INFORMATION for NEW Clients
Scroll down for FAQs for Established Clients
What DON’T we do at Ruff Day?
No primary care. Ruff Day’s scope of practice is 100% acupuncture and physical rehabilitation so we can stay focused on our mission: to minimize pain, maximize mobility, and improve function.
No in-home euthanasia or emergency services. We carry no drugs/pharmaceuticals.
No x-ray or lab work capabilities. Sometimes I may recommend that you visit your primary care or specialist veterinarian for specific lab work or x-rays.
No hydrotherapy. Ruff Day currently does not have a therapy pool or underwater treadmill, but we have a great referral relationship with local facilities who do.
How much does an appointment cost?
Our doctor sees only one pet and owner at a time, providing a more focused and relaxed environment. This is a different appointment structure than many veterinary practices offer, and allows us to truly personalize service for each individual.
The initial fee for a New Patient Consultation is $300, and lasts up to 90 minutes. During this time, we allow each pet and owner time to get comfortable in the office, share a lot of information and generally have time to start treatment (as long as your pet is a willing participant).
After the initial consultation, clients have the option to schedule one of the following treatment appointment types:
Acupuncture + Laser is a 35 minute appointment ($145)
Rehabilitation + Laser is a 35 minute appointment ($145)
The Works is an extended appointment of 50 minutes for pets who need acupuncture, laser, AND rehabilitation or exercise-based therapy ($180)
Brief Appointments that last 15 minutes ($75)
Brief Online Appointments that last 15 minutes ($75)
Note: Prices subject to change.
When is payment due and what forms of payment do you accept?
Payment is due in full at the time of service. Cash, check and major credit cards are accepted. Payment plans are not provided by Ruff Day. Many types of pet insurance will reimburse acupuncture and physical rehabilitation related expenses--check with your insurance company to learn more.
When are you open?
We are open for business on the following days and times:
Sunday: 10am - 5pm
Monday: 10am - 5pm
Tuesday: 10am - 5pm
Wednesday: 10am - 5pm
WE ARE CLOSED ON:
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, as well as many major holidays. For current availability, please refer to our New Patient Consultation Scheduler.
We are not reachable on our days off. Why?
To provide high quality service, we require adequate rest and recovery, and a chance to attend to our personal lives. To be a sustainable service, we must adequately take care of our personal needs. Another way to state this is “we practice what we preach”.
We often work on our days off so that we can address the workload that is not possible to get done during our open hours. This work allows our business to perform essential administrative, janitorial, and the many tasks from the week that accumulate and must be addressed.
Time off is often used to perform Research & Development, continuing education to stay current with the industry and developing medicine, and to build improvements into our systems that help improve communication and build our capacity to get things done.
What can I expect at the first visit/consultation?
Prior to your pet’s appointment, our Veterinarian will review records from your primary care veterinarian, including any medications prescribed to your pet, pertinent lab work, imaging studies, and specialist’s reports. We will also email you a confirmation, after receiving your booking request through the online scheduler that outlines policies and procedures, as well as how to best prepare your pet for this initial appointment and get the most out of it.
The initial consultation is scheduled for 90 minutes (we do have the option of extending the first visit to a full 2 hours for an additional fee, and may be scheduled at the doctor’s discretion). First we (you, your pet, and our Dr. Heather) will have a relaxed chat about your pet’s history regarding the condition(s) affecting them--this gives us valuable information while allowing us to make friends in a non-threatening way. I recommend you have all the medications your pet is taking available for review. Next comes a general physical exam, an assessment of your pet’s neurological function, and a thorough palpation of your pet’s musculoskeletal and connective tissue system (called a myofascial exam). We will discuss pain-relief and functional restoration options, including your pet’s diagnosis or suspected diagnosis, treatment goals, types of treatment(s) recommended, risks or possible side effects associated with these treatments, and the anticipated treatment frequency. An introductory treatment is also included, if medically appropriate, and time permits.
We send an update to your family veterinarian after the initial consultation. This dedication to communication helps ensure your pet gets the very best care possible from every member of his or her medical team.
Do I need a referral from my vet?
Nope! I take care of all of that for you!
