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Terms of Service

  • An owner with knowledge of the medical history of the pet must be present for the appointment, able, and ready to make medical and financial decisions.
  • A veterinary assistant will not be present. If needed, the pet owner must be able and willing to assist Dr. Hughes with restraint of the pet for the exam and procedures.
  • Aggressive dogs must be able to be muzzled by their owners. If this is not possible, the pet is not suitable for house call practice.
  • Cats must be placed in a carrier or a bathroom prior to appointment times to avoid running and hiding.
  • Full payment is required at the time of the house call. Dr Hughes accepts cash, checks, Venmo, Paypal, and Zelle. Credit cards are also accepted- processing fees apply.
  • Daily appointment slots are limited and Dr. Hughes schedules ample time to spend with each patient. For this reason, if no one is home during the appointment time, or if the appointment is not rescheduled or cancelled without, at least, 24 hours’ notice,  a “No Show” fee equal to the cost of the house call (up to $125 per pet) will be charged. 
  • Dr. Hughes DOES NOT provide emergency care.
    • Emergency options during business hours include On Point Animal Hospital- Surfside location.
    • Other recommended local facilities, which may have availability, include Coastal Veterinary Care, The Animal Hospital of SC, or Dunes Veterinary Clinic.
    • Night, weekend, or holiday emergencies: Animal Emergency Hospital of the Strand or Veterinary Specialty Care (BluePearl) ER
    •  Grand Strand Equine can sometimes be available for small animal home euthanasia, on an emergency basis, if they are in your area.
  • Patient Recheck Policy
    • Feline wellness patients, less than 7 years of age, are required to be seen annually. Refills for any prescriptions, including preventive care products, will not be filled without annual exams. This is in accordance with South Carolina law.
    • All geriatric patients, 7 years of age or older, should be seen, at a minimum of, every 6 months for exams and lab testing. Please collect fresh urine (refrigerate) and fecal samples on the morning of these appointments.
    • All patients on daily medications are required to be rechecked one month after the initial appointment, then every 6 months, thereafter. Lab testing is mandatory. Please collect fresh urine (refrigerate) and fecal samples on the morning of these appointments. Exceptions may apply for end-of-life, comfort care, patients. 
    • All patients on controlled substances are required to be rechecked one month after the initial appointment, then every 3 months, thereafter. Lab testing is mandatory. Please collect fresh urine (refrigerate) and fecal samples on the morning of these appointments. Exceptions may apply for end-of-life, comfort care, patients.
    • ***Please be sure to request any needed prescription refills during appointment times. Email or telephone consult fees will apply for prescriptions called in outside of appointments.
  • Prescriptions
    • Dr. Hughes does not communicate directly with any 3rd party pet pharmacies.
    • The Covetrus pharmacy is 100% veterinary accredited with strict quality control and safety standards. They also offer a nice discount on your first few orders when you sign up for auto-ship, which can be cancelled at any time, if you want. They routinely send out emails with special coupon codes and rebates, as well.
    • The Covetrus pharmacy can be accessed by visiting hvhch.vetsfirstchoice.com.
    • ***If you prefer to use an outside pharmacy, please be sure to request any needed prescription refills during appointment times. Email or telephone consult fees will apply for any handwritten prescriptions needing to be mailed to you or for prescriptions called in to a local pharmacy.
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