Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs – Animal Care Center in Fernley, NV

Animal Care Center is a full-service veterinary clinic that provides veterinary care for the dogs and cats of Fernley, NV. Our clientele includes both Fernley locals and people who commute to or from Reno. Our veterinary services include preventative wellness, pet vaccinations, diagnostics, dentistry, surgery, laser therapy, urgent care, and more. This FAQ answers common questions about our veterinary services, appointments, specialized technology, payment options, and ongoing care.

New Clients and General Care

Where is Animal Care Center located in Fernley, NV?

Animal Care Center is located at 805 E. Main Street, Suite D, Fernley, NV 89408. We are conveniently located to care for the dogs and cats from our local Fernley community as well as pet owners who commute between Fernley and Reno.

What are your veterinary clinic hours?

Our regular business hours are as follows:

• Monday: 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Tuesday: 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Wednesday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Thursday: 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Friday: 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Closed daily: 1:15 p.m.–2:15 p.m.

Schedules may change due to holidays, inclement weather, and other events. Please feel free to contact us with questions about our hours or availability.

How do I contact Animal Care Center?

You can contact Animal Care Center by calling or texting us at 775-575-5851. You can also use our Request an Appointment form for non-urgent visits.

If your pet has an urgent health concern, please call us, as this is the fastest way to reach us.

How do I become a new client at Animal Care Center?

You can always reach out by phone at 775-575-5851, and if your pet has an urgent issue, we definitely recommend going this route. For non-urgent visits, the best way to get started is to complete our New Client Registration information. This form collects some basic information about your pet. This helps us get an idea of who your furry friend is and what their care needs may be. We provide veterinary care for dogs and cats of all sizes, ages, and breeds. Our goal is to get to know both you and your pet so we can make recommendations based on their individual health, lifestyle, and needs.

What makes Animal Care Center different from other veterinary clinics in the Fernley area?

Our approach combines old-fashioned TLC with modern preventative veterinary medicine, client education, individualized care, advanced diagnostic capabilities, and technology, such as a CO₂ surgical laser and therapeutic laser. We also use a fear-free approach to help make veterinary visits more comfortable and reduce stress for your pet.

Our veterinary services address your pet’s health needs throughout every stage of their life. We always emphasize preventing illness and, when possible, identifying developing medical problems early.

Emergency and Urgent Care

Does Animal Care Center offer urgent veterinary care?

We currently offer walk-in urgent care on Mondays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. While appointments are not required for urgent care visits during these hours, it’s always best to call us at 775-575-5851 before coming in.

If your dog or cat develops an urgent health problem at another time during our regular business hours, call us right away so we can advise you about the appropriate next step. For incidents that happen when we are closed, contact a 24/7 emergency veterinarian. Do not use our online appointment request form for urgent medical concerns.

What signs mean my dog or cat needs veterinary care immediately?

Pets cannot describe how something feels or even tell us exactly what hurts, so it’s important to know what to watch for. There are many red flags, such as sudden or significant changes in breathing, movement, behavior, appetite, or bodily functions, that signify a pet needs immediate veterinary attention.

Some of the warning signs are as follows:

• Collapse or fainting
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Seizures
• Trouble breathing
• Repeated vomiting
• Bloated or swollen abdomen
• Inability to urinate
• Suspected poisoning
• Serious injury or trauma
• Heatstroke
• Sudden weakness
• Any pain
• Loss of consciousness
• Known or suspected foreign-object ingestion
• Persistent diarrhea
• Pale, blue, or unusually colored gums
• Sudden inability to stand or walk
• Eye injuries
• Straining without producing urine
• Rapid decline in alertness
• Significant wounds or burns

Call us at 775-575-5851 if you are unsure whether your pet’s symptoms require urgent veterinary care. For emergencies outside our available hours, seek care from an emergency veterinary hospital rather than waiting for our clinic to reopen.

Services and Medical Care

What veterinary services does Animal Care Center provide?

We provide comprehensive veterinary services for dogs and cats. Services include routine preventative care, such as wellness visits and vaccinations, as well as more specific options, such as allergy and dermatology care, nutrition and weight management, diagnostics, dentistry, surgery, laser therapy, cardiology, microchipping, euthanasia, and critical care. Please feel free to contact us with questions about our services.

What diagnostic testing can you perform at Animal Care Center?

Our veterinary diagnostics include an on-site laboratory, X-rays, and ultrasound, which we use to investigate illness and injuries quickly and efficiently. Our in-house laboratory can provide results for many tests within minutes. Diagnostic imaging helps us take a closer look at things that a physical examination alone cannot fully evaluate. We also share images electronically with specialists for pets with conditions that warrant additional expertise.

