What are your hours?  We are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm, and on Saturday from 8am to Noon.  We are closed Sundays.

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Where are you located?  We are located at the intersection of Louisiana Ave and Minnetonka Blvd in St Louis Park.  Click here for a map.

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Do I need an appointment?  Yes.  Due to our size, we can't treat patients on a walk-in basis.  Call us at 952-929-0074 and we will be happy to find a time that works for you and your pets.

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What forms of payment do you accept?  We accept cash, checks, Visa, MasterCard and CareCredit. 

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Do you allow payment plans?  No, we require payment at time of service.  We cannot offer credit ourselves, which is why we accept CareCredit.  Click the New Client button on the upper left of this page to learn more about CareCredit.

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How can I reach OKAH after hours?  We do not offer after-hours emergency service at Oak Knoll.  If your pet needs emergency treatment after normal business hours, we recommend the Affiliated Emergency Veterinary Service in Golden Valley (763-529-6560) or Eden Prairie (952-942-8272).

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Can I visit my pet in the hospital?  On rare occasion our doctors will approve family visits for hospitalized patients, but we strongly discourage it for several reasons.  When an animal is hospitalized the best medicine for them is REST, and lots of it.  Most animals experience a great deal of stress during visits to the veterinarian, and visiting them will only increase this stress.  They become very excited to see their owners and they expect that they are about to be "rescued."  This leads them to jump, bark, whine and play and that can cause them to injure themselves.  Add to this the anxiety when the owner leaves without them and you can see that visiting pets in the hospital is just not a good idea for the patient.

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What is the purpose of annual visits?  Annual visits for our pets serve an even more important purpose than regular physicals for humans.  Dogs and Cats age more rapidly than humans; a general rule of thumb is that they age about seven times faster than we do.  Pets are considered "Senior Citizens" at age 7, and most will perish of "Old Age" by age12 to15, depending on breed and species.  Because of this rapid aging, problems can develop much more quickly than they do in humans. An annual visit for your pet is equivalent to a human getting a physical every seven years!  And since our pets rarely tell us when they are hurting, these annual exams are critical to catching problems while they are still small and treatable.

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What food should I feed my pet?  There are a number of great pet foods available over the counter, but there are also some that should be steered away from!  What kind to feed your pet depends on many factors from breed and age to weight and even if your pet suffers from allergies!  Call us at 952-929-0074 for a specific recommendation about the right food for your pet.

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Can I feed my pet "human food"?  No.  Dogs and cats have a very different digestive system than humans and foods that are great for us can be harmful or fatal to them.  Most people know that chocolate is toxic to dogs, but did you also know that avocados are as well?  People have traditionally offered saucers of milk to cats, which they love, but most cats are lactose intolerant and will become ill from milk or cream.  Dogs that eat people food can also develop pancreatitis, a disease in which the pancreas becomes inflamed and which may require several days of hospitalization or even surgery.

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Is my pet overweight?  Maybe.  Pets that eat too much and don't get enough exercise will suffer the same bodily changes that people do.  We use something called a "Body Condition Score" (BCS) to generally evaluate our patients.  This is similar to the "Body Mass Index" your doctor may use.  Although it is intended only as a guide, you can see a BCS chart here.  If you feel that your pet is not in the ideal range, please do not adjust their diets or make other changes without first consulting your veterinarian,  There are many options available for controlling your pet's weight and overall health that we would be happy to discuss with you.

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Can I use human shampoo on my dog?  No.  The Ph levels of a dog's skin are very different from human skin and shampoos formulated to work for us can cause allergic reactions, dermatitis, and could even make your dog begin to shed massive amounts of hair!  Only use shampoos labeled for use on dogs when bathing your pet.

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Why does my dog "scoot" across the floor?   When your dog begins "scooting" or displaying any other behavior that is out of the ordinary, it means something is wrong.  There could be several reasons for "scooting," but the most common is inflamed anal glands.  Dogs and cats have two small glands on either side of the rectum that naturally fill with an oily secretion.  These will normally empty or "express" when your pet has a bowel movement, but sometimes issues will arise that prevent them from expressing on their own.  If left unchecked, these have the potential to become infected and cause a great deal of harm to your pet.  We can easily express these glands manually when they become clogged, just call for an appointment! 

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At what age is my pet considered a "Senior?"   As you probably know, pets age much more rapidly than humans; roughly seven times as fast!  Pets are considered "Senior Citizens" at age 7, and most will perish of "Old Age" by age12 to15, depending on breed and species.  Because of this rapid aging, problems can develop much more quickly than they do in humans.  Annual exams become much more critical at this stage, and we offer a discounted rate on a comprehensive blood test called a "Senior Wellness Panel."  This assesses a senior pet's overall health and tells us about the changes going on in your pet as it ages.

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SERVICES

Do you treat reptiles, birds and other exotic pets?  No, we specialize solely in treating dogs and cats.

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Do you have laser surgery?  Absolutely!  We are proud of our surgical laser and the many benefits provided by laser surgery.  Click here to learn more about Laser Surgery.

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What is involved in a "Dental Cleaning?"  A dental cleaning for your pet is far more complicated than for humans,  Firstly, the animal needs to be placed under general anesthesia, because no pet will allow us to open their mouths and use an ultrasonic scaler in there!  They receive IV sedatives, anesthesia and IV pain medication.  We use a local anesthetic to numb the area for any extractions, and can even apply a sealant while we are at it!  Click here to learn more about Dental Services.

