New clients

What to expect at your first appointment.

Welcome. We are glad you are considering us. The notes below cover the small but mostly-uninteresting logistics of becoming a new client. The bigger questions — does this clinic suit your pet, is the doctor a fit, what does the visit really cost — are best answered by calling us at (973) 762-9180 or scheduling a first appointment.

What to bring.

Previous vet records
We will request these from your prior practice if you give us their name and city — we have a release form ready at the front desk. If you have your own paper or PDF copy, even better.
Vaccine history
If your pet has been vaccinated at a corporate-chain, big-box, or low-cost clinic where records sometimes don't transfer, bring whatever paperwork you have.
Current medications
Name, dose, and how often. A photo of the bottle label is fine. Include flea/tick and heartworm prevention.
Diet details
Food brand and variety, daily portion, treats, table scraps (be honest — we are unjudgmental).
Questions written down
Most clients arrive with three questions and remember two of them. Write them down. We will answer them.

What to expect — five steps.

  1. Check in with the front desk.

    Tina, Maria, or James will greet you. New-client paperwork takes about ten minutes if you didn't fill it out online. The front desk has water and a bowl for water-needing dogs.

  2. Wait in the dog lobby or the cat lobby.

    We have both, separated by a half-wall partition. Cats wait in the cat lobby. Dogs wait in the dog lobby. Average wait at a scheduled appointment time: 4 minutes.

  3. Tech takes vitals and history.

    One of our eight RVTs will take weight, temperature, heart rate, and a thorough patient history before the doctor comes in. This is when the unwritten questions tend to surface — the technician will note them for the doctor.

  4. Doctor exam and plan.

    Thirty minutes scheduled. Head-to-tail exam, the conversation about what you came in for, the conversation about anything we find, the recommended plan. We give written estimates before any procedure.

  5. Settle the bill and book what's next.

    Front desk runs payment, schedules any follow-up, and emails you a written visit summary the same day. Most first visits run 45 minutes total in the building.

Payment & insurance.

What we accept

Cash, check, all major credit cards, CareCredit, and Scratchpay. Payment due at time of service.

Pet insurance

We work with all major carriers — Trupanion, Healthy Paws, Embrace, ASPCA, Lemonade, Pets Best, MetLife. We collect at time of service; you submit the itemized invoice for reimbursement.

Wellness plans

Three monthly memberships covering preventive care: Puppy & Kitten ($59), Adult ($45), Senior ($65). See /wellness-plans for the full comparison.

New-client form.

Fill this out and the front desk will reach out within one business day to schedule. Mon–Fri 7am–7pm, Sat 8am–2pm.