Records will be requested from the pet’s primary care veterinarian and any pertinent veterinary specialists prior to the scheduled consultation. Your vet will likewise be kept updated after important visits. This is to facilitate open communication and a collaborative environment between all members of your patient’s medical team, consistent with our dedication to the development of a safe and effective treatment plan for all of our patients.
While I do not require a referral from your vet, I do require that all pets in my care have an established relationship with a full-service veterinarian, and has been seen by their veterinarian within the last 12 months. If your pet’s mobility condition is new and you have not visited your primary care vet yet, we do recommend seeing them first, when possible.
Why don’t you offer house call service anymore?
We opened the Ruff Day Pet Gym in Gig Harbor in order to be able to treat more patients, and to offer more affordable care. We no longer provide house calls as a standard service due to rising costs associated with this service. House calls are time intensive and require more planning to address the added risk assumed by visiting providers.
House calls may be agreed to by the doctor on a case by case basis AFTER the initial consultation is performed at the Ruff Day Pet Gym. We do not perform any new patient consultations on an in-home basis.
INFORMATION for ESTABLISHED CLIENTS
How to schedule an appointment for an existing pet
To schedule standard appointments (15 minute brief, 35 minute standard, 50 minute “The Works”):
Step 1: go to our Client Login Page (AKA Patient Resources),
Step 2: Enter the password which you can find in the email titled “ (pet name)’s First Visit Complete”.
Note: we don’t post the password on our website (it would defeat the purpose). Please email us at hello@ruffday.vet for login information or ask us next time you’re in!
Step 3: and scroll down to “Standard treatment appointments” and click “Book” on the type of appointment you wish to book:
Step 4: Choose a time that works for you. You can also click “more times” to see more options.
Step 5: Enter your Information, and click “Complete Appointment”. You should receive a confirmation, as well as automated reminders if everything is working correctly.
Of course, if you have any issues or questions, feel free to let us know and we are happy to assist!
Rescheduling
The easiest way to reschedule an appointment is to go to your appointment reminder email sent by scheduling@squarespacescheduling.com or no-reply@acuityscheduling.com, and you can usually locate it pretty easily by searching your email for “Ruff Day Appointment”
Step 1: click on the purple "Change/Cancel Appointment" option:
Step 2: Click on "Reschedule"
Step 3: Select a time that works for you, then click "Reschedule":
Step 4: You should get a confirmation message when you have successfully rescheduled.
Appointment Reminders
Our system sends automated reminders of upcoming appointments. If you are not receiving reminder emails in your inbox, please check your spam folder. You can add scheduling@squarespacescheduling.com and no-reply@acuityscheduling.com to your email’s safe list if this is an issue.
If there are any others in your party who would benefit from receiving reminders, please let us know to add them to our list.
Communications
Though we strive to answer each call promptly, we often are working with other pets and their humans during working hours. If you are unable to reach us by phone, we are often able to respond more promptly to emails (hello@ruffday.vet) and texts (our office number is a cell phone). During our days off, our phone is off and we do not check voicemail.
Days Off
We are able to provide high quality veterinary service because we honor our needs for rest and recovery, practicing the very medicine that we preach to our patients and clients. This means that if you contact us on our days off (Thursday, Friday and Saturday), you may not hear from us until we are back in the office. If you or your pet are experiencing an emergency, please do not wait for a response from us to act and get appropriate help.
Checking In
In between visits, please note any changes that you observe in your pet's behavior or status. If you experience any issues that we can improve upon, such as a pet's stomach disagreeing with the type or quantity of treats, difficulty getting from parking to our office, or anything that seems notable, please let us know.
Pet Insurance Considerations
Insurance claims can be a great investment to help address your pet’s needs, and though they may reimburse you for services that we provide, we rely on owners to work directly with their insurance providers to utilize the services that they provide as insurers.
Please note that, aside from providing standard documentation that will allow for a claim to be processed, we are unable to assist you with troubleshooting issues that may arise as part of an insurance provider’s work process. This task falls to the insurance policy holder and their insurance company. That being said, if you are having difficulty with your claim, you may copy and paste this into your correspondence with your insurance representative:
ATTN Insurance Providers: a detailed breakdown may be provided upon request. Please let your customer know EXACTLY what information you need and how you need it formatted in order to efficiently process their request. You may contact us directly at hello@ruffday.vet with specific questions or requests.