Dr. Shannon Dawkins
Dr. Shannon Dawkins, D.V.M., has created Claws and Paws Mobile Veterinary Services, a mobile basic vet care service.
Dr. Dawkins will make house calls for dogs and cats, as well as what are known in the vet business as “exotics”—birds, reptiles, rabbits, chinchillas—even amphibians.
“It’s much less stressful for your pet to be treated in its home environment,” Dr. Dawkins said.
She emphasizes that this is not emergency veterinary care. Primarily, it’s designed to provide yearly, required inoculations, heartworm tests and diagnose and treat non-life-threatening illnesses and conditions, including behavior and nutritional counseling. However, Dr. Dawkins maintains a working arrangement with Dr. Colleen Smith and the Chattanooga Holistic Animal Institute, so that in some cases, animals can be treated in a clinic, if it’s determined they require it.
Dr. Dawkins is fluent in Spanish, and is reaching out to the Hispanic community as well. “I’ve found that in many cases, there’s a cultural gap. People may not realize the need for basic vaccinations, for parvo, for instance, until it’s too late. Or they may hesitate to come in because of the language barrier. I would very much like to help change that.”
Claws and Paws Mobile Veterinary Services can be booked Monday-Saturday by appointment (some evening appointments are available). “I am usually able to see the pet within 24 hours, “ says Dr. Dawkins. Costs are similar to what a trip to a bricks-and-mortar vet would cost. A house call to an area further out, such as Ooltewah or Cleveland, for example, will cost more than one to Red Bank or Hixson.
“Several clients have noted that ‘time is money’ and that this service is saving them a great deal of time,” she says. She is also licensed in Georgia, and will make calls to North Georgia.
Claws and Paws Mobile Veterinary Services can be contacted at 779-7467, or on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/ClawsandPawsMobile, which also provides more information about the services offered.