Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question you'd like to ask? Read our FAQs below.
General
Yes, our doors are open to new patients! We look forward to welcoming you and your pet into our family.
To schedule an appointment, you can book online or give us a call at 843-886-1624. We look forward to seeing you!
If you have a preferred Doctor and/or technician we will try our best to accommodate your request. Simply request a preference at your time of scheduling or ask our staff to place a note on your chart so we will know your preferences moving forward. There are a few situations (see below) where your pet may not be able to see your preferred hospital staff, but rest assured, your pet’s best interest is still our top priority:
- Emergency situations
- Vacations or time off
- Availability
Many parts of our examinations for pets are like human check-ups. Just like your doctor always checks your height and weight when you go in for a physical, we like to monitor your pet’s weight so we can see trends over time. Rapid weight gain or weight loss could be an indication of an issue that we need to address. If your pet has weight related issues, it is important to monitor weight loss so we can create an appropriate plan. Similarly, weight lets us know proper dosage of medication, anesthesia, and more.
Our hospital policies require that all animals always be on a locked leash or in a carrier while visiting the hospital. Even the best trained pets can get scared or have transmissible diseases, so it is for the safety of other patients and staff.
Once you are in the exam room, a member of our team will let you know when it is safe to take your pet off-leash or out of the carrier.
Yes, Cainhoy Veterinary Hospital welcomes patients from Charleston and the surrounding communities of Huger, Mount Pleasant, Wando, and North Charleston. We are located at 710 Hopewell Drive , Suite 102
Charleston, SC 29492, and are accepting new patients. Call 843-971-6200 or book online.
During the first exam, our veterinarian performs a thorough physical assessment, reviews your pet’s medical history, and discusses nutrition, behavior, and daily routines. We focus on preventive care, identify any early health concerns, and outline recommended services such as vaccines, lab work, or parasite prevention tailored to your pet.
We provide a full-service veterinary practice offering comprehensive care for dogs and cats. Our services include preventive wellness exams, vaccinations, diagnostic testing, digital radiography, dental care, soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, senior pet care, and urgent care during business hours. We focus on compassionate, individualized treatment for every pet.
During your pet’s first visit, we conduct a comprehensive wellness assessment, including a full physical examination, vaccination review, and discussion of diet, lifestyle, and preventive care. We also address any concerns you may have, provide guidance on routine care, and may recommend diagnostic testing if needed. Our goal is to ensure a comfortable, stress-free experience for both you and your pet.
Yes, we provide comprehensive spay and neuter services for both dogs and cats. These procedures are performed with the highest standards of safety and comfort, supported by our advanced surgical facilities and attentive post-operative care. Our team ensures pets recover smoothly while emphasizing preventative health and long-term wellness for every pet.
Our clinic is conveniently located at 710 Hopewell Drive, Suite 102, Charleston, South Carolina 29492. Situated in the Cainhoy area, we also serve pets from the surrounding communities. Our facility is designed to provide a comfortable, stress-free environment for both pets and their owners, ensuring every visit is efficient, professional, and compassionate.
Annual wellness exams are essential for maintaining your pet’s overall health. During these visits, our veterinarians perform comprehensive physical exams, review medical history, update vaccinations, and identify early signs of disease. Early detection allows for timely intervention, improving outcomes and quality of life. Preventive care also supports nutrition, behavior, and long-term wellness, ensuring your companion stays healthy and happy.
Yes, parasite preventives are generally safe and highly effective for both dogs and cats when used according to your veterinarian’s recommendations. These medications protect against heartworms, fleas, ticks, and intestinal parasites, which can cause serious health issues. We carefully select the appropriate product based on your pet’s age, weight, lifestyle, and medical history to ensure optimal safety and efficacy.
At Cainhoy Veterinary Hospital, we provide a comprehensive range of diagnostic services to ensure accurate and timely care for your pets. These include in-house bloodwork and chemistry panels, digital radiography (X-rays), and ultrasound imaging. Our advanced diagnostics allow us to quickly identify health concerns, monitor ongoing conditions, and develop precise treatment plans tailored to each pet’s unique needs.
