GENERAL

What are the hours of operation for All Paws?

Where is All Paws located?

Does All Paws accept payment plans?

Do I need to schedule an appointment or may I walk in?

Does my dog/cat need an exam in order to update a vaccine?

How do I know if my pet is overweight?

What does it mean when my dog "scoots" across the floor?

Why does my dog/cat need vaccines every year?

Is declawing my kitten cruel? At what age should it be done?

Is it all right to feed my dog bones?

I'm on a fixed budget right now, and my dog/cat is overdue for his/her annual exam, vaccines and blood work. Is it ok to wait until next year to get him/her up to date?

What pet foods do you sell?

What is involved in a professional dental cleaning? How often should my pet undergo a professional dental treatment?


SERVICES

Does All Paws offer boarding?

Does All Paws offer after-hours emergency care?

Does All Paws take care of reptiles, birds, or small mammals?

Does All Paws offer microchipping? What are the benefits of microchipping my pet?


MEDICAL

What is a pre-anesthetic blood screen and why do you do this?

Can my children get worms from our dog?

My dog was just hit by a car. What should I do?

I saw a flea on my dog/cat. What should I do?

Are raw diets or the BARF diet good for my pet?

My dog just licked/ingested antifreeze. Will this hurt him/her?

What do I do if my pet ingests a poisonous substance?

I've heard that letting my dog go through one heat cycle before spaying is best. Is this ok to do?

Should my pet be on heartworm prevention and flea and tick prevention year round?

My dog has very bad breath, but I don't have money for a dental cleaning right now. Is there anything I can/should do in the mean time while I save money for this procedure?

How does a dog get heartworm disease and how do I prevent it?

Do you have someone at your clinic all night to check on my hospitalized pet?

May I visit my hospitalized pet?

I see rice in my dog's stool. What should I do?

GENERAL

What are your hours of business?
All Paws is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00am - 7:00pm, Friday from 8:00am - 6:00pm and Saturday from 9:00am - 1:00pm. Check in and drop off exams are scheduled between 8:00am and 9:00am Monday through Friday and Well Animal and Medical Exams begin at 9:00am Monday through Saturday.

Where are you located?
All Paws is located in St. Louis Park off of Highway 100 on Excelsior Blvd in the Miracle Mile shopping mall.
Click here for a map.

Do you allow payment plans?
No. All Paws requires payment at time of service. We accept Visa, MasterCard, personal check and cash.

Do I need an appointment or are walk-ins accepted?
Yes, we prefer to schedule appointments to minimize client wait times. We realize emergency situations occur and cannot be scheduled. We will do our best to accomodate your emergency situation. Please call us at (952)848-0913 and we can schedule your pet's appointment.

Does my dog/cat need an exam in order to update a vaccine?

How do I know if my pet is overweight?

What does it mean when my dog "scoots" across the floor?


Why does my dog/cat need vaccines every year?
Depending on the patient, they may not need to receive yearly vaccines. Vaccine protocols are tailored to the individual patient's risk of exposure. Newer scientific research supports some vaccine benefit lasting longer than one year; therefore our vaccine protocol is based on the research and general recommendations of national organizations for animal health and welfare. Vaccines not only protect your pet but also any animals they into contact with by preventing the spread of fatal disease. Vaccines also protect the humans they come into contact with.

Is declawing my kitten cruel? At what age should this be done?
No, declawing your kitten is not cruel as long as the surgery is done in a humane way. The process of declawing is amputating the last bone in the toes. Declawing is not a comfortable process but with the right pain medications both during and after the surgery, the pain can be managed quite well. All Paws requests that you attempt to train your cat first to use a scratching post or other object, and clip the nails short to prevent excessive scratching before electing to declaw. If those techniques do not work, the declaw procedure can be performed on a kitten as young as 12 weeks of age. The doctors at All Paws will also perform the declaw process on the rear feet, but not at the same time as the front declaw.

