Fern Hollow Veterinary Clinic

Your visit

Here's exactly what happens when you come in

No surprises, no mystery back room. This page walks through a Fern Hollow appointment minute by minute, explains what fear-free handling actually means in practice, and gives you the checklists we wish every new puppy and kitten owner had.

Step by step

An appointment, from the text message to the door

Five stages. The third one is the one nobody expects, and it's the reason the rest works.

  1. 1 The day before

    We text you the prep

    A short message with the things that actually help: leave the carrier open in the living room, skip breakfast if we're doing bloodwork, and bring the treat your pet would sell you for.

  2. 2 Arriving

    You can wait in the car

    Text us from the parking lot and we'll come get you when the room is free. Nervous dogs never have to sit in a waiting room. Cats have their own entrance on the north side.

  3. 3 First five minutes

    Nobody touches your pet

    We sit on the floor, ignore them completely, and let them investigate. Treats go down. This looks like doing nothing and is the single most useful part of the visit.

  4. 4 The exam

    Hands on, out loud

    We narrate as we go — what we're feeling, what's normal, what we want to keep an eye on. Cats stay in the bottom half of their carrier wherever possible. You stay in the room.

  5. 5 Before you leave

    The plan, on paper

    What we found, what it costs, what's optional and what isn't — printed, and emailed the same day so you can read it again when you're not holding a leash.

Fear-free, explained

Fear is not a personality. It's a symptom of being rushed

“Fear Free” is a real certification with real training behind it, but it's easy to put on a website and never do. So here is the actual list of what we changed.

Why it matters beyond kindness: a frightened animal has a raised heart rate, raised blood pressure and tensed muscles. That makes every reading we take less accurate and every exam less useful. Calm isn't a nicety — it's better medicine.

Slower, longer appointments

Forty minutes for a wellness exam instead of fifteen. Almost every fear response we see is manufactured by rushing.

Non-slip everything

Rubber mats on tables and floors. A slipping animal is a frightened animal, and stainless steel is the worst surface ever invented for this.

Food as a distraction

Lick mats, squeeze cheese, baby food on a spoon. A dog licking peanut butter is a dog who does not notice a vaccination.

Pre-visit calming plans

For pets with real fear, a mild anti-anxiety medication given at home two hours before turns a traumatic hour into an ordinary one. Ask us — it's cheap and it works.

Split visits, no extra charge

If your pet has hit their limit, we stop and finish another day. We don't bill you twice for our own philosophy.

Cat-only mornings

Tuesday and Thursday until noon: no dogs in the building, pheromone towels on every surface, and a separate waiting room.

New arrivals

The first four months, on one page

Print it, screenshot it, stick it on the fridge. This is the whole schedule for a new puppy or kitten, plus what to bring so the first visit isn't wasted.

A golden retriever puppy lying down on a patio, wearing a brown leather collar with a name tag

8 to 16 weeks

New puppy checklist

The visit schedule

  1. 8 weeks First exam, first vaccines, worming, weight baseline
  2. 12 weeks Second vaccines, microchip, socialisation check-in
  3. 16 weeks Final puppy vaccines, rabies, flea & tick plan
  4. 6 months Spay/neuter conversation, adult teeth check

What to bring

  • Any paperwork from the breeder or shelter
  • A fresh stool sample if you can manage it
  • The food they're currently eating (a photo of the bag is fine)
  • Their favourite treats and a familiar blanket
  • A list of every question, however small
A young golden tabby kitten sitting upright and reaching one paw high into the air

8 to 16 weeks

New kitten checklist

The visit schedule

  1. 8 weeks First exam, first vaccines, worming, litter-box chat
  2. 12 weeks Second vaccines, FeLV/FIV test, microchip
  3. 16 weeks Final kitten vaccines, rabies, parasite plan
  4. 5–6 months Spay/neuter, carrier-training refresher

What to bring

  • The carrier — with the top half removable if possible
  • A towel that already smells like home
  • Any shelter or rescue records
  • A stool sample if one is going
  • Notes on eating, drinking and litter-box habits

Adopting an adult dog or cat instead? Book a new-pet exam within two weeks — it's the cheapest checkup you'll ever pay for.

Straight answers

The questions we get asked every week

If yours isn't here, call us. Our nurses answer questions on the phone for free and always have.

Do you take new clients right now?

Yes. We keep our books deliberately smaller than we could, but we are open to new dogs and cats. First appointments are usually available within a week; call and Jonah will find you something.

My cat is impossible to get into the carrier. Any advice?

Start a week out: leave the carrier open in the room your cat actually lives in, with the door off, and feed them near it, then in it. On the day, use a top-loading carrier if you have one and lower them in rear-first. If none of that works, call us — a mild pre-visit sedative given at home is the kindest option, and we prescribe it happily.

Can I stay in the room the whole time?

Almost always, yes, and we'd rather you did. The only exceptions are X-rays, where state radiation rules keep everyone out, and the rare case where a pet is genuinely calmer without their owner — we'll tell you honestly if we think that's true.

What does the first visit cost?

A new-client exam is our standard wellness fee, and we'll quote it on the phone before you come. Vaccines, tests and medications are quoted separately and never added without asking you first.

Do you see emergencies?

We see urgent sick visits during opening hours — call before 10:00am on a weekday and we'll almost always fit you in. We are not a 24-hour hospital. Overnight or on Sunday, go straight to a Salem emergency veterinary hospital; if you call us first, our voicemail names the nearest one.

What if my dog is reactive to other dogs?

Tell us when you book and we'll give you the first or last slot of the day, meet you at your car, and take you straight into a room through the side door. Your dog will not pass another dog in a corridor. This is routine for us, not a favour.

Do you offer payment plans?

For larger procedures, yes — third-party care financing and split payments. We'd rather set that up before a procedure than have you delay care your pet needs.

Will you tell me if something isn't worth doing?

Yes, and we do it often. Not every lump needs removing, not every senior needs every test, and some treatments buy weeks rather than years. You'll get our honest read, including when the honest read is 'wait and watch'.

Still wondering about something? Call (503) 555-0142 and ask.

First visits are mostly listening.

Bring the questions, the paperwork and the nervous one. We'll take it at whatever pace they need.

(503) 555-0142 Send a message

Call before 10:00am on a weekday and we hold same-day slots for sick pets.