House calls
How a visit at home works
A house call is a full vet visit, just in a different room. Most take 30 to 45 minutes for one pet, longer when the whole household is on the list.
Start to finish
Five steps, from your call to the summary
You call, or send a request
Tell us who the pet is, what you would like seen to, and the days that suit you. Our technician calls you back, usually within the working day.
We agree an arrival window
We book a two-hour window and plan the route around it. On the day, you get a text when we are about 20 minutes away.
We arrive and slow down
We park, come in quietly and let your pet come to us. The first few minutes are treats, sniffing and sitting on the floor.
The exam, explained as we go
We work in whichever room your pet is calmest. You can hold them, watch, or step out, and you hear what we find while we find it.
Before we leave
You pay by card or e-transfer at the door. A written summary and any lab results follow by email, and we book a follow-up if one is needed.
Preparing your home
A few small things make the visit easier
Nothing here is required. If something is hard to arrange, tell us when we call and we will plan around it.
- Close cats into one room before we arrive, so nobody hides under the deck.
- Have a leash ready for dogs, even indoors.
- Pick a quiet room with a bit of floor space and good light.
- Hold breakfast only if we ask you to, for some blood tests.
- Set out current medications and the name of the food they eat.
- Tell us the name of any previous clinic, and we will ask for records.
- Put excitable pets who are not being seen in another room.
- Leave a parking spot near the door, if you can.
What we bring
A small clinic, packed into a van
Exam kit
Stethoscope, otoscope for ears, ophthalmoscope for eyes, thermometer and a folding exam table.
A scale
A flat platform scale for dogs and a basket scale for cats, so weights stay comparable visit to visit.
Vaccines
Kept in a temperature-logged travel fridge, with the certificate printed or emailed after the visit.
Sample supplies
Everything for blood, urine and skin samples, packed for the lab courier the same afternoon.
Comfort things
Soft towels, several kinds of treats for sensitive stomachs, and lick mats to keep a dog busy.
Card reader
Tap, chip or e-transfer at the door. You get an itemized receipt before we pack up.
Who comes to your door
The same two people, every visit
Veterinarian and owner
Does the exams, the vaccines and the end-of-life visits, and calls you back with lab results.
Veterinary technician
Books your visit, takes samples, trims nails and keeps your pet settled while the vet works.
What has to happen at a clinic
Some care needs equipment, anaesthetic or a team that can't fit in a van. For these we refer you, and send your pet's records ahead.
- X-rays and ultrasound
- Surgery, including spays and neuters
- Dental cleanings under anaesthetic
- Hospital stays and IV fluids
- Emergencies of any kind
We see dogs and cats only. For rabbits, birds, reptiles and other exotic pets, please look for a clinic that treats them.
Our partner clinic
Crossbill Animal Hospital in Barrie handles our referrals for imaging, surgery and dental work. We send the referral and records; you book with them directly.
After hours or an emergency
We are not an emergency service. If your pet is struggling to breathe, bleeding, collapsed or in pain, call Northlight Emergency Animal Clinic, open evenings, nights and weekends: (555) 555-0188.