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8/16/2012 - West Side Leader
     

By Kathleen Folkerth

Dr. John Gifford treats cats and dogs at Primary Pet Care in Fairlawn. The practice features no appointments for basic services and reasonable fees, according to practice officials.

Photo courtesy of Primary Pet Care

FAIRLAWN — Taking care of man’s best friends shouldn’t mean having to choose between one health-care procedure or another.

That’s the viewpoint at Primary Pet Care, a veterinarian clinic for dogs and cats.

“We offer basic preventive care at a reasonable price and try to make that as easy as possible by having a no-appointment policy,” said practice manager Joe Elton, who co-owns the business with veterinarian Dr. John Gifford.

The two opened the first Primary Pet Care in Stow in 2010 and followed that with a Fairlawn location, at 3005 Smith Road, Suite 500, in May. Elton said they wanted to have a presence in Fairlawn because Gifford lives in the area and the two also saw a need for more veterinary services there.

The main difference between Primary Pet Care and most other practices is the cost, Elton said.

“All of our pricing is as low as we possibly can in order to make a living, but our main goal is to not have folks choose between a vaccine or a heartworm test,” he said. “They should be able to get both of them.”

The clinic offers vaccines, wellness care, heartworm tests and prevention, and treatment of minor illnesses and ailments such as upper respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, ear problems and allergies.

“We’re like a primary care physician,” Elton said. “We take care of basic things.”

The practice does not handle emergencies, but can refer clients to an animal hospital or specialist, Elton added. The practice does offer minor surgery such as spays and neuters, by appointment.

Elton said the business has received a lot of positive feedback.

“A lot of folks have the misconception that low cost means they are sacrificing quality of care, and that’s just not the case,” he said. “We just are limited in what we treat. Our customers are very happy they can afford to come in. They don’t have to wait a long time, and it’s still good-quality care in a nice facility.”

He added that the staff also works hard to keep the new clinic clean and smelling good. The staff does a midday cleaning during the office’s lunch break, Elton said.

Primary Pet Care in Fairlawn is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the office closed from 2 to 3 p.m. On Saturday, the practice is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information, call 330-576-6876 or go to www.primarypetcare.net.

Editor’s note: Advertiser features appearing in the West Side Leader are provided as a service to the advertiser and our readers. They do not serve as an endorsement of any company, person, product or service. All information contained in these features comes directly from interviews with company owners or their representatives and from additional materials provided by them.

     

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