Frequently Asked Questions

To make an appointment, please go to our home page and click request appointment. Once we receive your request, we will contact you to book your appointment if you have not already done so through the website.  Due to the nature of being a mobile practice and covering most of Suffolk County, NY we can not give exact appointment times. Therefore, our appointments are made in 4 -5 hour time slots. We will contact you when we are about 1/2 hour away. If your appointment is emergent, or you require a same day euthanasia, please text us at 631-464-1410 after you submit your form. 

Time slots are as follow:

When you book for 11am appointment your time slot would be between 11am-5pm

When you book a 12pm appointment your time slot will be between 12pm-6pm

When you book a 1pm appointment your time slot will be between 1pm-7pm

When you book a  2pm appointment your time slot will be between 2pm-7pm

When you book a 3pm appointment your time slot will be between 3pm-7pm

When you book a 4pm appointment your time slot will be between 4pm-8pm

Please note same day, evenings, Sundays and holiday appointments may have an extra fee*($100) As we try to arrive within your time slot, sometimes things beyond our control may occur. We will always notify you if we are running late or need to reschedule. Same day appointments are held for current clients and will offered depending on availability. 

An estimate for services can be given prior to your appointment.  Please note that sick visit estimates often can't be given until after examination of your pet- these would include diagnostics and medications needed to treat your pet. 

Before your appointment, please have your pet's medical records emailed to Lauritanodvm@gmail.com. This will allow us to prepare for your visit and make sure we can accommodate your pet's needs. 

On arrival we will greet you and your pet. Most times we will come in to your home and "make ourselves comfortable" so that your pet thinks we are just friends visiting. This will give your pet a chance to say hello and get used of us. At this time we will talk to you about your pets history, concerns and expectations for our visit. Once settled we will set up in an area comfortable for your pet to do our exam. We typically will set up on the floor, or do the exam while your pet relaxes in their bed. We will make the exam as stress free as possible. Please let us know prior to our visit if your pet can not have treats. We will most likely give them treats to make friends. After your pet is examined, Dr. Alana will talk to you about her findings and recommendations. Once a treatment plan is in place we will then perform any diagnostics, treatments, etc your pet needs. 

We realize that all situations are unique and we will adjust our plan accordingly. 

Once your pet has been treated we will prescribe your pet the appropriate medication(s). Since we are mobile we may not have the medication on hand in your pet needs. In these cases Dr. Alana will give you a written prescription which may be filled at a pet pharmacy (or sometimes a human pharmacy) If the medication is not urgent or needs compounding, prescriptions may be filled using our online pharmacy. 

Since we are mobile, all of our documents are paperless. Within a day of your appointment, you will receive an email with a detailed list of services that were performed; along with any Rabies/vaccine certificates etc. attached. 

Rabies tags will be given at the time of your appointment. The attachments at the bottom are what you would send to your pets insurance company is applicable. 

For payment, we accept all major credit cards, Venmo, Zelle, cash and checks. We do not accept Care Credit. All credit card payments are made through our online portal. Payment for these services will be expected before we leave your home. 

After your appointment, we will contact you to discuss any blood work results / diagnostic results, and concerns you may have for your pet. All diagnostic results will also be emailed to you for your records. Please make sure our emails do not go to spam. 

After your initial consultation and follow up, any emails/texts or phone calls that do not pertain to the original concern for which your pet was seen for will be charged accordingly. You may set up a phone consultation or zoom call to discuss these concerns for an additional charge. 

Phone/Zoom consultation: $75 minimum up to 1/2 hour. 

Dr. Alana's Veterinary Care has an app for iPhone and Android clients can use to book follow up appointments and request medication refills. 

 A house call veterinarian can reduce your pet's stress, fear, and avoid the anxiety of traveling to a traditional animal hospital. 

Veterinary appointments in a conventional veterinary office are scheduled back to back. This doesn’t always allow a sufficient amount of time to ask the veterinarian questions and get answers. 

Having a mobile vet come to your home allows for uninterrupted one on one time with the veterinarian.

Using a mobile veterinarian helps keep your pets safe, by reducing the possibility of them being exposed to sick and possibly contagious animals.  

For multiple pet households, all of your pets can be seen in one visit, without having to endure the hassle of transporting multiple pets to a clinic. 

 House call veterinary care is considered a luxury concierge service and is typically more expensive than seeing your "brick and mortar veterinarian". This is because we will typically see 4-6 pets a day as opposed to 20-40 pets a day like your local animal clinic would. We are also traveling to your home and spending more time with you and your pet so we must charge appropriately for our time and expertise. 

We realize this is not for everyone so If you have financial constraints, or are seeking a low cost option, a wellness or low cost clinic may be better suited for your needs. 

Unfortunately time and time again veterinarians hear- if you really loved animals you would help them for free. I would like to shed some light on this topic; No veterinarians or veterinary support staff go into this field for "the money" this is not just a career it is a way of life. Veterinarians  have invested an exorbitant amount of time and money into their education (minimum of 8 years of school past high school)  to be able to help pets like yours. In turn we must get paid, otherwise we would go out of business and no one would be there to help your pets. There are some low cost facilities which are subsidized by the government and are able to charge the pet owner less, but are still getting funds toward the care from the government. 

 Compliance with various legal and regulatory requirements, including record-keeping and other paperwork, is necessary for the operation of a veterinary practice. Reviewing blood and other diagnostic test results, researching cases, keeping up with continuing education, Veterinarians are required to obtain and maintain licenses, which often involve fees and ongoing education to stay current with the latest advancements in veterinary medicine. 

House call veterinarians incur transportation costs, including gas and maintenance for their vehicles, as they travel to different locations to provide services.The time spent traveling to and from appointments is a significant factor. 

House call veterinarians spend much more time per appointment due to travel considerations. and one on one interactions. House call services have overhead costs such as medical supplies, equipment, insurance, and administrative expenses and employees to pay. Veterinarians are highly trained professionals with expertise in animal health. They provide a valuable service and deserve compensation for their skills and knowledge. 

Veterinary care requires a commitment to ethical standards, and professionals should be compensated for the services they provide to maintain the quality of care. So what may look like an hour an appointment to you really can be a minimum of 3-4 hours of work. 

After all do you get paid to go to work and do your job? 

 At this time Dr. Alana does not see emergency appointments. Since Dr. Alana is a solo veterinarian being able to respond to an emergency would be quite difficult. Our business hours are Monday- Friday 9am-5pm. However same day, evening and weekend appointment may be available depending on availability and will incur an after hours charge of $100. We recommend you having a relationship with a nearby clinic that sees emergencies in case one arises.