Is it all right to feed my dog bones?
Yes and no, depending on the type of bone. All real bones carry some risk for dogs. The marrow is very fatty and can cause weight trouble or pancreatitis, hard bones can fracture teeth or get lodged in the jaw, and soft bones can splinter and puncture the mouth or intestines. The doctors and staff at All Paws Animal Hospital do not recommend feeding real bones. We do recommend giving your dog rawhides (you can try different shapes if having problems with choking), greenies (be mindful of the calories if your dog is on a diet), FLossies, and Kongs. All Paws also discourages Nylabones because they are very hard and can break teeth. A good alternative to Nylabones are Gumabones, which are just as strong as Nylabones but a bit softer and are not known to break teeth.

I'm on a fixed budget right now, and my dog/cat is overdue for his/her annual exam, vaccines and blood work. Is it ok to wait until next year to get him/her up to date?
All Paws recommends scheduling a Wellness Exam. During this exam, the doctor can evaluate and prioritize treatments and lab work for you. Remember, Rabies vaccines for both dogs and cats are required by law to be updated so this is one vaccine that will not be able to be skipped. In Minnesota, the main carriet of the Rabies virus is the bat, therefore even indoor cats need to be protected from the change of getting bitten by a bat.

What pet foods do you sell?
All Paws Animal Hospital sells veterinary diets for both canines and felines. The veterinary diets that All Paws sells requires an up to date doctor/patient relationship. If you are not a client at All Paws, a written prescription from your veterinarian is required before All Paws will dispense the food.

What is involved in a professional dental cleaning? How often should my pet undergo a professional dental treatment?


SERVICES

Does All Paws offer boarding?
All Paws does not have adequate space or staff to accommodate the boarding of dogs or cats, apart from dogs that have undergone surgery and need to spend the night while recovering from anesthesia.

Does All Paws offer after-hours emergency care?
All Paws does not offer after-hours emergency care. All Paws is open until 7pm Monday through Thursday, 6pm Friday, and 1pm Saturday. In the case of an emergency, All Paws recommends taking your pet to one of the local Emergency Clinics.
Click here for locations in Minnesota

Does All Paws take care of reptiles, birds, or small mammals?
All Paws offers basic care to guinea pigs, rabbits, and other small mammals but not reptiles or birds because our veterinarians are not trained in this specialty. All Paws can refer you to clinics in the area that specialize and treat exotics.

Does All Paws offer microchipping? What are the benefits of microchipping my pet?
Yes. All Paws provides the service of microchipping, both dogs and cats. All Paws uses the Home Again microchip. The Home Again microchip provides a lost pet with a chance at reuniting with it's family by way of the owner's information linked to the chip that is implanted. The Home Again microchip is registered under the owner's name, address, and phone number. If your pet is lost and a clinic or local pound finds your pet, a scanner is used to identify the pet's microchip number which is then used to identify the owner. Please call All Paws with further questions or to schedule an appointment for a microchip implantation.
Click here to visit Home Again's website


MEDICAL
What is a pre-anesthetic blood screen and why do you do this?

Can my children get worms from our dog?
Yes. There are parasites that are transmittable to humans. Children are especially at risk for this because they mack mature immune systems, and they are not as conscientious about hygiene as adults. Because of the risk, we recommend puppies; kittens and any new pet receive several treatments for intestinal parasites. In addition we test a fecal sample at least once in a puppy or kitten, and yearly in your adult pet. Furthermore, monthly parasite prevention is recommended at least from May through November, or year round if concerned about young children in the household.

My dog was just hit by a car. What should I do?
Assess how your dog is doing but be cautious because even animals that are not aggressive may bite their owners when scared or in pain. If your dog seems painful, before moving him try to put on a muzzle. A muzzle can be made by using a belt, pantyhose, socks, or anything that will snuggly fit around the muzzle. Even if your dog appears to be ok, you should bring him to a veterinary clinic because there could be internal injuries that are not obvious. If this occurs and All Paws is closed or it is approaching our closing time, you should bring your dog to the Emergency Clinic. The address and numbers for the two nearest Emergency Clinic locations are on All Paws Animal Hospital's voicemail.