At Cainhoy Veterinary Hospital, we strive to provide timely and accurate diagnostic results. Our in-house laboratory tests are completed within the same day, allowing us to make medical decisions for your pet’s care. Specialized tests sent to external laboratories typically return results within 24 to 72 hours, and our team will contact you as soon as results are available.
For senior pets, we recommend visits at least twice a year to monitor age-related changes and proactively manage chronic conditions. These biannual wellness exams allow us to detect subtle health issues early, adjust nutrition or medications, and ensure mobility and quality of life. Regular monitoring helps extend their comfort, vitality, and overall longevity.
A senior wellness exam is a comprehensive evaluation designed to support the health and quality of life of aging pets. It includes a thorough physical examination, bloodwork and diagnostic testing, a weight and nutrition assessment, a dental evaluation, a mobility and joint screening, and a discussion of preventive care. Our goal is early detection and management of age-related conditions.
Yes, we provide a comprehensive range of surgical services to ensure your pets' health and well-being. Our offerings include routine spay and neuter procedures, soft tissue surgeries, and select orthopedic interventions. All surgeries are performed with meticulous attention to anesthesia safety, pain management, and post-operative care to promote a smooth and comfortable recovery.
At Cainhoy Veterinary Hospital, we provide a comprehensive range of surgical services for both dogs and cats. These include routine spay and neuter procedures, soft-tissue surgeries, and selected orthopedic surgeries, such as cruciate ligament repair. Each procedure is performed with meticulous care, modern anesthesia protocols, and attentive post-operative monitoring to ensure your pet’s safety and comfort.
Puppies and kittens typically require a series of wellness visits during their first few months of life. Generally, they are seen every 3–4 weeks from about 6–8 weeks of age until 16 weeks of age. These visits include vaccinations, parasite prevention, growth monitoring, and early socialization guidance to ensure a healthy start and prevent common diseases.
Yes. We offer comprehensive wellness plans tailored specifically for puppies and kittens. These plans include age‑appropriate vaccinations, preventive care, parasite screening, developmental assessments, and guidance on nutrition and behavior. Our goal is to support healthy growth and early disease prevention through scheduled visits and customized recommendations, ensuring your young pet receives gentle, proactive care every step of the way.
Yes, we provide comprehensive professional dental cleanings for pets, designed to maintain optimal oral health and prevent periodontal disease. Our services include thorough examinations, digital dental radiographs, and gentle cleaning under appropriate anesthesia. We focus on minimizing stress and discomfort while ensuring each pet receives individualized care tailored to their dental needs and overall well-being.
$50 Off First Exam!
New Pet Owners
$50 Off First Exam!
Congratulations! We are so excited for you and your family. We recommend scheduling an appointment as soon as possible so we can get to know you and your pet. At your first appointment, we will have you fill out some paperwork with as much information as you have. If you adopted from a shelter or breeder, please bring this paperwork with you.
We will conduct a full exam and administer any necessary vaccines, as well as discuss future treatment and answer any questions you may have about life with a new pet.
We strongly recommend getting a microchip for your pet. Accidents can happen to anyone, and the worst thing would be to not be able to find your pet. Even for pets that are entirely indoors, they could slip out unnoticed.
Microchipping is a safe and relatively painless procedure that helps with pet identification if they were to get lost. We insert the microchip, the size of a grain of rice, in between the shoulder blades. You then register the microchip number with the pet finding service HomeAgain and fill out your contact information. In the event your pet got lost, a veterinarian or shelter would scan the microchip and call using the contact information you provide so you can quickly be reunited with your pet.
Each animal will need a different amount of exercise. It is largely dependent on the breed, age, and health of your pet. In general, an adult dog will need anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours of playtime per day. Puppies will need less, with around five minutes of exercise per month of age twice a day. Consult with your veterinarian about exercise needs for senior dogs.
