Clients and Patients

New Clients/Patients

Welcome to Balance Veterinary Center! From the moment you arrive you will experience a different style of veterinary care.  Our facility is designed to make you and your pet feel at home from floor to ceiling.  On your first visit we will spend about an hour getting to know you and your pet.   What health problems has your pet had? Does your pet get cold easily?  Or maybe they love swimming and jumping in puddles?  Do they get upset whenever you leave?  Or perhaps they are reluctant to eat in the mornings.  These can give us important clues as to who your pet is, and how we might be able to help them.  Similarly we will ask about your lifestyle and desires.  Is it hard to give medications in the evenings?  Do you have to travel often?  Perhaps you need your pet’s meals to be fast, or maybe you have time to cook?

Because this information can help us meet your goals and needs, it is important to complete your intake forms as fully and accurately as possible and to bring with you any records of previous treatment, vaccinations and/or diagnostic work-ups. Please also bring any medications or supplements your pet is currently on. After this, our doctors will determine the best treatment for your pet, including diagnostic testing, diet modification, nutritional supplements, medications, and/or one or more holistic modalities: acupuncture, chiropractic, Chinese or Western herbs, massage and others. We make sure that our clients are very involved with the health of their pets.

This team effort is the key to our success.

Emergency Care

Appointment Policy and Fee Structure

Your pet’s first visit will involve an Initial Holistic Consultation which usually takes about 1 hour. One of our doctors will conduct a comprehensive, medical examination which includes a physical examination of your pet’s overall physical and emotional health, assessment of your pet’s diet, assessment of any symptoms exhibited and possibly recommendations for laboratory or other diagnostic testing.

As we mentioned above, the doctor will ask you many questions about your pet’s behavior and health. Your pet will receive the doctor’s full attention and the time necessary for optimal treatment. As such we alot a significant amount of time for your first exam. However, it may not always be possible to provide the necessary care within that time frame. If a specific case requires additional time, additional charges may apply or we may think it best to schedule a follow-up appointment. Our doctors’ main goal is to provide the best medical care possible for each pet at each appointment.

Sometimes, a case work-up is needed for advanced pathology cases (for records review, consultation with specialists, research time or other) since they require more time to assess the individual case and treatment. And sometimes drugs commonly prescribed can have side effects: to assess the symptoms that may be brought about by the drugs, further research may be warranted.  However in most cases we are able to complete our evaluation within the one hour appointment.

Progress exams usually last between ½ hour to 45 minutes and are scheduled within a week or several weeks of the initial consultation, as needed. Some integrated and holistic treatments may be scheduled at weekly intervals in order to provide the best efficacy.

We also offer Phone Consultations as a follow-up service for patients seen within the last few weeks. Please note that we are not able to offer Phone Consultations for new health problems.

Please feel free to call (301) 656-2882 for further details about our fees.

Cancellation Policy

At Balance Veterinary Center, your appointment time is reserved exclusively for you and your pet to provide sufficient time to examine your pet and discuss his/her condition and treatment options in detail with you. We reserve 60 minutes for new patient appointments, and a minimum of 45 minutes for subsequent exams. As a courtesy, you will always be called two business days before an appointment to confirm it. It is your responsibility to make sure we have the correct phone number on file.

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, doctor and technician appointments require 24 business hours’ notice. Missed appointments and appointments not cancelled 24 business hours in advance will incur a fee of $50.

If you arrive more than 15 minutes past your scheduled appointment time, you may be asked to reschedule and a fee will apply.

Initial appointments and surgeries require 48 business hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule. Initial appointments that are missed or not cancelled within 48 business hours will result in retention of your $100 deposit. Surgery appointments that are missed or not cancelled within 48 business hours will incur a $250 fee.

Please note: New clients must call and leave a message canceling their first appointment 48 business hours prior to their scheduled appointment (Friday for Tuesday’s appointment); otherwise you will be charged a missed appointment fee of $100.