Your First Visit

Preparing for Your First Appointment

Bringing a new pet into your home is a big responsibility. We will help you get off to the right start and make sure your new pet is healthy and free from diseases that could put your other animals at risk.

Entering the Animal Hospital

Be sure to keep cats and exotic animals in a safe carrier and dogs on a leash. We know that most of our patients are very friendly, but animal temperaments can change in the hospital setting. Our goal is to keep our clients, patients, and staff safe. If your pet is ill (coughing, sneezing, or lethargic), let us know, so that we can invite you and your pet through a private door to avoid exposing other pets to any contagious illnesses.

Establishing Records

If your pet has previous medical records, we recommend bringing them so that we know whether necessary immunizations have been administered and if they have had any health challenges in the past that we should know about. For your convenience, our client service representatives are happy to call and request records from previous hospitals on your behalf. Once we have the records in hand, we will attach them to your pet’s file to ensure that we have a complete history.

If you have pet insurance, remember to bring a claim form with you to your visit. Most pet insurance companies will require you to provide the medical notes from the visit as well as an invoice from the visit showing that services were paid for in full. If you need help deciding on a pet insurance plan, please talk with one of our staff members as we have several resources available.

What to Expect at Your First Visit

At your pet’s first exam with us, we will spend time getting to know your animal. During most physical examinations, our Veterinarians remain in the room with you and your pet to record vitals, listen to the heart and lungs, examine eyes, ears, and nose, and discuss anything that requires your attention.

Every so often, if a pet is very nervous or very protective of their owner, they experience less stress having the examination performed outside of the examination room. It is our goal to keep pet parents involved in their pet’s care, so your pet will never be taken out of your line of sight if you are not comfortable with it.

If we need to draw blood or perform other types of diagnostics such as radiographs, we often take your pet to the treatment area where our wonderful nurses work. Your pet’s safety and comfort are our number one priority, so you can rest assured that our veterinarians, nurses, and their assistants will take excellent care of your pet and deliver them right back to you.

Microchip Identification

Many pets that are adopted from shelters have already had a microchip placed. This chip can be scanned by other shelters or animal hospitals if your pet is ever lost and will help to identify them and get them back to you safely. If your pet has a microchip, we will save the microchip number on our computer. It is very important that you ensure your pet’s microchip number is registered to you. Unregistered microchips are of no use to a lost pet or their family, as there is no way to link the pet back to you.

Contact Us to Arrange Your Pet’s First Visit

We are honored that you are considering the Mesa Veterinary Hospital team to play an important role in your pet’s health. Give us a call to book an appointment. Our convenient hours make it easy to come by before or after work and even on the weekends!