What to Expect at a Veterinary Appointment
Knowing what to expect at your first appointment will help make the process more pleasant for both you and your pet.
Get Settled
Please arrive approximately 10 minutes early to fill out our New Patient Form. To save a bit of time, you can complete the New Patient Form online in advance.
Meet Your Veterinarian
A member of our team will review your pet's history and discuss their issues. You can ask any questions you want, and we'll dedicate time to answering them.
Examination, Diagnosis & Treatment
Once your pet has been assessed, we will provide you with a diagnosis and options for treatment. Your veterinarian will work with you to determine a treatment plan for your pet.
After your visit, we will create a detailed report of our diagnosis, the discussion we had with you, and your pet's treatment plan. We will keep this information on hand for whenever you need it.
Our Pet Care Philosophy
We proudly serve pet owners in Ankeny, Altoona, Bondurant, Des Moines, Polk City, Ames, and throughout Polk County.
At Creature Comforts Veterinary Hospital we are dedicated to providing state-of-the-art veterinary service to your pet with care and compassion while providing you with exceptional customer service.
Our team is passionate about preventative care, client education, and providing comprehensive medical and surgical care to pets from across Ankeny, the Des Moines Metro area and beyond .
Hospital FAQs
If this will be your first time visiting our veterinary clinic in Ankeny you are bound to have questions.
Read through the answers to our hospital's most frequently asked questions below to learn more about our office policies, payment options, and appointment booking.
- What types of payment options are available?
Payment in full is expected at the time services are provided or upon discharge of your pet. We accept payment by cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.
- Are there payment plans available for my pet’s care?
We are proud to offer CareCredit and ScratchPay as a financing options. Both of these services offer an easy application process that will give you results in minutes.
- Will I be provided with an estimate of costs?
We will provide a good-faith estimate of the cost of our services prior to treating your pet. However, unforeseen circumstances may arise that impact your final bill.
We will always discuss our written estimate with all clients before they leave our facility, and require a deposit based on our estimate prior to any further treatment.
- Should I call ahead to book an appointment?
Yes, please call ahead to book an appointment to ensure we have room in our schedule to see your pet.
In the event that your pet needs emergency care during our regular business hours, please contact us right away.
- What is your appointment cancellation policy?
If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can offer the space in our schedule to other clients.
- What types of animals do you treat?
We take care of all small domestic pets such as cats and dogs, and exotic pets such as rabbits and rodents.
- Do you offer TPLO or other cruciate surgeries for dogs?
At Creature Comforts Veterinary Hospital our vets are proud to have a Board Certified Veterinary Surgeon at our Ankeny veterinary clinic once a month to handle more involved surgeries such as TPLO for dogs and other orthopedic procedures.
- Do you offer microchipping?
Yes! Our team knows that there is nothing more distressing than losing a pet. Microchipping is a great way to ensure that your lost or stolen pet finds their way home to you.
A microchip is about the size and shape of a grain of rice. It is implanted underneath your pet’s skin between the shoulder blades during a process similar to a vaccination. Each microchip is encoded with unique information about your pet. This information corresponds to data in a national database.
Veterinary hospitals and animal shelters across the country are equipped with special scanners capable of detecting and reading microchips. If your pet is lost, his or her microchip is scanned and the information is used to reunite you and your best friend.
Microchipping is one of the most efficient means of pet identification. Implanting the microchip does not hurt your pet and surgery is not required. A simple injection is used to place the microchip. Creature Comforts Veterinary Hospital can help. - Where can I purchase my pet's prescription and food?
You can purchase all the medications and specialty food your pet needs either via our online store or our in-house pharmacy.
- Can you help with my pet insurance?
We’re happy to help you fill out pet insurance forms for your pet’s visit.
Pet Owner Resources
Here are some helpful links for your pet's health.