A message from the doctors and staff of Highsmith Animal Hospital

We are excited to welcome Dr. Kristina Edmiston to the Highsmith Animal Hospital team.

Dr. Edmiston grew up in central Pennsylvania and attended Penn State University where she received her undergraduate degree in biomedical sciences. She attended the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and received her doctorate in veterinary medicine in 2024. Wilmington has always had a special place in her heart, and now she is excited to make it her home. Currently, she has two cats, “Sami” and “Yogi”. Dr. Edmiston is excited to join the Highsmith Animal Hospital family and create long lasting client-patient bonds.

Additionally, be advised of the following hospital policies effective July 15, 2024:

Missed Appointments

All missed appointments will incur a $40 missed appointment fee. We will require 24 business hour notice (by phone call only; email or text notification will not be accepted) for all rescheduling or cancellations. An appointment is classified as missed if:

• You have rescheduled or canceled your appointment within 24 business hours of your scheduled appointment time, or
• You have not arrived and we have not heard from you 15 minutes past your scheduled appointment time.

No further appointments may be scheduled until the missed appointment fee is paid. One missed appointment per client per calendar year will be exempt from incurring this fee. Contact the office in the event of an emergency.

Surgery Deposits

All surgeries will require a $100 deposit collected at least 3 weeks prior to your scheduled surgery date, unless you have scheduled an emergency procedure. This policy includes surgeries performed by specialists visiting our facility. The deposit will be applied to the cost of the procedure, pending compliance to the missed appointment policy. We will require 48 business hour notice (by phone call only; email or text notification will not be accepted) for all rescheduling or cancellations. A surgery is classified as missed if you have not arrived and we have not heard from you 15 minutes past your scheduled check in time. If a surgery is missed, your deposit will be forfeited. Contact the office in the event of an emergency.

New Patients

For all new patients with prior medical history, we will require a copy of any previous medical records before scheduling your pet’s initial appointment. You may call the office to add your new pet to your account, but an appointment will not be scheduled until your pet’s history is received. A digital copy may be emailed to highsmithanimalvet@gmail.com, or a physical copy may be brought to the office. Invoices and/or vaccination certificates are not sufficient documentation in most situations. Please contact your previous veterinarian for full medical history, including doctor’s notes and lab work results. This will allow the staff and doctor to review your pet’s information fully prior to your visit and provide informed care.

Medication Refill Requests

All medication refill requests will require 24 business hour notice. This facility is not a pharmacy and may not be able to accommodate last minute requests. Be advised of the following legal requirements:

• A current physical exam performed at this facility (within the last year) is required to dispense any medications, including heartworm prevention, flea and tick control, and prescription diets.
• A current heartworm test (within the last year) is required to dispense canine heartworm prevention.
• A current doctor-client-patient relationship is required to dispense any medications. If the doctor overseeing your pet’s primary care is not in the office, we may not be able to approve or fill medications.
• We are unable to send prescriptions directly to any online pharmacy. You will place your order, then the online pharmacy will contact us for authorization. If the doctor overseeing your pet’s primary care is not in the office, we may not be able to approve the requested medication.

Updating Contact Information

At your pet’s preventive care visit, you will be asked to update your contact information, including your mailing address, phone number, email address, and authorized person(s) on your account. An authorized person on your account may schedule appointments, request medications, access your pet’s medical records, and be contacted in case of emergency. Plan to arrive 10 minutes early to this appointment to allow sufficient time to update this information.  If there are any changes to your contact information or authorized persons between preventive care visits, we ask that you contact the office as soon as possible.

These policies allow us to function efficiently while respecting your time and our team’s efforts to create a positive experience for you and your pet. Please call the office at (910) 799-5587 or email highsmithanimalvet@gmail.com with any questions.