No! We do take a large number of referrals from veterinarians, however, a referral is not required for our doctors to assess your pet.

• You may feed your pet and remain on all current medications, but DCFA asks that you do not bathe your pet within 5-7 days of this visit.

• The doctor will review your pet’s medical records prior to your appointment but requires that each pet have a “new client form” available prior to each initial appointment/evaluation. If a “new client form” is not obtained from you then DCFA will be required to reschedule your pet’s appointment. This ensures a complete history for our doctors and allows for better care of your pet.

• Please do not allow your pet to meet other animals in the hospital and DCFA will require your pet to be on a leash provided by the clinic. This is to ensure your pet’s safety and the safety of the other patients. If your pet is known to be aggressive towards humans or other animals, please notify us prior to your appointment so that our staff can adequately prepare for your pet’s examination. If your pet needs sedation for any examinations with your primary veterinarian, please contact us for further recommendations.

• For more information, please visit our “What to expect” form (hyperlink please) and “New client forms” (hyperlink please) on our website.

• Please note that if you are unhappy with DCFA’s policies then you may ask to speak with one of the doctors or Rose. We will not tolerate any verbal or physical abuse towards our staff.

No - we do not perform procedures on patients unless specified otherwise. You may feed your pet and continue their current medications at the initial visit.

No - our doctors must perform a full evaluation on your pet prior to any procedures. This is to ensure that all pets have a doctor-patient relationship prior to any sedation or anesthesia.

• DCFA only performs food trials for allergy testing and does not provide any serum or intradermal food allergy testing.

• Food allergies are often required to be ruled out prior to any environmental allergy testing and this is at the doctor’s professional opinion and discretion.

• Due to the high influx in patient volume, we require deposits to ensure patient evaluation time is secured.

• If the appointment is canceled more than 48 business hours ahead of the appointment time, then it can be refunded. If the appointment is canceled in less than 48 business hours, it will not be refunded.

• CareCredit can be used for deposits but can only be done in-person with verification of identification (i.e. Driver’s License, Passport, etc.)

• Unfortunately, DCFA is unable to accept payment plans.

• DCFA accepts cash, check, and credit card (VISA, MasterCard, Discover)

  • WE DO NOT ACCEPT AMERICAN EXPRESS

• We accept CareCredit

  • If you are interested in this option, please visit carecredit.com

  • CareCredit is a third-party vendor and DCFA does not have control over how much money each client is approved for.

DCFA provides dermatologic veterinary services to a large area of the Olympic peninsula and new patients may be seen in 1-3 months, while rechecks can often be seen in 4-8 weeks.

It depends on your pet’s needs! For a full, comprehensive visit, one of our doctors will speak with you directly. For quick rechecks and treatments (such as allergen injections, Cytopoint injections, bloodwork, etc.), you will speak directly with one of our assistants or technicians during this doctor-directed visit but are only able to speak to clients directly during scheduled doctor appointments. you will speak directly with one of our assistants or technicians. Depending on the circumstances, the doctor may examine your pet and/or make adjustments to their treatment plan. You will only speak directly with the support staff during these appointments.

• DCFA requires a phone, text, or e-mail communication at least 48-72 business hours prior to cancellation. There is a $100 cancellation fee last minute cancellations and “no-show” appointments, there is a fee of $50.00 if you are 15 minutes or more late to your initial 60 minute appointment and a fee of $50.00 if 10 minutes or more late for a regular 30 minute appointment.

• Please note that if you are unhappy with DCFA’s policies then you may ask to speak with the Operations Assistant or Practice Manager. We will not tolerate any verbal or physical abuse towards our staff.

Item descriptionWe can provide a full estimate at the time of your appointment upon request. Our doctors will perform a skin cytology to better assess your pet’s condition, this diagnostic is required if indicated based on your pets' skin and ear condition. Anything additional is based on your pets' specific needs.

We require a deposit fee to ensure our appointments are accounted for as we have many patients in need of an initial examination. The fee is refundable if the appointment is cancelled at least 48 business hours prior to the appointment.

Yes, we recommend continuing all medications that are prescribed by your primary veterinarian.  

If your pet displays anxious/aggressive behavior at the veterinary hospital and you have been provided sedative/anxiety medications for your pet, please administer them as originally prescribed. This will facilitate the doctors to be able to perform a full physical exam. In some cases, extremely aggressive and/or fearful pets will be prescribed oral medications at the time of the initial evaluation and then re-evaluated at a later time. This is to ensure the safety of your pet and our medical team. We may also recommend injectable sedation at the time of the initial visit - this will not be performed without your explicit approval.

Veterinary dermatologists are specially trained to diagnose and treat skin and ear diseases. After receiving their doctorate in veterinary medicine, a veterinary dermatologist completes a 1-year internship, a 3-year dermatology residency program and then must pass a rigorous board certification exam given by the American College of Veterinary Dermatology. This advanced training provides in-depth knowledge that allows doctors to make more accurate diagnostic and treatment recommendations.  

Prior to your appointment we will obtain medical history from your pet's primary care doctor and any specialty veterinarians your pet has seen. Our doctors will review the answers that you have provided on our new patient form to provide the most thorough, complete, and accurate diagnosis of your pet's dermatological condition. The doctor will perform a thorough dermatological examination and then discuss appropriate diagnostic tests and therapies for your pet’s skin or ear disease. A cost estimate is provided for any recommended procedures that may be necessary to better diagnose your pet’s condition.  

• Your dog on a leash or your cat in a carrier. We will apply a second lead/leash.

• A list of your pet’s medications including dosage and frequency

• Any questions or concerns you have regarding your pet’s dermatology needs.

There is no accurate blood, hair, or skin test for food allergies. Our doctors and staff will guide you on how to properly perform a diet trial to diagnose food allergies.