I saw a flea on my dog/cat. What should I do?
You should schedule an appointment with your veterinarian so that they can help you come up with the best strategy to eliminate fleas from your pet and their environment. The approach can vary depending on the severity of your problem. Besides topically treating the fleas on your pet, your animals environment will have to be cleaned by vaccumming the whole house, washing their bedding, and using a flea spray.
 
Are the raw diets or BARF diets good for my pet?
The veterinarians at All Paws Animal Hospital fo not support nor recommend raw food diets due to the health hazards to your pet and family. Raw diets are not good for your pet for several reasons. First, they are potentially dangerous to you and your pet because they can cause Salmonella or E. Coli infections in your animal or even in yourself from touching the uncooked meats. Secondly, many of these foods are not inspected or certified by AAFCO and may potentially lack nutrients that are critical to your pet's health. Thirdly, bones that are added to these raw diets can cause perforation and/or irritation to the GI tract. There are many food commercial dry foods on the market that have been researched and continue to be studied to ensure that your pet receives the most nutritionally balanced food available.

My dog just licked/ingested antifreeze. Will this hurt him/her?
Yes, this is an emergency and your dog needs to be seen by a Veterinarian immediately. Even a small amount of anti-freeze can be deadly to your pet.

What do I do if my pet ingests a poisonous substance?
All Paws recommends you contact the Pet Poison Helpline and with the help of a representative, determine the severity of the situation.
Click here to visit Pet Poison Helpline's website

I've heard that letting my dog go through one heat cycle before spaying is best? Is this ok to do?

Should my pet be on heartworm prevention and flea and tick prevention year round?
Here in Minnesota our pets do not need year round heartworm preventative because we don't have mosquitoes during the winter months. However, the answer depends on the family and the dog's lifestyle. In households with young children or immune suppressed people it is a good idea to have the pet on year round heartworm preventative because it also prevents some gastrointestinal parasites, some of which are zoonotic to people. Also, if you travel with your pet to warmer climates where they have mosquitoes, then it would be necessary for your dog to receive heartworm preventative. Most other dogs do not need to be on heartworm preventative during the winter (unless it is just easier for the owner to be consistent). Year round flea and tick prevention (All Paws recommends Frontline) is recommended for animals that hunt rabbits or squirrels, or if your pet is around other pets whose history and flea status may be unknown.

My dog has very bad breath, but I don't have the money for a dental cleaning right now? Is there anything I can/should do in the meantime while I save money for this procedure?
First, if your dog hasn't been in recently for a Well Animal Exam, now is the time. During this exam, your doctor at All Paws can examine and evaluate your pet's teeth and discuss the estimate and procedure of the professional dental treatment. While waiting to save money for the professional dental treatment, it can be helpful to increase oral dental care at home. If you aren't already brushing your dog's teeth, now is a good time to start. This can help decrease the rate at which dental disease progresses. Having your dog chew on rawhides, or specialized dental rawhides can also help improve oral health. Another option for home dental care is using an oral antimicrobial rinse, daily.

How does a dog get heartworm disease and how can I prevent it?

 Do you have someone at your clinic all night to check on my hospitalized pet?
No, we do not have an employee spend the night at All Paws Animal Hospital, but before our staff leaves for the night the dogs are let outside, offered food and water and their recovery is carefully assessed. If there is any indication to use that a patient is not doing well, or we suspect there might be issues overnight, we ask the owner to transfer their pet to the emergency clinic. Typically, post op patients that had anesthesia are groggy and do much better sleeping at All Paws overnight; this allows the medication to wear off. If your pet stays with us overnight, they are assessed first thing the following morning.

May I visit my hospitalized pet?
Yes, although it is not always in the pet's best interest. It is best for your pet to rest quietly post-operatively. This allows the healing to begin and helps them clear the anesthesia from their systems. Visiting can excite your pet while you are here and upset them once you leave. All Paws asks that you let us know ahead of time so we can confirm with your veterination that a visit with your pet is allowed.

I see rice in my dog's stool. What should I do?
Unless you are feeding your pet rice, this is probably an intestinal parasite. All Paws recommends you give us a call and we can assess the situation to see if an appointment is necessary.