Join The DIAH family!
Thank you for entrusting the care of your pet to our hospital's team. It is our goal provide excellence in both medical care and client service. Please let us know how we are doing!
Scheduling
At our clinic, we operate by appointment only to ensure that every pet receives the time and attention they need during their visit. This helps us provide thorough and high-quality care for each patient. To schedule an appointment please call 843-881-7228 or fill out an online form here.
We understand that pets can have urgent health needs that cannot wait for a future scheduled appointment. That is why we reserve specific time slots each day for sick or urgent cases. If your patient experiences an unexpected illness or injury, please call us as soon as possible, and we will do our best to accommodate you and your pet in one of these reserved spots.
Our goal is to always provide timely and attentive care for all our patients. However, there may be times when our clinic reaches maximum capacity and we are unable to accommodate additional appointments, including urgent care or emergency cases. To maintain the highest standards of care, we have limits on the number of patients we can see a day. If we reach capacity and are unable to schedule your pet for an urgent appointment, we will refer you to a trusted urgent care or emergency veterinary facility. These facilities are equipped to handle urgent and emergent cases with the immediate attention they need.
For after-hours emergency care that requires assistance from a doctor, our phones will forward you to the Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) in Mount Pleasant for assistance with triage, or you can call them directly.
We appreciate your understanding of this policy, which helps us provide the best care for all our patients.
We proudly support our local shelters and rescues, and happily accept exam vouchers from the Charleston Animal Society, Pet Helpers, AKC Veterinary Network, Doc Williams SPCA, and Frances R. Willis SPCA.
Late policy
We want your pet to benefit from their full exam time, so please arrive before your appointment time starts. We do our best to plan the appointment schedule to minimize wait times and give each pet the attention that they need.
If you arrive 10-15 minutes late, we will do our best to accommodate you as a work-in appointment, a drop-off day admission (fees may apply), or reschedule if our schedule permits. Work-in appointments are room-less due to limited space but the pet will still have a full examination by your pet’s veterinarian.
Consistent lateness or missed appointments without notice may result in a fee and/or require prepayment for future visits to secure your appointment time.
Hospital Safety Policies
For the safety of your pets and others, please always keep your dog on a leash and cats in a carrier. If you are concerned about the interaction between your pet and other patients in our waiting area, please alert a receptionist and they will escort you to an examination room immediately or through a side entrance, if available.
Rabies Policy
South Carolina Law requires proof of rabies vaccine and there are no medical exemptions allowed in the state of SC. The specifics of the rabies vaccination requirements are outlined in the South Carolina Rabies Control Act. DIAH requires that all pets have up-to-date rabies vaccination to receive care. This policy helps protect the health and safety of the clinic staff, other animals, and pet owners, as rabies is a highly contagious and fatal disease that can be transmitted to humans and other animals through bites. If a pet arrives at the clinic without up-to-date rabies vaccination, the clinic may refuse service until the pet is vaccinated or limit the services to emergency care only, with strict safety protocols in place.
Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship Policy
In South Carolina, the Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) is legally defined and an essential aspect of veterinary care, ensuring that veterinarians provide responsible and informed medical services for pets. To maintain a VCPR and be able to care for your pet the law as defined by S.C. LLR – Board of Veterinary Examiners, Chapter 120-1 requires an examination within one year (365 days) by veterinarian at our practice. Without a legally established or maintained VCPR, veterinarians in South Carolina are prohibited from diagnosing conditions, prescribing medications or refills of medications, or offering specific medical advice. This means that our providers are unable to answer questions about your pet’s health concerns or refill prescriptions like prevention without valid VCPR.
Mutual Respect policy
Our clinic is dedicated to providing a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment for all clients, pets, and staff members. To maintain a positive experience for everyone, we have a Mutual Respect Policy that outlines the expected behavior within our clinic.
We are committed to treating every client and their pet with compassion, respect, and professionalism. Our team strives to provide clear communication, transparent care, and attentive service to ensure your visit is as pleasant as possible.
We kindly ask that clients communicate with our staff including our receptionists, technicians, assistants, and veterinarians, as well as other clients, in a polite and respectful manner. We will not tolerate abusive language, shouting, threats, or disrespectful behavior and in severe cases, this may lead to termination of services. All team members should be treated in the same manner and respect as our veterinarians.
Mutual respect allows our team to focus on what matters most – providing exceptional care for your pets.
Payment Policy
At our clinic, we are committed to offering the highest quality care to your pets. To ensure we can continue to offer these services, we have established a payment policy for all clients.
Payment is required at the time of services rendered. If you need or would like an estimate for your pet’s treatment plan, please request the estimate before your pet receives care. This can help understand the financial commitment before services are rendered. We accept various forms of payment including cash, personal check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and Apple Pay. We utilize a cash discount program and credit card payments will incur a 3% fee.
If you have questions about payment methods or need to establish a payment plan, please ask our staff before your appointment. We have a payment plan option that can be established through a third-party financing program, Vet Billing.
A fee of $30.00 will be applied on any returned checks due to insufficient funds or other issues.
Outstanding balances must be settled before additional services can be provided. In addition, outstanding balances over 120 days overdue will be subject to being sent to third party collections.
Location
Our hospital is located on Daniel Island: exit 24 off I-526 with easy access from Park Circle, Cainhoy, and Belle Hall residential areas. We share space in the brick NGCOA building on Seven Farms Drive with Dr. Bannister’s Family Dentistry practice. Parking and a dog walking area are located behind the building. Reception is accessed from the side courtyard or Seven Farms Drive. Accessible parking, entrance ramp, and restrooms are available.