Sick Pet Visits
Not every problem is urgent, but "wait and see" has limits. Petfolk Johns Creek, at Medley in Johns Creek Town Center, books sick visits for pets with problems that are bothering them but don't need same-day or emergency care.
Lab work, X-rays, and ultrasound are on-site if the exam calls for them. Book at our Johns Creek clinic.
Call (470) 964-6691 or book online. Open 8am–6pm, seven days a week.
When to go to a 24-hour emergency hospital
Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital for trouble breathing, collapse, a seizure that won't stop, a swollen belly with unproductive retching, a male cat straining with no urine, heavy bleeding, or a known toxin. If your pet is getting worse quickly, don't wait for a sick visit.
Petfolk Johns Creek is open 8am to 6pm, seven days a week. We don't provide overnight care, so anything that can't wait until morning belongs at a 24-hour emergency hospital.
Sick Visit, Urgent Visit, or Emergency?
Sick visit: a problem that's uncomfortable but stable, like an itchy ear, mild on-and-off soft stool, a slow-growing lump, or a gradual appetite change.
Urgent visit: a problem that started recently and can't wait, like a new limp, vomiting that keeps going, or a bite wound. Book same-day.
Emergency: anything on the emergency list above. Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital.
If you're not sure, book the earlier visit. AAHA notes that pets instinctively hide pain and illness, so a small change you notice may be a bigger one underneath.
Common Reasons for a Sick Visit
Ear scratching, head shaking, or a smell from the ears
Itching, licking, or patchy fur
Soft stool or occasional vomiting that comes and goes
Eating less, or drinking more
A new lump or bump
Coughing or sneezing in a pet who's otherwise acting normal
Eye discharge or redness without squinting
How to Prepare
Write down when it started and whether it's better, worse, or the same.
Take a photo or video of the lump, the cough, or the behavior.
Bring a fresh stool sample for any bowel change.
Bring medications and supplements, including anything over the counter.
Skip baths before skin or ear visits, which wash away the samples the vet needs.
What Happens at the Visit
You go straight to an exam room and stay with your pet.
The vet takes the history and does an exam focused on the problem. Our Gentle Handling team keeps the pace calm, so a pet who doesn't feel well isn't rushed.
If tests would change the plan, the vet explains them and gives you an estimate first.
You leave with a plan and a visit summary in the Petfolk app.
“It's never fun taking a sick animal to the vet, but this practice put my mind at ease.”
— Allyson W., Petfolk client
When Waiting and Watching Is Reasonable
One soft stool, a single sneeze, or a brief scratch after a walk in a pet who is otherwise eating, playing, and acting normally can often be watched for a day or two. Book a visit if it keeps happening, gets worse, or anything new appears.
What a Sick Visit Costs Depends On
The sick exam
Tests the exam points to, such as lab work, a fecal test, cytology, or X-rays
Medication or treatment
You'll get an estimate before any test or treatment. PetfolkCare members get exams covered up to $99 per visit and 10% off lab work and X-rays.
Have It Looked At Before It Grows
Book a sick visit at Petfolk Johns Creek or call (470) 964-6691, and leave knowing what's going on and what to do next.