North Shore Family Pet

North Shore Family Pet Policies


Appointment Policies

Patients are seen on an appointment basis. Our appointment schedule is set-up to accommodate sick patients that need to be seen within in a day or two. Life-threatening emergencies take top priority and we ask for your patience as we treat these patients. We strive to stay on-time so everyone is happy.

For our clients, ‘drop-off’ appointments are available if they are unable to schedule a regular appointment. Typically we ask you to bring your pet in the morning. One of our veterinarians will do an exam and any necessary tests during the day. When you arrive at the hospital, a veterinary technician will go over your concerns and ask pertinent medical questions, including vaccination history. Please allow time for this. Please bring a stool sample if indicated. When we have completed our examination, we will call to go over the diagnosis and discharge instructions.

North Shore Family Pet Policies

Our goal is to provide excellent individualized medical care in a timely manner. “No-Shows” and late cancellations inconvenience those individuals who need access to medical care in a timely manner. We would like to remind you of our office policy regarding missed appointments. This policy enables us to better utilize available appointments for our patients in need of medical care. We are proud of our ability to run on time and need your cooperation in order to do so.

Cancellation of an Appointment

In order to be respectful of the medical needs of other patients, please be courteous and call North Shore Family Pet Hospital promptly if you are unable to show up for an appointment. This time will be reallocated to someone who is in need of treatment. If it is necessary to cancel your scheduled appointment, we require that you call at least 24 hours in advance. Appointments are in high demand, and your early cancellation will give another person the ability to have access to timely medical care.

Patients who arrive on time are seen at their scheduled time. Patients who have arrived on time will be seen ahead of those who arrive late. If you arrive late, we may need to abbreviate or reschedule your pet’s visit.

How to Cancel or Reschedule Your Appointment

To cancel appointments, please call 847-564-1500.

Late Cancellations

A cancellation is considered late when a patient fails to cancel their scheduled appointment with a 24-hour advance notice. Call ahead if you are late or unable to make your appointment time. We will do all that we can to accommodate your pet’s appointment and to minimize the need to reschedule your appointment.

No-Show Policy

A “no-show” is someone who misses an appointment without cancelling it in an adequate manner. A failure to be present at the time of a scheduled appointment will be recorded in your medical record as a “no-show.”

  • First missed appointment: there will be no charge
  • Subsequent missed appointments: $50 fee will be billed to your account each time
  • Any missed Surgery appointment: $100 fee will be billed to your account

Please arrive with your cat in a travel carrier. Cats are much more comfortable when contained in a small hard or soft-sided cat carrier. Our waiting room has ample room to separate cats from dogs. Our goal is to escort cat owners into an exam room as soon as possible in order to avoid potentially stressful contact with dogs, other cats, or new people. Cat carriers with a top-loading door are the best as they allow us to retrieve your cat in the least-threatening way. Sometimes we will do a physical exam while your cat is still in his or her soft bed or in the bottom section of the cat carrier. We want to do everything we can to reduce stress for you and your cat. If you need guidance on how to get your cat into a carrier, don’t hesitate to call us for advice. More helpful information for transporting your cat to the veterinarian has been published by the American Association of Feline Practitioners.

It is essential that your dog is on a leash when visiting our hospital. We are located on a busy road and our parking lot is active with car traffic. Inside our waiting room, your dog must remain on a leash until taken into the exam room. Even if your dog is a good listener and is great with other dogs, some other dogs are very frightened at the veterinarian and may act unpredictably.

We embrace the “green” practices listed below to reduce our environmental impact. NSFPH encourages staff members and clients to suggest new and creative ways to initiate eco-conscience practices within the hospital.

  • Utitlize a Paperless Medical Records System, including but not limited to: emailed patient reminders, emailed client receipts, and electronic messages for clients and staff
  • Shred and recycle all paper
  • Recycle all paper, plastic, glass, and cardboard boxes
  • Use cloths to clean instead of paper towels when practical
  • Use excess water from the coffee machine to water plants
  • Print on the back of old faxes/used paper for in-house use
  • Cut old faxes/used paper into scratch paper
  • Use washable flatware instead of disposable
  • Use low-flow toilets
  • Use CFL bulbs
  • Turn lights out in exam rooms & restrooms when not in use
  • Glass for front windows is double-paned for energy savings
  • Reuse hospital supplies in other manners (e.g. used IV bags used to soak paws, or as booties; cardboard trays from canned food serve as disposable cat pans)
  • Washable dishes for pets instead of paper bowls
  • Appliances are Energy Star
  • Thermostats adjusted heat vs. air conditioning, day vs. night
  • Fecal bags are biodegradable
  • Trash is consolidated to one central bag for disposal
  • Toner cartridges are recycled and refurbished toner cartridges are purchased when available
  • Staff carpools
  • Effluent from laboratory machines disposed of responsibly and within municipality guidelines

Payment is expected at the time of service. We accept personal checks, cash, major credit cards and CareCredit.

Pet insurance has become more prevalent and, while it doesn’t cover all your veterinary expenses, can be helpful should your pet have an unexpected injury or illness. Every company is different; it’s a good idea to visit this pet insurance review to compare policies and find the one best suited for you and your pet.

Care Credit is a service that, if you are approved, will extend you a line of credit for medical expenses. Using CareCredit, your bill can be paid over six months interest-free. Various payment plans are available. We can help you fill out the application, which is typically approved within minutes. This method of extended credit provides you the opportunity pay for services over several months.

Please give us as much notice as possible when refills are needed.

At North Shore Family Pet we understand that there may be times in which your pet’s medications may be obtained from alternative sources other than our hospital. We do not recommend purchasing your pet’s medications from unknown online pharmacies. Please talk with us first before purchasing your pet’s medications from another source. You will find our in-house pharmacy prices are very competitive with online pharmacies. Please be aware that you pet is required by law to be examined at least once in the past year to continue to refill medications.

Just like with a human pharmacy, in accordance with FDA regulation CPG Section 460.300 medications are not returnable, products that have left our facility cannot be returned. However, opened bags of dog and cat food may be returned or exchanged because they are guaranteed by the manufacturer.

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Hours of Operation

Mon – Fri: 8AM – 5PM

Sat: 8AM – 12PM

Sun: CLOSED