Columbia Pike is a full general practice, the same as any hospital you'd bring your cat to for a checkup, with the added benefit of a full emergency department on-site, open 24 hours a day. Dr. Reed Hall walks through the yearly wellness exam in the video above, why it matters, and what it actually checks. Now the plan that covers that exam also covers the exam for your cat's next visit to that ER, if something comes up between checkups.
Worried right now? We are open.
Call (703) 256-8414What the exam actually covers
A full physical, front to back. Then bloodwork that checks the liver, kidneys, and blood sugar, and a stool sample for parasites. Kidney disease, thyroid trouble, and diabetes all show up in those numbers long before they show up in your cat's behavior.
Once a year for most cats, twice a year from around age seven. Bring us anything you have noticed, even the small stuff, drinking, litter box habits, how she is moving around the house.
The plan now covers your cat's next ER exam too
What's New
This is new, and it is the reason this post exists. Columbia Pike's wellness plans already covered the annual exam, vaccines, and a full year of Revolution Plus. Now every plan also covers the exam fee for an emergency visit, at the same hospital, with the same team. A wellness plan is not insurance, so treatment beyond the exam, like bloodwork, imaging, surgery, or medication, is billed separately. Pair the plan with Trupanion pet insurance and between the two, almost everything is covered.
The two aren't really separate things. The yearly exam is what catches a problem while it is still small. The plan covering the ER exam fee is what protects you the rest of the year, if something shows up in between. Same plan, same hospital, both ends covered.
What to watch for between exams
A handful of changes are worth a call even when your cat still seems mostly fine: drinking noticeably more water, using the litter box more or less than usual, vomiting more than once, trouble jumping, hiding more than usual. Call, describe what you're seeing, and let a vet decide if it's a today problem or a this-week problem.
A few things move faster and shouldn't wait for morning: a male cat straining in the litter box and producing nothing, open-mouth or labored breathing, collapse, a seizure, sudden weakness in the back legs, or eating a string, ribbon, or a lily.
There is no additional fee for an overnight visit either way, plan or no plan. The exam costs the same at 2 AM as it does at 2 PM. Many of our Trupanion clients use their coverage for exactly this.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's actually new about the wellness plan?
The exam fee for an emergency visit is now included, on top of the annual exam, vaccines, and a year of Revolution Plus. If something comes up between checkups, that exam is already covered under the same plan. Treatment beyond the exam is billed separately, which is where Trupanion pet insurance comes in for clients who carry it.
My cat seems fine. Why bring her in at all?
Because "seems fine" is what cats are built to look like. The exam and bloodwork find what behavior does not.
Is a cat refusing to eat an emergency?
Past 24 hours, yes, call us. Cats who stop eating can develop liver problems faster than dogs do.
Does an overnight visit cost more?
No. There is no additional emergency fee at Columbia Pike, day or night, plan or no plan.
What does the wellness exam cost on its own?
About $90. It is included at no extra charge as part of the wellness plan, along with vaccines, a year of Revolution Plus, and now the emergency exam fee too.
When to call us, or come in
Something wrong tonight: call (703) 256-8414. We are at 4205 Evergreen Ln, Annandale, VA 22003 (get directions), open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
To book the yearly exam or ask about the wellness plan, schedule online, or call or text us anytime.
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