FAQ's & Concerns
The Family Vet is a small animal (dog and cat) health care facility located in Long Beach, California, USA.
Why should I visit The Family Vet?
Our goal is to provide personalized care and service. From our quiet lobby, to the personal care extended to patients in our facility, to great client service and support during and after your visit, we carefully limit patient inflow to allow us to provide a unique client experience.
What are your hours & where are you located?
Office hours are Wednesday through Sunday 8am-1pm & 2pm-5pm. The office closes daily between 1-2PM for lunch, Monday, Tuesdays, and the second Sunday of every month. We are located at 1749 Magnolia Avenue, in Long Beach California USA 90813.
How many doctors do you have on staff?
The doctor on duty is Dr. T-na Tran. Dr. Tran received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Wisconsin, and has been practicing at this facility since 1997. Being the only doctor-on-duty allows her to provide great continuity of care from visit to visit.
Do you accept walk-ins?
We are able to provide the high level of care that we do only by carefully scheduling patients & limiting patient inflow. For this reason, appointments are required. Walk-ins and emergencies for patients already in our care are handled on a case by case basis; walk-ins and emergencies for new patients are referred to other local practices.
Do you have a price list of basic services like vaccines?
As medical care (even vaccination recommendations) varies from pet to pet, the doctor must perform a proper evaluation of the patient in order to decide what treatments are best for your companion. Therefore, our policy is to provide you with an estimate for services only after the doctor's consultation. The consultation fee is $49.00.
Isn't this type of care expensive?
Personalized care doesn't have to mean expensive care. Rather, procedures are tailored (and limited) to the individual medical needs of each patient. Furthermore, our small staff allows us to maintain minimal overhead costs, and staff never receives incentives for selling products or services of any kind.
Do you offer grooming and boarding?
In order to provide better veterinary care, we discontinued boarding and grooming in 2003. If needed, we can provide you information on several local pet sitters, boarding facilities and grooming places.
Do you have the latest medical equipment such as ultrasound?
Having the latest medical equipment is one aspect of providing good care, but there are others just as significant. As in "human medicine," we strongly believe that specialized procedures are best done by veterinarians well qualified in the field. As such, if your companion requires a specialized procedure, we will refer you to a well qualified specialist rather than perform those procedures here.
I was quoted XX for fixing my dog/cat at the hospital down the street, why does it cost XX here? Do you offer low-cost spay & neuters?
You may find that the price of surgeries such as spays and neuters vary widely from place to place. As a result, some procedures that are done here may be less expensive elsewhere, but others may be more, and vice versa. This may depend on several factors, including the pre-anesthesia screening process, the type of anesthesia that is used, and the monitoring both during the procedure and afterwards. While this may mean that sometimes some procedures may cost more, we strongly believe that every patient coming into our care deserves the best in treatment and care - to be treated with the same respect, care and attention that we do for ours.
What is your prescription policy?
Upon request, we will gladly provide a written prescription for any medication at no charge. You may then pickup the written prescription at our office, or we can mail it you at no charge. Please note, however, we do not "call in" or transmit prescriptions via facsimile.
The Family Vet is a small animal (dog and cat) health care facility located in Long Beach, California, USA.
Why should I visit The Family Vet?
Our goal is to provide personalized care and service. From our quiet lobby, to the personal care extended to patients in our facility, to great client service and support during and after your visit, we carefully limit patient inflow to allow us to provide a unique client experience.
What are your hours & where are you located?
Office hours are Wednesday through Sunday 8am-1pm & 2pm-5pm. The office closes daily between 1-2PM for lunch, Monday, Tuesdays, and the second Sunday of every month. We are located at 1749 Magnolia Avenue, in Long Beach California USA 90813.
How many doctors do you have on staff?
The doctor on duty is Dr. T-na Tran. Dr. Tran received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Wisconsin, and has been practicing at this facility since 1997. Being the only doctor-on-duty allows her to provide great continuity of care from visit to visit.
Do you accept walk-ins?
We are able to provide the high level of care that we do only by carefully scheduling patients & limiting patient inflow. For this reason, appointments are required. Walk-ins and emergencies for patients already in our care are handled on a case by case basis; walk-ins and emergencies for new patients are referred to other local practices.
Do you have a price list of basic services like vaccines?
As medical care (even vaccination recommendations) varies from pet to pet, the doctor must perform a proper evaluation of the patient in order to decide what treatments are best for your companion. Therefore, our policy is to provide you with an estimate for services only after the doctor's consultation. The consultation fee is $49.00.
Isn't this type of care expensive?
Personalized care doesn't have to mean expensive care. Rather, procedures are tailored (and limited) to the individual medical needs of each patient. Furthermore, our small staff allows us to maintain minimal overhead costs, and staff never receives incentives for selling products or services of any kind.
