Policies & Payment Options in Seneca, SC

At this time, we are requiring deposits for certain types of appointments.  A $25.00 deposit per pet per appointment is required at the time of scheduling for the following types of appointments:

• All surgical or dental procedures
• Multi-pet doctor appointment (this does NOT apply to multi-pet technician appointments)
• All exotic appointments (avians, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, etc)

For emergency or urgent visits: Your pet will be triaged by our staff members and an estimate created based on the assessment. Clients will be required to make a payment, 50% of the estimate total, towards the cost of services prior to leaving the hospital or dropping off their pet for care.

Deposits are NOT additional fees, but are payments used toward the final bill.  Deposits may be refunded if reasonable notice of appointment cancellation has been given.

At this time, we are NOT requiring deposits for routine single-pet and technician appointments unless the client has a history of late cancellations or no-shows.

No-shows, late arrivals, and cancellations inconvenience not only our staff, but other clients as well.  Appointment deposits are forfeited by the client if the client cancels their pet’s appointment less than 24 hours (one full business day) prior to the start of the appointment or if the client no-shows.  (Please note this policy does not apply to payments towards emergencies, urgent visits, or work-in appointments)

If a cancellation is necessary, we require at least 24 hours’ notice (one full business day) prior to your pet’s appointment. Appointment times are valuable to our clients and our staff, and your advanced notice will allow another client and their pet access to that appointment time. If you need to cancel your appointment, please call us at 864-882-8747. If necessary, you may leave a detailed voicemail message, and we will return your call as soon as possible.

A cancellation is considered late when the appointment is canceled less than 24 hours (one full business day) before the appointment time. A no-show is when a patient misses an appointment without canceling or is 15 or more minutes late to their appointment.

In either case, a notation will be made in the client’s account, and we will require a $25.00 deposit prior to booking any future appointments.

We understand that sometimes life gets in the way, and unexpected delays can occur. We will do our best to accommodate short cancellations/late arrivals and will treat them on a situational basis. Additionally, in any situation that results in a canceled or no-show appointment, we will do our best to reschedule your pet’s services for another time, but limitations may occur with short notice.

We are happy to refill your pet’s long-term prescriptions and preventatives.  In order to be eligible for refills of any kind, your pet must be current on a doctor’s exam, i.e. have an exam performed for your pet within the past 12 months.  Additionally, certain chronic-use medications require additional tests or labwork to continue safe, long-term administration.  Please click here for more information regarding heartworm prevention refills.

There are three methods to refill your pet’s prescription:

 1.  In-House, At Our Office

Our office has a fully stocked veterinary pharmacy that carries almost all of the medications your pet may need.  You can call our office, submit a request through the PetDesk app (link to instructions for PetDesk), or submit a request here through our website.  We ask for 24-48 hours’ notice when requesting a prescription refill.  Advanced notice allows time for the request to be approved by your veterinarian and processed.  Please note requests made on a holiday or weekend day may require a longer turn-around time.

 2.  Online Pharmacy

Our online pharmacy offers greater convenience and more medication options for our clients and their pets.  First, our veterinarians and staff members work to approve your requests, then, after authorization, the medications are filled through an FDA-registered facility and then shipped to the address of your choice. Standard shipping is typically 3-5 days after the product has been approved after the owner submits the request.  You can access our online pharmacy and request a refill here.

 3. Third-Party Pharmacy

If you choose to have your pet’s medication filled through the pharmacy of your choice, such as Chewy.com, or if we do not carry that specific medication at our office, you will need a written prescription signed by your pet’s veterinarian.  Once signed, you will be required to pick up this prescription at our office and take it with you to deliver or submit it to the pharmacy of your choosing. Please note a $6.00 fee will be applied if a written prescription is requested.  If requested at the time of your pet’s exam with a doctor, within 48 hours of your pet’s exam with a doctor, or if we do not carry this medication at our office, the $6.00 fee will not be applied.

As of April 7th, 2023, Seneca Animal Hospital no longer requires that clients return written prescriptions for non-controlled drugs prior to ordering through our online pharmacy.  We hope this change will make it more convenient for our clients to order their pet’s medications.  Please note, clients will still be required to return their written prescriptions for controlled drugs if ordering through our hospital or online pharmacy.

The reason we require the client to pick up a written prescription instead of our office giving verbal approval over the phone or written approval over fax/email is due to the following:

• Products purchased from our pharmacy or our online pharmacy are manufacturer guaranteed and under warranty. For example, if you purchase preventative from us or our online pharmacy and your pet becomes positive for heartworms or intestinal parasites after consistent use, then the maker of the product will typically cover the cost of treatment.
• Additionally, we can rely on the fact that products our office purchases from the manufacturer or products that are purchased from the online pharmacy are stored and shipped correctly and according to their expiration date.
• Lastly, we require owners to submit their pets’ written prescriptions to the pharmacy of their choice 1) to avoid any misinterpretation of the prescription formulation/dosing that may occur over the phone and 2) so the owner can ensure the written prescription is submitted to the correct pharmacy.

If you have questions or concerns about if your pet qualifies for a refill, please reach out to our office here.

Seneca Animal Hospital follows the American Heartworm Society standards of care for heartworm prevention and treatment.

Initial heartworm testing should be done on every canine patient by the age of six months if they have not regularly been on heartworm prevention.  A yearly heartworm and microfilaria test are required on every adult canine prior to prescription refills.  We recommend that prevention be given year-round to prevent heartworm infection.  If your pet misses a dose of prevention, we will recommend a heartworm test be performed six months from the date of the missed dose to ensure your pet has not become infected.

Products we currently carry in our office include Heartgard Plus for canines, Simparica Trio for canines, Proheart 6 for canines, and Revolution Plus for felines.  More options can be found in our online pharmacy.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your pet’s heartworm prevention and if they are current, please contact us.