Your First Visit: What to Bring and What to Expect

Walking a dog or cat into a new veterinary clinic for the first time always comes with a small dose of uncertainty on both ends of the leash. Knowing roughly what to expect makes the visit easier for you and considerably calmer for your pet.

What to bring

The single most useful thing to bring is any vaccination or medical history you have from a previous vet, even if it is just a printed record or a photo of one on your phone. If your pet is on any current medication, bring the bottle or the name and dosage. For a nervous cat, bringing them in a secure carrier rather than loose in the car makes the whole trip calmer for everyone, including other clients in the waiting area.

What gets asked

Expect questions about your pet's general health history, current diet, any behavior changes you have noticed, and what vaccines they have already had. If this is a new pet to your household, questions about age, where they came from, and any known health issues help build an accurate picture from the start. None of this is a test to pass. It is simply the information a vet needs to make good decisions for your specific animal.

Who you will likely see

Dr. Mark Lawrence has owned and run Woodsprings Animal Clinic since he opened it in 1997, after earning his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from LSU in 1993. The front desk and reception team includes staff who have been with the clinic for years rather than months. Keisha, the lead receptionist and practice manager, has been with the practice since 2015 and holds Bachelor's degrees in both Animal Science and Nursing, and Jackie, a Registered Medical Assistant, has been on reception since 2011. That kind of continuity means the person answering the phone often already knows the clinic's own patients by name.

Vaccinations and boarding go hand in hand

If boarding is part of why you are looking for a new clinic, it is worth knowing up front that pets must be current on vaccinations before they can board, though the clinic can typically update vaccines during a boarding stay if something has lapsed. Getting vaccines sorted at a first visit avoids a second trip later.

Hours, location, and paying for care

Woodsprings Animal Clinic is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM and Saturday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, closed Sunday. The clinic sits at 2408 Alexander Drive in Jonesboro, across the Bypass from the Wal-Mart Super Center, which is a genuinely useful landmark if you have never driven there before. There are two phone lines, 870-933-7077 and 870-276-7476, if you need to call ahead.

• A 10% multi-pet discount applies to vaccinations if you are bringing more than one animal
• A 10% discount across the board is available for senior citizens, active and former military, and local Humane Society members
• CareCredit financing and payments are accepted
• The clinic has been voted Jonesboro Occasions Readers' Choice Best Veterinarian in 2019, 2020, and 2021

What the exam itself usually covers

A first exam typically starts with the basics: a weight check, a look at eyes, ears, and teeth, listening to the heart and lungs, and feeling over the body for anything unusual. None of it takes long, and most of it is the same for a healthy pet as for one with a specific concern. It is simply the baseline every later visit gets compared against.

You might meet a few extra residents

Do not be surprised if a cat wanders through the lobby or the front desk during your visit. The clinic has resident cats, including Lilly, Kitten, and Shrimp Dip, along with Mouser, who keeps an eye on the treatment room. Regulars tend to know them by name after a visit or two, and most new clients end up asking about them.

A first visit is mostly about establishing a baseline: what your pet is healthy for today, and what to watch for going forward. Coming prepared with history and questions, and knowing a bit about who you will be dealing with, gets that baseline set faster, and it makes every visit after the first one a little quicker too.