Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What if my dog or cat needs surgery or an xray?
A: Dr. Kate has a good working relationship with several area clinics that accept her referrals. She is happy to refer to the clinic of your choice as well.
Q: Is Dr. Kate available 24-7?
A: No. Dr. Kate is typically available for house calls, phone consultations, and email consultations about 42 hours per week, Monday through Friday.
Q: What if my dog or cat has an emergency?
A: Just as for us humans, in an emergency situation, it is essential to receive proper care in a timely fashion. The best team to handle emergencies is in the emergency room. There are three emergency rooms for dogs and cats in the Southern Maine region. These facilities are fully staffed 24-7, 365 days per year to handle any and all animal emergencies:
1. Animal Emergency Clinic
739 Warren Avenue
Portland, ME 04103
(207) 878-3121
www.animalemergencyclinicportland.com
2. Maine Veterinary Referral Center
1500 Technology Way
Enterprise Business Park
Scarborough, ME 04074
(207) 885-1290
www.maineveterinaryreferralcenter.com
3. Port City Veterinary Referral Hospital
215 Commerce Way
Suite 100
Portsmouth, NH 03801
(603) 433-0056
www.intownvet.com/portcity/index.html
Q: To which cities and towns does Dr. Kate travel?
A: Dr. Kate provides house call services to Portland, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Gorham, Westbrook, Windham, Falmouth, Cumberland, and Yarmouth.
Q: Will Chinese herbs harm my dog or cat (like other things from China)?
A: No. The herbs Dr. Kate prescribes are grown, harvested, and processed under strict 3rd party supervision. Most of the herbs are grown organically, and the individual herbal components are routinely tested for heavy metals and contaminants.
http://www.tcvmherbal.com/quality.asp
http://www.kpc.com/html/gmp.htm
http://www.gfcherbs.com/about/manufacturing.php
http://www.kanherb.com/cons_sa_main.asp
Q: What if I just want vaccines without a house call?
A: Please consider taking your animal to PetQuarters in Scarborough (near the mall). They offer low cost, no-examination vaccinations for dog and cats. Please understand, however, that a doctor who vaccinates an animal without establishing a valid doctor-patient relationship (examining the patient) is not legally administering a medical treatment and is certainly not providing legitimate health care for that animal.
Q: Does Dr. Kate have an office?
A: No, she provides house call services only.
Q: What if I need to refill a prescription?
A: For Chinese herbs, medicines, and supplements prescribed directly from Dr. Kate's pharmacy, please arrange pick up via phone or email. Dr. Kate has a "pick-up box" that she can leave outside her apartment M-F, 8am-7pm, as long as she knows in advance that you will be needing the item. For other prescriptions, Dr. Kate makes use of Petscripts Pharmacy in Yarmouth http://pet-scripts.com/default.aspx , a local pharmacy of your choice, or an internet-based pharmacy of your choice.