Telephone:

Our staff are trained in assisting you when you phone. An Emergency Nurse will listen to your concerns and try to guide you through a plan to resolve your pet’s problem. Our aim is to determine if your pet requires veterinary treatment and the degree of urgency. We can’t see or examine your pet over the phone and  they can’t tell us what’s wrong, but you can help by providing as much information as possible.

Remember when you call:

• Always remain calm during an emergency.
• Have some basic information available for us:
  • print off one of the “Animal Information Forms” and keep on the fridge. They’re also perfect when your pets are being babysat.
  • Tell us about your pet, age, breed, are they a male or female and have they been desexed.
  • Think clearly and explain the nature of your pet’s problem. What changes have you seen and when did they first occur?
  • Does your animal have any relevant medical problems and do they receive any medications? If you need to come to the emergency centre, bring any current medication with you.

Triage:

Just like the emergency department at a human hospital, we need to immediately triage your pet. This means that the Triage Nurse will quickly assess the urgency with which your pet requires assistance. Unlike your regular vet clinic, we don’t schedule appointments. Often your pet is seen immediately; at other times, 3 or 4 serious emergencies can arrive simultaneously. Please be patient if you have to wait. It may be comforting to remember that you are only waiting because your pet is not as sick as those pets our staff are occupied helping.

The Triage Nurse obtains a basic history of your pet’s problem, performs a preliminary examination and records your pet’s vital signs. If the condition is life threatening, your pet may be taken to a resuscitation area where a team of staff can work on your pet. You may need to wait in the waiting room whilst we stabilise your pet. We endeavour to keep you updated at all times.

We will fully assess your pet seen as soon we can. We are always working hard to make any waiting time as short as possible.

Front Desk:

On arrival please complete an admission form. This provides us with a lot of information. Our centre is computerised and your details are uploaded. All patients have detailed information about their visit recorded in their file. A full medical history is faxed to your regular veterinarian to keep them updated on your pet’s progress.

Exam Room:

For non-critical consultations you will see the vet in one of our consulting rooms. These are private areas for detailed examinations of your pet and case discussion with you.

Treatment Area:

Our main treatment area is open plan. The design allows our staff to observe multiple patients across the building. We have four treatment areas that are equipped with modern, comprehensive facilities to stabilise, treat, manage and monitor your pet. Mostly we restrict access to staff as veterinary procedures are often occurring.

Admission of your Pet:

Leaving your sick pet with us can be scary for owners and pets alike. We fully understand the stress this causes and aim to reunite pets with their family as soon as possible. If our Vets have recommended leaving your pet, it will be for a good reason. Most of our hospitalised pets are very sick; often this means they are not stressed further by unfamiliar people and surroundings. Our centre is fully staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your pet is continually assessed and treated by trained and compassionate vets and nurses. We cannot substitute for your family but we give plenty of pats and cuddles and try our best to give emotional as well as medical support.

It is very important to ensure we have correct contact phone numbers and are able to reach you on them. In the event of a medical emergency, we need to contact you immediately to update you on your pet’s progress and may need your consent for further treatment. If many family members want updates, we may ask that only one person acts as a contact point. This can minimise confusion and gives our staff more time to be treating sick patients.

Visiting:

Wherever possible, we encourage family visits. Unfortunately we may have to limit visits during busy periods. If our staff restrict your visit, it is with the best interest of our patients in mind. We ask that you please phone before visiting.

Discharge:

When the happy time comes for us to say good bye to your pet, we will organise a time that is convenient for you. We prefer someone to be home with your pet during the first 12 hours after discharge. The vet will discuss ongoing care with you when you visit the clinic or they may talk to you over the phone before you arrive. We always try to have some written instructions for you. We will go through these with you and make sure you understand the medications and ongoing nursing care required. Most pets will require a follow up check with your regular veterinarian within 2-3 days of discharge.

Your regular veterinarian:

When you bring your pet to see us, we will always update your regular veterinary clinic with a detailed medical report. If your pet is hospitalised here, we will send regular updates to your vet. We work together with your regular vet to manage ongoing care and progress checks.