FAQS

Get Informed

How do I schedule an appointment and what is the cancellation and deposit policy?

To schedule an appointment with At Your Door Mobile Veterinary Care, send us a text, email, or give us a call (leave a voicemail if you do not reach us). Our team will assist you in arranging your pet's visit.
For new clients, you will need to get your pets veterinary records over to us and new client and new patient forms filled out prior to being scheduled
We kindly ask that you provide us with 3 business days notice of an appointment cancellation. Because we are a mobile practice, late cancellations leave appointment gaps that cannot be filled on short notice and directly impact our ability to care for other patients. Cancellations made with less than 3 business days’ notice will be billed the full house-call fee.

Information on deposits when scheduling:

If there has been a previous last minute cancellation noted on your chart, you may be required to pay a deposit fee that is non refundable if the appointment is cancelled with less than 3 business days notice.
For appointments with more than one pet being scheduled, a deposit will now be required at the time of booking. The deposit will equal the exam fee for each pet being seen.
- This deposit is refundable if you need to cancel or reschedule if we have been given at least 5 business days’ notice
- Cancellations made with less than 5 business days’ notice will result in the deposit being forfeited.

What payment methods are accepted?

Preferred payment methods are: check or cash.

We do accept credit cards. Please note that there is a 3% credit card processing fee that will start to be applied to credit card transactions in the first quarter of 2026. This reflects the actual fees charged to small businesses for card processing.

We also accept CARE credit for transactions over $250 with a maximum payment period of 6 months.

Payment is due at the time of service.

What should I do if my pet is having an emergency or needs more urgent care?

These concerns may require same-day or emergency care, and may not be appropriate for a mobile visit:

Difficulty breathing, open-mouth breathing, blue or pale gums

Collapse, sudden weakness, inability to stand

Seizures (especially first-time or multiple)

Active bleeding or significant trauma (hit by car, major wounds)

Suspected bloat (distended abdomen, unproductive retching)

Heat stroke

Toxin ingestion (medications, chocolate, xylitol, plants, chemicals)

Inability to urinate or straining without producing urine

Severe pain or distress

Sudden paralysis or loss of limb function

For these concerns, we recommend immediate evaluation at an emergency veterinary hospital.

WHAT MAY BE APPROPRIATE FOR A MOBILE SICK VISIT: (Availability dependent on schedule and route)

Mild lethargy but still responsive

Minor gastrointestinal upset (vomiting/diarrhea without collapse)

Ear infections

Skin issues or itching

Lameness but still weight-bearing

Appetite changes without other severe signs

Eye issues without severe pain or vision loss

IMPORTANT NOTE TO CLIENTS

As a mobile practice, we are not an emergency service. Our schedule is carefully structured to ensure safe, thorough care at each visit. If your pet’s condition appears urgent or life-threatening, please seek immediate emergency care.

Emergency Contacts

How do arrival windows work for appointments and why might there be a longer wait time for an appointment?

We’d like to share a bit of insight into how our scheduling works.

Scheduling and arrival windows:

We will schedule new clients/patients once their charts are fully created (electronic new client/new patient forms received and veterinary records received).
Our scheduler will reach out to you to find a day that works for your schedule and ours. We are unable to provide you with the exact window of your pets appointment that day until closer to the appointment day as it depends on the other appointments scheduled and the routing needs. We encourage you to share with us at the time of scheduling if there would be any time conflicts for the day selected so that we can try to accomodate that. Please keep in mind that we are travelling to you and seeing multiple appointments in a day so a limited window of availability will likely not allow us to schedule your pet for an appointment.
As we near your appointment day, our scheduler will reach out to confirm your appointment. If there is any time constraints that have developed at this time, please share these with us now (or sooner if you learn of a constraint). We can not always accomodate time constraints so keep in mind you may need to be rescheduled.
Once confirmations are fully received, we plan our travel route and provide our appointments with a narrower window for the appointment (typically a 2-3 hour window). Since we are a mobile service, our arrival times can vary due to factors such as traffic, road closures, or unexpected delays with other patients.

Our appointment availability may book out 4–8 weeks in advance depending on several factors. As a small, privately owned mobile veterinary practice, our schedule is thoughtfully planned to ensure we can provide unrushed, personalized care for every patient. Appointment availability can vary based on:

• Whether you are an established or new client
• Whether your pet needs a sick visit or a routine/wellness visit
• Your location and our existing travel routes
• The number of appointments already scheduled in a given area or day

Because we travel directly to our patients’ homes, we carefully group appointments geographically and limit the number of visits per day. This helps us remain punctual, avoid rushing appointments, and provide the level of attention your pet deserves.

We always do our best to accommodate urgent medical concerns as scheduling allows, and we appreciate your understanding when routine appointments require more advance planning.

Should my pet's appointment be in my home or on the veterinary mobile truck?

We prefer having appointments on our Veterinary mobile truck, provided your pet is comfortable with this and you can safely bring them out to the truck. (For cats, this means transporting them in a carrier, only if it would not cause undue stress. For dogs, this means transporting them with a collar and leash.)

If an in-home option is better for your pet, we are happy to accommodate this:

For cats, we ask that you place them into a small enclosed room (such as a bathroom) before we arrive. This prevents them from hiding under furniture or running into a large open space, making the visit smoother and less stressful. This also allows us to give them some space or breaks if needed during the examination.
Please note your pet must be contained. If we arrive at your home and your pet is not available for the exam, you will be charged for the house call fee. If we arrrive at your home and your pet is not available but we are able to safely help you contain him/her, there may be an additional fee incurred.

What if my pet is extremely anxious, nervous, or aggressive?

We understand that some pets may feel anxious or defensive during a veterinary visit. We find that many pets are more comfortable in their home environment than in a clinic setting (due to travel, other animals, increased activity and noise, etc). Every pet is different in what they response best to. We try to help ease stress by using a variety of techniques: taking a slower approach, offering treats, engaging them with a favorite toy, using blankets for mild restraints. When appropriate, we may advise the use of a muzzle to keep staff, owners and pets safe. However if your pet still does not allow the exam or any treatments, Dr. Schulz can discuss with you if oral sedatives are an option to reduce anxiety and relax them, which we could dispense to you to try at a separate visit and see how they respond to this. Where appropriate, we can discuss injectable sedation. Please let us know in advance if your pet has a history of anxiety or aggression so that we can allocate extra time and plan accordingly. It is extremely important for the safety of our staff and your pet that you share with us any bite history prior to us handling your pet.

What if my pet needs X-rays, an ultrasound, or an echocardiogram?

We do work with a traveling ultrasound service that can meet us at your home to perform ultrasounds and echocardiograms. After your pet's initial exam, we can coordinate this for you.

Our veterinary mobile truck is not currently equipped for X-rays. If your pet requires them, we can refer you to an appropriate facility.

Why did our service area decrease in size?

To better manage travel time, fuel costs, and scheduling efficiency, our travel mileage has been adjusted. This helps ensure we can remain punctual, responsive, and available to our established clients.