Does Animal Care Center offer laser surgery?

Yes. We offer laser surgery as an option for appropriate procedures at our Fernley veterinary clinic. Our CO₂ surgical laser uses concentrated laser energy for certain surgical incisions. This can help reduce bleeding, tissue trauma, and discomfort.

Our veterinary surgery process also includes preoperative screening, careful monitoring, recovery supervision, and individualized pain management. We understand that surgery can be very stressful for families. Rest assured, your pet is in great hands with us. We always thoroughly explain what to expect and provide detailed aftercare instructions.

How can laser therapy help my dog or cat?

Our pet laser therapy is a non-invasive treatment that stimulates and enhances the body’s natural healing processes while decreasing pain and inflammation. We may recommend therapeutic laser treatments for a variety of conditions, such as arthritis, hip dysplasia, degenerative joint disease, sprains and strains, disc disease, chronic inflammation, certain dermatologic conditions, and more. Laser therapy also helps pets recovering from injuries or surgery.

Laser therapy and laser surgery are two different technologies with different purposes. Therapeutic laser treatments help manage pain, inflammation, and healing, while our CO₂ surgical laser is used during certain surgical procedures.

Does my pet need professional dental care?

Professional veterinary dentistry is key to preventing, identifying, and treating oral health problems that can cause pain and/or affect your pet’s health or quality of life. Warning signs of dental disease include persistent bad breath, excessive drooling, red or bleeding gums, difficulty chewing, dropping food, facial swelling, pawing at the mouth, or loose, broken, or discolored teeth. Cats and dogs often hide discomfort, so routine veterinary exams also help find dental problems that may not be obvious at home.

Who will be caring for my pet at Animal Care Center?

Our veterinary team is led by owner and veterinarian Dr. Laura Remsen, who earned both DVM and PhD degrees from Louisiana State University. She is particularly interested in geriatric care and client education. You can learn about our individual staff members on our care team page.

Animal Care Center’s entire staff works together to provide gentle, attentive care. We are always happy to answer questions and help you understand your pet’s health needs and treatment options.

Preventative Care and Ongoing Support

What preventative care do you recommend for dogs and cats?

Regular wellness visits generally include a nose-to-tail physical examination, along with recommendations for wellness care basics, such as dog vaccinations or cat vaccinations, parasite control, nutrition, weight management, and health screenings. However, we always make recommendations on a case-by-case basis. We tailor our wellness and vaccination care options to your pet’s age, health, lifestyle, and individual risk factors.

What are Animal Care Center’s wellness plans?

Our wellness plans are subscription-based preventative care plans for puppies, kittens, adult dogs and cats, and senior pets. Unlike pet insurance, these plans focus on expected primary and preventative veterinary care.

Preventative veterinary wellness can include examinations, vaccines, preventative screenings, a flexible spending allowance for additional veterinary needs, priority scheduling, and other plan-specific benefits. Preventative care is important because it helps us identify subtle changes early. It also allows us to build a health history to refer back to as your pet moves through different life stages. These things can make a huge difference!

You can easily enroll in one of our wellness plans online. Coverage and plan details can change, so please take a moment to review the options and their specific terms and conditions. Please feel free to contact our team for more information.

What payment options and financial assistance resources are available?

We accept several payment options, including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Apple Pay, text-to-pay, cash, CareCredit, Scratchpay, All Pet Card, and Affirm; payment is due at the time of service, and we do not accept checks. Financing programs are subject to their individual approval requirements and terms.

We also maintain a separate list of financial assistance resources for pet owners experiencing financial hardship due to emergencies, chronic health conditions, or other veterinary expenses. We always try to help the people and pets of our Fernley, NV community however we can. This is one way we do that.

Does Animal Care Center have a client referral program?

Our Care to Share program provides a $25 account credit to both an existing client and the new client they refer after a qualified referral completes their first visit. Contact our team at 775-575-5851 with questions about the program or for more information.

Can I request my pet’s medication online?

Yes. You can use our secure pet medication request form to submit secure online medication requests for your pet. Please allow up to two business days for us to review and prepare requests for pickup, and our staff will contact you if we cannot process a request. All medication requests must be reviewed and authorized by a veterinarian.

Animal Care Center provides veterinary care for dogs and cats in Fernley, NV, including pet owners throughout the local area and families commuting between Fernley and Reno. Whether your pet needs preventative wellness, vaccinations, diagnostics, dentistry, surgery, laser therapy, or medical care for a new concern, our veterinarians are here to help you make informed decisions about their health. If you are searching for a veterinarian in Fernley or an animal hospital near you, call us at 775-575-5851 or contact Animal Care Center to arrange your pet’s visit.