Why would I need an in-home veterinarian?
There are many reasons you might want a veterinarian to come to your house. Perhaps you have multiple pets, making it difficult to wrangle them all to the animal hospital, or maybe your animal is particularly fearful or anxious about seeing other animals. For very young or very old pets that do not have good immunity and, for pets with weakened immune systems, there is less risk of being exposed to air-borne germs within a waiting room.
By examining your pet in its own environment, your house call veterinarian can better evaluate behavior and conditions which may be masked or aggravated by a foreign environment like an animal clinic. What’s more, house calls are more convenient for you, the owner, as you will be getting more specialized care, and save time by not having to go to the office and wait around for your appointment.
Finally, end-of-life concerns are always better dealt with in the comfort and security of home, if possible. A house call veterinarian ensures that you can say goodbye to your pet with the least amount of stress and anxiety.
What locations do you service?
Doorbell Vet is based out of Honeoye Falls but will travel to most of the greater Rochester area.
What is your availability?
Currently appointments are available on most days. We work around your schedule to find a convenient time.
How far in advance do I need to schedule an appointment?
Ideally, especially for routine exams and preventative care, appointments should be scheduled a week or two in advance. However, in the case of sick animals or pets that may need in-home euthanasia, same-day appointments are often available (especially on the weekends). We understand that some things cannot be scheduled and do our very best to accommodate your needs.
What if I need to cancel an appointment?
We appreciate as much notice as possible when rescheduling routine appointments. If less than 24 hours notice is given, you will be charged a standard housecall fee.
How do I get the medications that my pet needs?
Dr. Marion carries a limited array of medications with her on her house calls – mostly drugs that your pet may need immediately. For other veterinary prescriptions, medications will be mailed to your home address from a pharmacy or compounding lab or a prescription can be called into local human or compounding pharmacies.
Will this cost more than a traditional vet clinic?
Fees for medical care, labwork, vaccinations and prescriptions are comparable to those at most veterinary hospitals, and sometimes actually less than you’d pay at traditional hospitals.
However, there is an additional house call fee that accounts for Dr. Marion’s travel time. Please call us to discuss the house call fee for your location. Despite this fee, most people find that the value they receive in terms of the undivided, personal attention of an experienced, compassionate veterinarian is well worth the cost. Many people are surprised that having a generous amount of a veterinarian’s time and expertise at a home visit is as financially feasible as it is.
Do you still have questions? Email Dr. Dori Marion.
