Frequently Asked Questions

My pet is sick and your hospital is closed.  What should I do?

We refer our emergencies to:

  • Animal Emergency Care on 14690 Pennock Avenue in Apple Valley.  Their phone number is 952-953-3737.  Their hours are weekdays 6pm to 8am and all day weekends and holidays.
  • University of Minnesota Veterinary Hospital at 1365 Gortner Avenue in St. Paul.  Their phone number is 612-625-9711.  They are open year-round for emergency service.
  • Animal Emergency and Referral Center of MN at 1542 7th St. W in St. Paul. Their phone number is 651-293-1800. They are open year-round for emergency service.
  • Animal Emergency and Referral Center of MN at 1163 Helmo Ave N in Oakdale. Their phone number is 651-501-3766. They are open year-round for emergency service.

What types of payment do you accept?

We take cash and all major credit cards including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express.  We do not accept personal checks.

Care Credit users must have a $400 minimum payment.

How do I prepare my pet for surgery?

Take away food after 10pm the night before surgery.  Water is fine to leave out.  In the morning, do not give any food or medications unless directed by the doctor.  Drop off your pet between 7-7:30 am so your health care team has time to do the pre-surgical exam, blood draw, IV catheter, and other necessary pre-surgical planning before appointments start for the day.

How do I prepare my pet for their blood test?

  • Most of our screening blood tests do not require any special preparation or fasting.
  • Monitoring profiles for medications are often drawn 4-6 hours after the pill has been given.
  • Diabetics need to have their food and insulin given in the morning and then dropped off as soon as possible to start their glucose curve.

How do I collect a urine sample?

Dogs – use any clean container to catch a sample while your dog is voiding.

Cats – empty the litter box and clean it well with soap and water.  Lock your cat into a room without carpeting and block off any sinks/tubs. Collect the sample from the empty, clean litter box or off the floor.

Urine samples should be analyzed by our technicians as soon as possible.  If you are unable to bring in the sample immediately, you can place it in the fridge for 4-6 hours.

How do I collect a fecal sample?

Only a small, quarter-sized, amount of stool is needed to analyze for intestinal parasites.  It should be fresh (less than 12 hours old) and not frozen.  Cat litter and grass on the stool is just fine.

I am considering euthanization.  What is the process for this procedure?

End-of-life decisions are hard on your family and ours.  We consider all aspects of your pet’s health in determining whether euthanasia is the next step.  We start with a current examination and then discuss the options for your pet’s care.

Do you see exotics such as rabbits, hamsters, birds, or reptiles?

The doctors at Pilot Knob Animal Hospital do not specialize in exotic animals.  We recommend going to a specialist to get the best medical and surgical care for your pet.

There are 2 clinics in the area that specialize in exotic animals:

  • Valley View Pet Hospital at 952-884-8248 is located in Burnsville.
  • Pet Crossing Animal Hospital at 612-254-6272 is located in Bloomington.

Dr. Jaime Nalezny also specializes in exotic pets and makes house calls. Her number is 612-520-1386.

 

Contact Us

4145 Knob Drive
Eagan, MN 55122 

Telephone: 
(651) 452-8160

Fax: 
(651) 452-0010

Email Us

Hours

Mon-Fri 7am-6pm
Sat 8am-Noon