• Frequently Asked Questions

    Below we have compiled a list of answers to the most frequently asked questions:

    How quickly can I get an appointment?

    You will never have to wait long for an appointment, but surgeries and appointments with our cardiologist sometimes require a few days' notice. We ask that you schedule appointments in advance in order to keep waiting times and stress for your animals to a minimum. Appointments outside of office hours and home visits are possible by prior arrangement.

    Please understand that we cannot provide diagnoses by phone or e-mail. In case of illness, please arrange an appointment by 040 - 434001

    Emergencies will always be treated as a priority!

    Do you offer home visits?

    Yes, we also schedule home visits on request.

    A trip to the vet can be a highly stressful experience for many animals. Cats in particular often have great difficulties with being transported. Therefore, we also offer home visits.

    We ask you, however, to bear in mind that home visits are not always more pleasant for an animal than a visit to the practice, since, during a home visit, the vet enters the animal's familiar environment and frightens it in the place where it expects to feel very comfortable and safe. Many animals will not simply submit and let someone examine and treat them in their own territory and support from our assistants is not possible during home visits. Optimal medical care, including X-ray, ultrasound, or anesthesia, is also only possible in the practice.

    We must therefore always decide together whether home treatment is the right choice for your pet.

    Unfortunately, we are able to offer home visits only on certain days and at certain times. Please call us for further information. Please be aware that appointments for home visits are dependent on circumstances within our practice.

    We will gladly offer home visits when euthanasia is required. It is a lot easier for our four-legged friend to fall asleep without fear if he is in a familiar environment, surrounded by family and without the hustle and bustle of a busy veterinary practice. For owners, it is much easier to deal with the grief and pain.

    However, please understand that we can offer this service only to our own patients, whom we know and whom we have accompanied for at least part of their lives.

    Please contact us for more information if you are interested in a home visit. We will gladly provide detailed information on costs, the process, and possible therapies.

    How much will treatment cost? Is there a price list?

    Our veterinary services are billed in accordance with the Gebührenordnung für Tierärzte (GOT, fee schedule for veterinarians). All services are subject to VAT. The GOT includes a list of fixed rates for particular services and permits veterinary practices to charge anything from the rate indicated on the list to a sum amounting to three times the fixed rate. It is against the law for a vet to bill less than the fixed rate. Each treatment consists of various individual services. Any action, e.g., ear exam, cutting claws, or administering an injection, constitutes an individual service and will be billed. After each treatment, you will receive a detailed invoice which we will be happy to explain to you.

    We cannot provide any cost estimates without seeing a patient first. During our regular opening hours, we usually bill the individual services at an average charge of 1.6 times the fixed rate. We charge a significantly higher fee for emergency services. Please bear in mind that veterinary services are subject to VAT.

    Do I have to pay right away?

    Yes. In general, all services provided must be paid for immediately after the treatment. You may pay for the treatment in cash or by debit or credit card (credit card payment is subject to a handling fee).

    Do you offer special prices?

    No. Since our practice operates at the highest medical level and each patient receives the same care, everyone has to pay the same price.

    However, always remember our special offers (e.g. vaccinations and neutering), which we announce regularly in our news section.

    Is there health insurance for animals?

    Of course you may obtain health insurance for your pet. There are numerous companies that offer animal health insurance. Here are a few examples:

    Ask the insurance company to provide information about the terms of the respective policy and make sure you understand all the services and benefits included. You should take out the insurance policy while your pet is still young in order to get the most out of it.

    Where can I get help if I have found an abandoned pet or an injured wild animal?

    Naturally, we also treat injured found or wild animals. We can help you to find the owners of found pets by checking whether the animal is registered. We also provide basic care for injured wild animals. Outside of our opening hours, please contact:

    Are there any travel requirements that apply to my pet?

    Since we can only list excerpts of travel regulations on this website, it is advisable to get acquainted with the regulations of your respective destination so all necessary preparations can be made in time. We will be happy to advise you in a personal discussion.

    For travel within the EU, your pet will need at least the following:

    • an EU pet passport. A veterinarian must indicate the current vaccinations and microchip details of your pet in his passport.
    • a microchip.
    • up-to-date rabies vaccinations (protection is only considered effective 30 days after the vaccination and lasts for between 12-36 months depending on the brand; the vaccination cannot be given before your pet is 12 weeks of age).

    Furthermore, it is strongly recommended that animals be treated against internal parasites (e.g., Echinococcus) with an appropriate drug

    Please note that different requirements apply when entering the following EU countries from other EU countries:
    Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland and Northern Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia, Spain, and the UK.

    Different regulations apply outside of the EU (this includes entry into an EU country from a non-EU country). We will gladly provide information about the regulations currently in place in your destination country so you and your pet can enjoy a relaxing vacation together.

    For more information, please visit the following websites:

    What do I do in an emergency outside the opening hours?

    In the event of an emergency outside of our office hours, please contact the Veterinary Emergency Service of the Hamburg Veterinary Chamber at 040 - 434379

    or one of the Hamburg veterinary hospitals, for example:

    or in the North of Hamburg,

    or in the South of Hamburg,

    Budapester Str. 31
    20359 Hamburg – St. Pauli
    Tel: 040 – 434001
    E-Mail: info@tierarztpraxis-am-millerntor.de