anesthetic blood panel done prior to undergoing anesthesia and surgery. 

7.  What is the pre-anesthetic blood panel?

  This is a blood test that is run in the clinic prior to anesthesia and surgery. Pre-anesthetic blood panels consist of a Complete Blood Count (CBC) and a Blood Chemistry. The CBC evaluates your pets red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The Blood Chemistry evaluates organ function (liver and kidneys), and blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. Abnormal values may mean that your pet's organ(s) are not functioning normally which can affect how your pet handles anesthesia. The results of the blood panel will determine if your pet's surgery needs to be postponed.

8. How long do the sutures stay in after my pet's surgery?

  Sutures stay in for 14 days. 

9.  Is it a good idea to let my pet have at least one litter?

  No, there is no advantage to letting your pet have one litter. However there are plenty of advantages to having you pet spayed or neutered. These advantages include decreasing the chances of mammary tumors later in life, decreasing the chance of cystic ovaries and uterine infections later in life, decreasing the desire to roam the neighborhood, decreasing the incidence of prostate cancer later in life, helping prevent spraying and marking, and also decreases the incidence of accidental pregnancy.

10.  What is heartworm disease?

  Heartworm disease is caused by a parasite called Dirofilaria immitis, which lives in the heart and adjacent blood vessels. It primarily occurs in dogs, but can occur in cats. It is transmitted by mosquitoes and it only takes one bite from an infected mosquito. A mosquito feeds on an infected dog or cat and takes in small immature worms called microfilaria. Once inside the mosquito, the microfilaria grow into larvae. When the mosquito feeds on a new dog or cat it deposits the larvae into the bite wound and that dog or cat becomes infected. It takes 6 months for the larvae to grow into mature worms. The adult worms end up in the heart and blood vessels surrounding the heart and eventually it can lead to multiple organ failure. Sometimes pets do not show any symptoms until the heartworm disease is well advanced. 

11.  Does my pet need year round heartworm prevention?

  We highly recommend your pet being on year round heartworm prevention. Due to our mild winters in Georgia, mosquitoes are present year round. 

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