FAQs – Acosta Veterinary Hospital in Biloxi, MS
Acosta Veterinary Hospital provides veterinary services for dogs and cats in Biloxi, MS, and across the Mississippi Gulf Coast and surrounding areas. This FAQ page answers common questions about our location, appointments, urgent pet care, medical services, boarding, grooming, and preventative care. We want you to have clear information when making decisions about your pet’s health and daily care.
New Clients and General Care
Where is Acosta Veterinary Hospital located in Biloxi, MS?
We are located at 2629 Pass Road, Biloxi, MS 39531. Our animal hospital welcomes dogs and cats from Biloxi and surrounding Mississippi Gulf Coast communities. Our central Gulf Coast location is convenient for many local families, including many of the active-duty and retired military households that live on or near the area’s Air Force and Navy bases.
You can find directions and additional location information at our Biloxi veterinary hospital contact page.
What are your veterinary clinic hours?
Our clinic is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. We are open Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to noon. We are closed on Sunday.
Because our hours may occasionally change for holidays or severe Gulf Coast weather, we recommend calling before visiting on holidays, during inclement weather, or any other time when conditions may be uncertain. Our Contact page contains our current location and scheduling details, as well as a form you can use to reach out.
How do I contact Acosta Veterinary Hospital?
You can contact Acosta Veterinary Hospital by calling 228-385-7611 or by sending a message through the form on our contact page. Calling is the most direct option and is always recommended if your pet is sick, injured, or needs a timely appointment.
We are always happy to answer questions and help guide you to the best next steps.
How do I become a client of Acosta Veterinary Hospital?
New clients can begin by contacting our staff, requesting an appointment, and completing the appropriate intake forms. Our website provides downloadable new client and patient forms, including separate client and patient intake documents. Filling these out in advance may save time before your first visit and help us understand your pet and their care needs.
When you come to our Biloxi animal hospital, please bring relevant medical records, vaccination history, current medication information, and details about your pet’s diet or recent symptoms.
What payment options are available?
We accept standard forms of payment and offer Cherry financing to qualified pet owners. Cherry allows eligible clients to divide veterinary expenses into monthly payments and uses a soft credit inquiry to check eligibility. Financing is subject to approval and applicable terms. Visit our veterinary payment options page or call us at 228-385-7611 for more information.
What pets do you treat?
We provide veterinary care for dogs and cats at every life stage.
Who will care for my pet?
Our veterinarians include practice founder Dr. Tracy Acosta, who earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Mississippi State University; Dr. Allie Abell, a St. George’s University graduate; and Dr. Ellisa Brown, a Mississippi State University graduate with a special interest in feline medicine. You can learn more about our staff before your appointment by visiting Our Veterinarians.
What makes Acosta Veterinary Hospital different from other Biloxi vet clinics?
Our hospital provides veterinary care, preventative medicine, boarding, grooming, and other pet care services together in one welcoming location. Our services include wellness visits and veterinary diagnostics, surgery, laser therapy, dentistry, dermatology, behavioral counseling, and weight management.
Our professional affiliations include the South Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association, Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association, and American Veterinary Medical Association. We are dedicated to providing the best possible care to every one of our patients.
Emergency and Urgent Care
What signs mean my dog or cat needs veterinary care immediately?
Knowing what to look for can make a huge difference. Seek prompt veterinary guidance if your dog or cat develops:
- Difficulty breathing
- Choking
- Collapse or fainting
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
- Severe weakness
- Sudden disorientation
- Repeated vomiting
- Bloody vomit
- Severe diarrhea
- Bloody stool
- Swollen or painful abdomen
- Unproductive retching
- Inability to urinate
- Straining to urinate
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Major trauma
- Deep wounds or bites
- Severe burns
- Sudden paralysis
- Inability to stand or walk
- Severe or worsening pain
- Eye injuries
- Sudden vision changes
- Blue, gray, or pale gums
- Heatstroke symptoms
- Facial swelling or hives
- Severe allergic reactions
- Suspected poisoning
- Unsafe food ingestion
- Human medication ingestion
- Swallowed foreign objects
- Difficult or prolonged labor
Do not wait for severe or rapidly worsening symptoms to resolve on their own. If you notice any of these warning signs during business hours, call us at 228-385-7611. Our after-hours contact number is 228-392-7474. However, we are not a 24-hour emergency hospital.
Services and Medical Care
What veterinary services do you offer?
We provide medical, preventative, diagnostic, surgical, dental, behavioral, and wellness care for dogs and cats. Our services include wellness visits, pet vaccinations, allergy and dermatology care, nutrition and weight management, laboratory testing, digital radiology, ultrasound, dentistry, surgery, laser therapy, microchipping, behavioral counseling, boarding, and grooming. You can review all our Veterinary Services for a more detailed list.
What veterinary diagnostics are available at your animal hospital?