Do you offer grooming and boarding?
In order to provide better veterinary care, we discontinued boarding and grooming in 2003. If needed, we can provide you information on several local pet sitters, boarding facilities and grooming places.
Do you have the latest medical equipment such as ultrasound?
Having the latest medical equipment is one aspect of providing good care, but there are others just as significant. As in "human medicine," we strongly believe that specialized procedures are best done by veterinarians well qualified in the field. As such, if your companion requires a specialized procedure, we will refer you to a well qualified specialist rather than perform those procedures here.
I was quoted XX for fixing my dog/cat at the hospital down the street, why does it cost XX here? Do you offer low-cost spay & neuters?
You may find that the price of surgeries such as spays and neuters vary widely from place to place. As a result, some procedures that are done here may be less expensive elsewhere, but others may be more, and vice versa. This may depend on several factors, including the pre-anesthesia screening process, the type of anesthesia that is used, and the monitoring both during the procedure and afterwards. While this may mean that sometimes some procedures may cost more, we strongly believe that every patient coming into our care deserves the best in treatment and care - to be treated with the same respect, care and attention that we do for ours.
What is your prescription policy?
Upon request, we will gladly provide a written prescription for any medication at no charge. You may then pickup the written prescription at our office, or we can mail it you at no charge. Please note, however, we do not "call in" or transmit prescriptions via facsimile.
Philosophy
Choosing a Veterinarian to Trust
We know that choosing a veterinarian is difficult decision, compounded by the fact that the stakes - your loved one's health - are so high. Because your companions are unable to directly report to you feedback on how they are treated by staff, and because medical care often involves complicated issues that can be difficult to fully understand, choosing a veterinarian really involves entrusting him or her with your companion's care.
Choosing a Veterinarian to Trust
We know that choosing a veterinarian is difficult decision, compounded by the fact that the stakes - your loved one's health - are so high. Because your companions are unable to directly report to you feedback on how they are treated by staff, and because medical care often involves complicated issues that can be difficult to fully understand, choosing a veterinarian really involves entrusting him or her with your companion's care.
The Family Vet Difference
We aim to earn your trust by providing exceptional veterinary medicine that establishes and maintains a personal client-patient relationship. This goal is emphasized during all aspects of your visit here. We are able to do this by:
We aim to earn your trust by providing exceptional veterinary medicine that establishes and maintains a personal client-patient relationship. This goal is emphasized during all aspects of your visit here. We are able to do this by:
- Carefully scheduling and allowing extended time for medical consultations. This helps lessen the waiting time to be seen that is typical in many veterinary facilities and ensures that you and your companion are treated with the time, care and respect that you and him or her deserve.
- Does your companion visit a dog park or a doggy day care? If so, how often? Do you find liquid medicatons easier to give than tablets (or vice versa)? Upon your visit we will conduct a lifestyle review and assessment for you and your companion that's more extensive than the basic medical information obtained by many clinics. Finding out additional information about your specific situation allows us to better tailor a customized medical plan.
- Dr. Tran tailors all medical procedures - from vaccination programs to surgery - specifically to each patient - a standard now recommended by most modern veterinary associations. (For example, see the American Veterinary Medical Association's vaccine recommendations.) We believe that even so-called "routine" care such as vaccines are best provided in consultation between the doctor and client.
- Limiting non-veterinary services and specialized procedures allows extended time in a cleaner, quieter, and healthier facility for your companion. If your companion requires specialized care, we will refer you to an adequate specialist when needed rather than perform those services here. If you need to board your companion we can provide you with resources for pet sitters or other facilities, as not boarding here provides greater comfort for medical patients visiting our facility.
- Assurance that any progress visits for follow-up care are done by the same doctor, providing continuity of care that can only be done at a solo-doctor practice.
Dr. Tran started The Family Vet in 2003 with the goal of providing good quality veterinary care. While many practices claimed that they "treat your pet as if it's our own," it seemed that few actually practiced this edict. Dr. Tran began by reversing some trends in contemporary veterinary medicine: she extended the time allotted per patient by reducing patient loads and renewed the commitment to having patient care as the first and foremost practice goal. In this way Dr. Tran has been able to fill a need in the community to provide clients and patients with the kind of quality care that only a solo-doctor, low volume practice can provide, in accordance with this philosophy:
Personal Care for Pets
Those of us lucky enough to have an animal companion share our life know that every one of them is unique. By taking the time to learn about your companion's medical history and lifestyle, we are able to tailor your pet's health care to his or her individual needs. In short, we truly provide the same level of care for your pets that we do for ours - your companion deserves no less. That's Personal Care for Pets.
