Patient Check-In

Thank you for getting your pet spayed or neutered! Here’s what you can expect from your visit to The PAWS Clinic. Please read this document thoroughly before arriving at the clinic for your appointment.

Please note that we have had to make many changes to our policies and procedures since the COVID-19 pandemic began to keep our staff and clients safe. We ask for everyone’s cooperation and patience.

The patient admission process can take as long as an hour, so please be prepared to wait. Most of your wait time will be spent in your vehicle. However, there will be a short time spent in line outside of the building, so please dress accordingly.

In order to expedite the check-in process, please “Docusign” the admission form that we emailed to you when you made your appointment, at least a week prior to your appointment.

General Guidelines

Face masks
A face mask securely covering your mouth and nose is highly encouraged and appreciated when interacting with our staff.

Physical distancing
We ask that all clients maintain a 6 foot distance between themselves and our staff members and other clients while you are waiting in lines outside or inside of the building. Please stand on the red x’s marked on the pavement while waiting in line outside of the building.

Limited access to building
Access to the building will be limited to only a few people at a time so that we can maintain physical distancing. Therefore, only one person per party will be allowed to stand in line or to enter the building.

Leave pets in the car
All pets must be left in your vehicle until a member of The PAWS Clinic staff instructs you to bring them in. This is for everyone’s safety and to minimize stress on the animals.

Admission process

Patient admission for the day begins at 8am. Upon arrival, please call 734-388-8641 (this number will also be posted on a sign outside the building) to check in. Please wait on hold until one of our staff members checks you in. We process these calls in the order they are received. Do not hang up or you will be placed at the end of the call list when you call back. We will ask for your cell phone number, pets name, and model/color of your car to add you to our electronic wait list.

After registering, please remain in your car until you are notified by text message that it is your turn to complete your check-in paperwork. When you are texted, one person only from your party should come up to the building and line up to the left of the front door. Please continue to leave your pet in the car!

One person at a time will be allowed to enter the building. Proceed to the right side of the front counter. If your pet is current on his or her rabies vaccine, please have the rabies certificate out and available so that we can verify it. Please put other paperwork away; we only need to see the rabies certificate. A clear photo of the rabies certificate on your phone is acceptable.

If you do not bring proof of a current rabies vaccine, or if your pet is not current on rabies vaccine and is at least 12 weeks of age, we will administer a rabies vaccine for $20. We regret that we are unable to call your vet to check on the status of your pet’s rabies vaccine, due to the number of animals that we service each day. Therefore it is important that you bring the proof with you, or ask your vet to fax it to us at 313-451-8202, prior to your appointment.

We will ask you some basic health questions about your pet, and you will have the opportunity to request additional services at this time. Extra pain medication is suggested for all owned animals ($15 for dogs or $10 for cats), and you may want to consider a nail trim ($5) or a microchip ($20). If your pet is likely to lick their incision, you should consider purchasing an e-collar (cone – $12) or a “onesie” (bodysuit – $20 – dogs only).

We also offer one dose of flea preventive ($12), distemper or bordetella vaccines for dogs ($20), distemper vaccines for cats ($20), “combo” FIV/FeLV tests for cats ($25), and Heartworm tests for dogs ($25). Donations are always appreciated as well!

If you did not “docusign” your pet’s admission form online, please bring your own pen so that you can safely sign the admission form.

Payment is due at this time. We accept cash, credit, and debit, but no checks, American Express, or Care Credit. There is a processing fee of up to $3 for credit and debit card transactions. Card holders must be present and show ID for credit card transactions.

At this point, you will be requested to bring your pet into the clinic. Please note the following restrictions currently in place due to COVID-19:

Only one person allowed in the building per animal. If you only have one pet, you must come into the building alone. If you have more than one pet, an additional person may assist you.
Cats (owned or feral): Do not put towels, blankets, toys, bowls, or other personal items in cat carriers. Only newspaper or pee-pads are allowed at this time.
For feral cats, we will not be returning any bowls to you, so only use food containers that are disposable when you trap. You should remove any trap covers before you bring the cat into the clinic.
Dogs may not be brought in carriers.
Please remove harnesses on dogs and cats, and remove collars from cats (dog collars may be left on). Remove all flea collars prior to entering the clinic.
You will be asked to take your dog’s leash home with you and bring it back when your dog is ready to go home.

Please be aware

Your pet will receive a brief physical exam. If our veterinarian feels that your pet is not a good surgical candidate for whatever reason, surgery will be declined for your pet’s safety. Your money will be refunded less a $20 exam fee.
Your pet will be checked for fleas immediately upon entering the clinic. If live fleas or flea dirt (feces) are seen, we will administer a fast-acting pill that kills fleas (Capstar). There is a $5 fee for this pill, which can be paid when you pick up your pet.
Pick-up time for dogs is promptly at 4:00pm the day of surgery. For cats, pick-up time is promptly at 7:30am the day after surgery. There is a late fee for late pick-ups.

Please also review the patient pre-op instructions prior to arriving for surgery.

Please review the patient discharge process prior to picking up your pet after surgery.