Veterinary Care Questions
Q: I am new to the area. What do I need to know?
A: We recommend keeping your dog on heartworm preventative May through October here in the Moreno Valley. If you travel to warmer climates where mosquitoes are more prevalent, keeping your dog on heartworm preventative while traveling is ideal. We don’t see fleas often here, but if your pet gets fleas you’ll need to treat them. We do occasionally see plague and tularemia, both dangerous diseases that can be spread by fleas to you. If your dog or cat has fleas, it’s very important to get rid of them. We also see occasional ticks in the summer. They are not widespread in this area. We recommend vaccinating for leptospirosis if your dog drinks or swims in local lakes and ponds. Leptospirosis is a bacteria found in stagnant water shared with wildlife and cattle. If your dog avoids these areas they will not need the vaccine.
Q: I got a new puppy/kitten! When do I need to start their vaccines?
A: We start vaccines at 6 to 8 weeks old. They will get a series of vaccines 3 to 4 weeks apart. Puppy usually need 3 to 4 sets of vaccines and kittens usually need 2 to 3 sets of vaccines.
Q: I'm from out of town and I forgot my pet's medication. Can I get it from you?
A: We will need to speak to the veterinary hospital that prescribed the medication or have them fax us a prescription to be filled. Please always check to make sure we have the medication you need filled for your pet.
Q: What do I do if I find injured wildlife?
A: You can call our office and we will give you instructions and information on the situation. We have volunteers we can call that can take injured wildlife to the Espanola Wildlife Center where they will be treated and then released.
Q: I found a stray, can I bring them to you?
A: We cannot kennel found or stray animals because of limited cage space, but we can scan them for a microchip and see if we can locate the owner. Sometimes we recognize the animal and know who it belongs to. You can bring the animal to the hospital for us to see and scan.
Q: Do you have emergency services after hours?
A: Yes, we do. Please call our office and if after hours, the message will tell you how to reach Dr. Gaffney. If she is unavailable, the message will also advise you to seek veterinary care elsewhere.
A: We recommend keeping your dog on heartworm preventative May through October here in the Moreno Valley. If you travel to warmer climates where mosquitoes are more prevalent, keeping your dog on heartworm preventative while traveling is ideal. We don’t see fleas often here, but if your pet gets fleas you’ll need to treat them. We do occasionally see plague and tularemia, both dangerous diseases that can be spread by fleas to you. If your dog or cat has fleas, it’s very important to get rid of them. We also see occasional ticks in the summer. They are not widespread in this area. We recommend vaccinating for leptospirosis if your dog drinks or swims in local lakes and ponds. Leptospirosis is a bacteria found in stagnant water shared with wildlife and cattle. If your dog avoids these areas they will not need the vaccine.
Q: I got a new puppy/kitten! When do I need to start their vaccines?
A: We start vaccines at 6 to 8 weeks old. They will get a series of vaccines 3 to 4 weeks apart. Puppy usually need 3 to 4 sets of vaccines and kittens usually need 2 to 3 sets of vaccines.
Q: I'm from out of town and I forgot my pet's medication. Can I get it from you?
A: We will need to speak to the veterinary hospital that prescribed the medication or have them fax us a prescription to be filled. Please always check to make sure we have the medication you need filled for your pet.
Q: What do I do if I find injured wildlife?
A: You can call our office and we will give you instructions and information on the situation. We have volunteers we can call that can take injured wildlife to the Espanola Wildlife Center where they will be treated and then released.
Q: I found a stray, can I bring them to you?
A: We cannot kennel found or stray animals because of limited cage space, but we can scan them for a microchip and see if we can locate the owner. Sometimes we recognize the animal and know who it belongs to. You can bring the animal to the hospital for us to see and scan.
Q: Do you have emergency services after hours?
A: Yes, we do. Please call our office and if after hours, the message will tell you how to reach Dr. Gaffney. If she is unavailable, the message will also advise you to seek veterinary care elsewhere.
Clinic Questions
Q: Do I need an appointment?
A: Yes, we always appreciate you making appointments ahead of time which easily can be done by calling our office.
Q: Do you carry pet foods?
A: Yes, we do carry both prescription diets and nonprescription foods such as puppy/kitten and adult. The brands we carry regularly are Royal Canin and Purina Pro Plan. We do not carry any Hill's Diet foods, but we often have an equivalent diet in Royal Canin or Purina. We can often order Royal Canin or Purina foods we don't have on hand at the request of a client if you give us about a week notice to order before you need the food. If we do not carry the food oyou need, you can order from our online store. If the food requires a prescription, we can approve it online or by fax as long as you are one of our clients.
Q: Do you have a dog groomer or are there any groomers in the area?
A: No, we do not have a groomer at our clinic for our fluffy canines. The nearest grooming services are in Taos.
*Please note, we do offer cat shaves/bathes, but the cat is required to go under anesthesia for the procedure.
Q: Do you have a dog trainer?
A: No, we do not have a trainer at our clinic.
Q: Do you do nail trims on dogs/cats, and do I need an appointment?
A: Yes, we do nail trims on both dogs and cats. Yes, please call in advance to schedule an appointment for a nail trim for your furry friend.
Q: Does Dr. Gaffney see exotic pets?
A: Yes, Dr. Gaffney will see small exotics, except for snakes.
Q: Do you do house calls?
A: Yes, we will do house calls on occasion if it is not possible for the owner or patient to come to the clinic. However, this is at Dr. Gaffney's discretion and depends on how busy the schedule is for the day. There is a house-call fee separate from treatment charges.
Q: Do you offer pet boarding services?
A: No, we are no longer offering boarding services as of May 1, 2022.
Below is a list of some of the kennels in the area:
10,000 Wags Kennel - 575-751-9247 - www.10000wags.com
Taos Canyon Kennel and Training Center - 575-758-4229 (Seasonal Kennel) - www.taoscanyonkennel.com
Pet Pals Dog Boarding Kennel - 575-224-4277 - eaglenestdogboarding.com
Billing Questions
Q: Do you take pet insurance or Care credit?
A: We do accept and work with pet insurance companies but we do not accept Care Credit.
Q: Do you have payment plans?
A: Generally, no. You can call the clinic before you come in and discuss this with Dr. Gaffney, and we might be able to work out an agreement.
Q: What methods of payment do you accept?
A: We accept all major credit cards including Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express (except Care Credit), and we accept cash and checks.
A: We do accept and work with pet insurance companies but we do not accept Care Credit.
Q: Do you have payment plans?
A: Generally, no. You can call the clinic before you come in and discuss this with Dr. Gaffney, and we might be able to work out an agreement.
Q: What methods of payment do you accept?
A: We accept all major credit cards including Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express (except Care Credit), and we accept cash and checks.