Most animals do best when playtime and exercise is spread out throughout the day rather than one long playtime. Avoid strenuous exercise, especially with puppies, as this can damage joints and bones while growing. Exercise can include fetch, walks, running around the house, obedience training, agility training, and more. Try to vary the kind of exercise throughout the day to keep your pet engaged.
Puppies and kitten’s immune systems are protected by mothers’ antibodies, but that protection decreases over time, so they need to be protected by vaccines so we can prevent unnecessary diseases. Some vaccines like the Rabies vaccine are required by law, while others are strongly recommended by veterinarians. Puppies and kittens typically get their first round of shots at 6-8 weeks of age, and then every 3-4 weeks until they are 16-18 weeks of age.
As your puppy or kitten turns into an adult, they will need boosters of vaccines, but not the entire series all over again. Some vaccines are boosted annually while others are boosted every three years.
Treatments & Medications
We are so glad to hear that your pet feels better. As with humans, it is important to finish all prescribed medication. If you stop medication before you are finished, your pet can relapse in their illness or cause the disease to last longer. If you have any questions about your pet’s medication, do not hesitate to give us a call.
It is important to test for heartworm both before the preventative is started and once every year. Heartworm prevention only works as a prevention, so giving it to a dog that already has heartworm will not get rid of them. Giving heartworm prevention to a heartworm positive dog can also be fatal.
Even when taking the medication as directed, we test annually to make sure that the prevention is working. If we did not test regularly and there is an undiagnosed infection, this can result in lung damage or other serious issues.
Pets can certainly get stressed when traveling, but there are ways to minimize the stress if a trip is necessary. For especially anxious pets, we can prescribe some calming medications to be used during travel.
Otherwise, follow these simple steps:
- Make sure they have access to food and water throughout the travel journey
- If in a carrier, make it comfortable with favorite blankets or toys
- If traveling on a plane, try to have them in the cabin with you rather than in the cargo hold
There might be a time when you need to travel with your cat or dog, and we are happy to provide guidance on the best course of action. We also provide pet travel health certificates if you are leaving the state or country.
Your pet’s incision should be touching, clean, and slightly reddish pink in color. If you notice any of the following symptoms, please contact us immediately or visit your nearest emergency clinic:
- Excessive swelling or redness
- Foul smells or discharge
- Excessive blood draining
- Blood seepage that continues for more than 24 hours
- Hot to the touch
We cannot recommend medications over the phone. It would be unethical and illegal to recommend medications for your pet without a proper exam and tests. Although we want to hear your description of their symptoms at home, to prescribe the most accurate medication, they need to be seen at our clinic.
Some of the most common triggers for pet allergies are:
- Fleas
- Pollen
- Dust mites
- Grass or weeds
- Chemicals in household products
- Food allergies like eggs, corn, wheat, soy, or dairy
If you notice any itching, biting, rashes, sores, infection, or other skin or gastrointestinal issues, it might a sign of an allergy. We will perform a skin, blood, and/or urine test in conjunction with a physical exam to diagnose the allergy. We will then make changes in their diet or lifestyle to minimize interactions with the allergen.
Dental issues are extremely common in pets, but this can be avoided. It is said that over 80% of dogs and 70% of cats over the age of two have some form of periodontal disease. This can be painful and result in tooth loss or expensive surgeries.
How to prevent dental disease:
- Feed your pet a high-quality pet food
- Bring them in for regular exams and cleanings
- Brush their teeth daily or provide dental chews/treats
- Give them veterinarian approved toys to chew on
Here are the most common signs of dental disease in pets:
- Bad breath
- Swollen, red, or bleeding gums
- Buildup of plaque and tartar on teeth
- Excessive drooling
- Change in eating patterns
If you believe your pet is due for a dental cleaning or notice signs of dental disease, schedule an appointment with us today.