If you are a pet owner, it is important that you know your veterinary options if you have an emergency. Your standard veterinarian may not be available around the clock, so knowing where the nearest emergency vet clinic is located can give you peace of mind should something happen.
What To Expect At The Emergency Vet Clinic
When your pet suddenly falls ill it can be a frightening and anxiety inducing experience. If your standard vet isn’t available, taking your animal into the nearest emergency clinic is your best option. You might be afraid that the clinic isn’t familiar enough with your dog or cat, but rest assured that their first and foremost priority is the care of all animals that comes through their door.
An emergency clinic will have a number of vets and technicians on staff, and does not require an appointment before coming in. Pets are assessed and treated, not on a first come first serve basis, but based on their level of injury or illness. Critical cases will be taken first, similar to human emergency room procedure. Once your animal is taken back they will be assessed and a technician will speak to you about what they’ve found to be wrong, and what treatment options you should consider.
Don’t be upset if the veterinarian themselves doesn’t immediately come out to talk to you, this is actually a good sign! The specialty vets will be tending to the animals who need critical care, so that means your pet is more than likely only afflicted with something minor and treatable. The technician may tell you that blood work or x-rays are needed to determine the exact cause of the illness or discomfort. Keep in mind that it is okay to ask questions, so that you can be 100 percent clued into what is going on. You may also request that only one test is done at a time, especially if the illness is not immediately threatening. Listen if they recommend one test over the other, as they know best based on the symptoms what will be beneficial.
If a treatment plan is advised for your pet, make sure to ask for an estimate of the cost before agreeing straight away. Get a break down of the costs and tests, and ask if your standard vet would be able to accommodate them. Depending on the diagnosis you can request that they see a veterinary specialist.
What is a Specialty Vet?
A specialty vet is someone who has undergone additional training that standard veterinarians have not. Specialty vets can have one or many areas of advanced education including:
- Ophthalmology
- Cardiology
- Dermatology
- Dentistry
- Nutrition
- Critical care
These are only a fraction of the many specializations specialty vets can process. Depending on the prognosis getting a recommendation to see one of these specialists may be a good idea.
If your pet has fallen ill, or has become injured, it is prudent to know what options are available to you. Whether it is something that can be passed on and handled by your primary vet, or if a specialty vet needs to be contacted, an emergency clinic is your go to for when things go wrong. You can rest assured that these trained professionals will take the best care possible of your pet, and that they only have their best intentions at heart.