FAQs
Answers to some of your most common questions:
Where are you located?
Oakridge Veterinary Clinic is conveniently located in Thornwood Plaza, across the street from the Westfield Oakridge Mall (Target/Macy’s side), near highways 85 and 87 in San Jose.
Do I need to make an appointment?
Appointments are preferred, so that our clients can be seen in a timely and efficient manner. We do understand that emergencies do occur, and you are welcome to bring your pet in any time during our normal business hours. However, an emergency fee may be charged if there is not an appointment time open.
How do I make an appointment?
There are several ways to make an appointment. You can call us at (408) 419-9238 during our regular business hours or you can leave a message after-hours and we will return your call promptly. You can also submit an appointment request online, and we will get back to you within 24-48 hours. If you need a same-day or emergency appointment, please call us instead of using the online request.
Do you do house calls?
We do house calls on a non-emergency basis. Additional fees apply. Please call or text us at (408) 419-9238 or email us at staff@oakridgevetclinic.com if you would like to discuss or schedule a house call appointment.
Surgery
What should I do to get my pet ready for surgery?
Make sure your pet does not eat after 10:00 pm the night before the surgery. The water is OK. Also, make sure your pet does not do more exercise than usual in the days before surgery.
How will you keep my pet safe under anesthesia?
We have many policies and protocols in place to ensure your pet’s safety during surgery. We have invested in state-of-the-art surgical monitoring equipment. Our highly trained staff will work hard to ensure the safety of your pet during the surgical procedure by closely monitoring anesthesia and assisting the surgeon.
Each dental and surgical patient receives:
- A comprehensive pre-operative examination by a veterinarian
- IV catheter and fluids
- Pulse oximetry, CO2, blood pressure, temperature and EKG monitoring
- A dedicated staff member before, during, and after surgery to monitor your pet
- A body temperature maintenance through a patient warming system (Bair Hugger forced-air warming system or Hot Dog warmer)
- Antibiotic injection (if indicated)
- Pain-reducing medication injection, if necessary
Why does my pet need a pre-anesthetic blood panel?
Pre-anesthetic blood testing is important before anesthesia to make sure that the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthetic. Many animals can seem healthy but have a previously undetected kidney or liver problem which could cause problems during surgery. Knowing about these problems ahead of time allows the doctor to customize the surgery or anesthesia protocol for that particular patient, or to postpone surgery until the underlying kidney or liver problem is addressed.
What happens after surgery?
We will monitor your pet until he or she is fully awake. If there are sutures (stitches) we will usually put an e-collar on your pet so that he or she can’t lick or chew the sutures. Often we will send oral pain medications home with your pet. We will give you specific discharge instructions; please follow these carefully. If you have any questions, please call us.
When can my pet go back to his/her regular activities?
This depends on the type of surgery, and you will be given discharge instructions which will give you more details. If there are stitches, we will ask you to bring your pet back to have them removed, usually 10-14 days after the surgery.
Pet Photos
Are pet photos free?
Our pet photos are absolutely free! After your photo session, we will email you high-resolution photos from your session. With your permission, we will also post them on our Instagram and Facebook pages. We would love it if you would follow/like our feeds and share our posts with your friends, but there is no obligation to do so!
Does my pet need to be a patient at your clinic to have photos taken?
Nope! If you have a clinic that you love, we want you to keep going there! (see below for vaccine requirements – you will need to bring proof of vaccines from your other clinic to bring your pet into our photo booth).
Are there any vaccine or health requirements for my pet in order to have a photo session?
Because we are a veterinary hospital, we need to make sure that we minimize health risks to your pet and other pets in our hospital. For this reason, we ask that all dogs in our photo booth be healthy and fully vaccinated for Rabies, Distemper/Parvo, Bordetella, and Influenza. Cats must be vaccinated for Rabies and FRCP. If your pet is not a regular patient of ours, we will ask you for proof of these vaccinations. If your pet needs any of these vaccinations or other health services, we are happy to help you out! Let us know when you schedule if you will also need medical/vaccine services.
What types of photos do you take?
We put a lot of thought and energy into creating great seasonal backgrounds, such as Spring has Sprung, Raining Cats and Dogs, At the Beach, 4th of July, St. Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Back to School, Halloween, Fall Harvest, Winter Holidays, and more! We can also do birthday photos, and other fun themes, such as Superheroes and Warriors Basketball. See our pet photos page where we put almost all of the photos we take (with owner’s permission). We are always coming up with fun new themes and welcome new ideas!
How do I schedule a pet photo session?
Give us a call or text at (408) 419-9238 so that we can schedule a time for you to come in. You can also fill our our online appointment request.