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Why is a dental cleaning necessary?  If you are like most pet owners you rarely, if ever, take the time to brush your pet's teeth.  Plaque and tartar build up on your pet's teeth, commonly in the back where it isn't noticeable to owner's.  This buildup weakens the tooth, infects the gumline, and can develop into periodontal disease.  With this disease, the gums separate from the teeth and develop pockets.  The bacteria growing in your pet's mouth can enter the bloodstream when that occurs, causing a system wide infection that requires major surgery and antibiotics to correct.

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What pet foods do you sell?  We carry prescription diets from Hill's pet foods, Royal Canin and Purina.  Our diets are not available for sale over the counter; they all require a prescription.

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Do you microchip pets?  Absolutely!  We use the Avid microchip, one of the most trusted and widely recognized pet microchips available. The microchip is inserted into the scruff of the neck by syringe.  It is less painful than a vaccine injection.

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What's the benefit of microchipping?  Once implanted with a microchip, your pet is permanently identified as yours.  Every animal hospital, shelter and humane society in the nation is equipped with a microchip scanner and if a lost animal is brought to them, a quick scan will tell them who the legitimate owner is and the animal can be returned to them right away.

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What is a "Pre-Anesthetic Blood Screen?"  This is a detailed blood test that measures things like kidney and liver function, blood sugar, proteins and other important levels in your pet's blood that are critical to keeping your pet safe during surgery.  There are certain risks associated with anesthetizing an animal, and this blood test helps us to minimize those risks. 

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Do you offer boarding?  No.  We do not have the facilities to board animals on site, however we can recommend several excellent facilities in the area.  Just call us! 

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Do you provide late-night emergency care?  We do not.  However, if your pet needs emergency treatment after normal business hours, we recommend the Affiliated Emergency Veterinary Service in Golden Valley (763-529-6560) or Eden Prairie (952-942-8272).

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MEDICAL

What do I do if my pet has swallowed poison?  If your pet swallows any toxic substance during business hours, call us immediately at 952-929-0074.  After hours, contact Affiliated Emergency Veterinary Service in Golden Valley (763-529-6560) or Eden Prairie (952-942-8272).

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What vaccines does my pet need regularly?  Vaccines, like any medical treatments, need to be determined on an individual basis.  There is no single vaccine plan that is suitable for all pets.  Schedule an appointment with one of our doctors and they will determine which course of treatment is best for your pet.

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Do I really need to vaccinate against Lyme disease?  Yes.  Some people believe that if their pet is using a parasite preventative like Frontline, the Lyme vaccine is unnecessary.  After all, if you can't get ticks, you can't get Lyme disease.  The truth is that parasite preventatives take 24 to 48 hours to kill a tick after it has attached, and it takes about that same amount of time for the tick to infect an animal.  So, even with parasite prevention, your dog may contract Lyme disease.  Using the vaccine in combination with preventatives offers the most complete protection available today.

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Do I really need to vaccinate against Leptospirosis (Lepto)?  Yes.  Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease (transmittable to humans) and has greatly increased in occurrence in recent years.  We have seen several infected animals here at Oak Knoll, in fact.  Lepto is contracted through contact with wildlife or wildlife waste.  Simply drinking from a stream in which raccoons have urinated may be enough to infect your dog.

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When should I have my pet spayed or neutered?  There are many factors to consider in deciding when to spay or neuter an animal, but in general we recommend it be performed between five and six months.  In smaller breeds, we will wait until the pet's weight reaches a minimum of five pounds to insure the pet's safety.  It is especially important to spay or neuter your pet earlier rather than later to prevent the development of certain undesirable habits such as aggression or spraying. 

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What is a "Pre-Anesthetic Blood Screen?"  This is a detailed blood test that measures things like kidney and liver function, blood sugar, proteins and other important levels in your pet's blood that are critical to keeping your pet safe during surgery.  There are certain risks associated with anesthetizing an animal, and this blood test helps us to minimize those risks.

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Isn't it a good idea to let my pet have one good litter?  No.  This is a myth with no medical or evidentiary basis whatsoever.  Allowing your pet to have "just one litter" means allowing your dog to mature fully as an intact female, developing all the undesirable habits that go along with that.  It also means bringing several more animals into the world that have no homes.  Every year approximately 11 million pets are euthanized in the United States alone, simply for lack of homes.  The "Just One Litter" philosophy is a major contributor to that statistic.

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How does a dog get heartworm?  Heartworms are transmitted from animal to animal by mosquitoes. When an animal is bitten by an infected mosquito, young heartworms (called microfilariae) are transmitted to that animal. In about two weeks, the microfilaria develop into larvae. The larvae, as they mature, move through the animal's body and eventually enter the heart and blood vessels. Over the next several months, the growing heartworms reach adult size (female worms can reach up to 14 inches in length) and reproduce. In time, the worms cause injury to the pulmonary vessels and heart. This can lead to severe lung disease, heart disease and damage to other organs. Heartworms may survive for 5 to 7 years in dogs.

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Can I get heartworm?  Technically yes, but not likely.  Humans are an aberrant host for heartworms, which means that the larvae can not complete their normal lifecycle within a human host.  This does not mean they cannot occasionally complete part of their life cycle however.  If a human is infected (which is rare), the heartworms usually end up as cysts in the lungs, and on extremely rare occasions the worms will migrate to the eye as the oxygen levels in the eye are the most similar to a heartworms ideal environment.

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