Our pet diagnostic services include an on-site laboratory, digital X-rays, and ultrasound. Laboratory testing can provide timely information about blood cells, organ function, infection, and more. Diagnostic imaging provides our veterinarians with detailed information about pets’ bones and internal structures, offering insight that a physical exam couldn’t fully assess. Our doctors may review images in real time or share them electronically with specialists when appropriate. Diagnostic testing and imaging can help us identify illness or injury and develop a more informed treatment plan.
Do pets really need professional dental care?
Yes. Most dogs and cats need regular professional dental evaluations, although the ideal timing and type of care vary by pet. Bad breath, red or bleeding gums, excessive drooling, dropping food, pawing at the mouth, facial swelling, or broken and loose teeth are a few things that may signal painful oral disease. Our veterinary dentistry includes preventive care and treatment for existing dental problems, along with guidance on keeping your pet’s teeth and gums healthy between visits. Pets are remarkably good at hiding mouth pain, so a dental examination can uncover trouble even when they are still eating normally.
What should I expect if my dog or cat needs surgery?
Pets undergoing surgery receive preoperative screening, procedural monitoring, recovery care, and a post-surgical pain-management plan. We use a detailed screening process to identify health concerns that could affect anesthesia or the procedure. We closely monitor patients before, during, and after surgery.
We understand that veterinary surgery can make any family nervous. Our pet surgery process is designed to keep you informed throughout your pet’s care. Before you bring your pet home, we will review home-care directions to make sure you understand activity limits, incision care, medication instructions, feeding guidance, and warning signs to watch for.
How can laser therapy help my pet?
Laser therapy is a painless, non-invasive treatment that may reduce pain and inflammation while encouraging circulation and tissue healing. We may recommend veterinary laser therapy for many conditions, including arthritis, degenerative joint disease, disc disease, hip dysplasia, sprains, strains, chronic inflammation, certain dental problems, and some dermatologic conditions. Treatment recommendations vary by diagnosis, severity, medical history, and individual response. Our information explains this option in more detail.
Do you offer boarding and grooming for dogs and cats?
We provide full-service boarding and professional grooming for dogs and cats of different breeds and sizes. Boarding amenities include individual housing, separate areas for cats and dogs, temperature control, clean bedding, fresh water, daily exercise, and sanitary enclosures; our staff can also provide approved medication and special care instructions. Grooming helps maintain the coat, skin, nails, and overall comfort while giving our staff a chance to notice visible skin or coat changes. Our pet boarding and grooming services let families coordinate everyday care with a team already familiar with veterinary health.
How do I register my pet for boarding?
You can start by filling out our Boarding Registration form. You may also contact us at 228-385-7611. Please provide complete and current information so we can anticipate and prepare for your pet’s individual needs. This helps us keep our guests as comfortable as possible during their stays.
Preventative Care and Ongoing Support
What happens during a veterinary wellness visit?
A veterinary wellness visit includes a nose-to-tail examination. After we examine your pet, we may offer specific recommendations. These will be based on your pet’s age, lifestyle, health history, and individual risks. We may discuss dog vaccinations, cat vaccinations, parasite control, nutrition, weight management, behavior, oral health, general care, exercise, and routine screening tests. Regular examinations also establish a health baseline, making subtle changes easier to recognize as your pet grows or ages. Our approach to Wellness & Vaccinations combines disease prevention with the relationship and familiarity that develop through ongoing care.
Can you help with pet allergies and skin problems?
Yes. We diagnose pet allergies and other conditions that affect the skin, ears, hair, or coat. We may use various methods, such as physical examinations, bloodwork, skin scrapings, biopsies, or other appropriate tests to pinpoint the issues. Allergies are a very common skin issue, but pets can also be affected by other issues, such as infections, parasites, dermatitis, hormonal disorders, autoimmune disease, masses, and skin cancer.
Persistent scratching, licking, chewing, scabs, hot spots, hair loss, or new lumps are a few things that would warrant veterinary attention. Skin issues can cause significant discomfort, which can affect both a pet’s health and the family’s peace of mind.
Can your veterinarians help with nutrition, weight, and behavior concerns?
Yes. Our veterinarians can develop individualized plans for diet, healthy weight, exercise, and behavioral concerns. Vet nutrition and weight recommendations may change with age, activity, medical conditions, body condition, and life stage, so advice should be tailored to your pet’s needs, rather than based only on a food label or online calculator. Veterinary behavioral counseling can also help families understand concerning habits and determine whether pain, illness, anxiety, environment, or learned behavior may be contributing.
For ongoing care needs, clients can use our secure pet medication request form. All medications must be authorized/reviewed by a veterinarian.
If you are looking for a veterinarian in Biloxi or an animal hospital near you on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Acosta Veterinary Hospital provides wellness care, veterinary diagnostics, dentistry, surgery, laser therapy, dermatology, boarding, and grooming for dogs and cats. Call us at 228-385-7611 or use Contact Acosta Veterinary Hospital to ask a question or request an appointment.
