24/7 Cat and Dog Hospitalization

• We obtain the pet’s history and enter it into the patient record
• Our team assesses the patient’s vital signs
• We determine their triage status
• If the patient is determined to be critical, we will take them to the back and begin initial stabilization with the owner’s permission; the doctor will discuss physical exam findings and recommend a treatment plan

• Comprehensive full body assessment by doctor
• Consult with pet owner
• Our goal is to keep pet owners informed about the cost of treatment throughout the process--please see our finance section for a thorough discussion

• We collect and evaluate required samples to evaluate the patient’s condition
• Acquire diagnostic images and test results
• Perform any other necessary testing
• Doctor makes tentative diagnosis and informs the pet owner

• Vet discusses recommended treatment plan with pet owner
• Patients typically receive outpatient or inpatient care at our hospitals; occasionally we need to discuss referral treatment to primary or specialty veterinary clinics
  • If outpatient care is agreed upon by doctor and pet owner:
    • Doctor’s orders are carried out
    • Patient is monitored for efficacy and adverse reactions
    • Patient is then discharged (see Discharge steps)
  • If inpatient care is agreed upon by doctor and pet owner (see Hospitalization steps):
    • Hospitalization is often recommended for patients who need 24/7 monitored care based on the tentative diagnosis given by our doctor(s)

• Doctor enters all notes into patient record
• Discusses plan for care with pet owner

If pet owner approves treatment plan for hospitalized care:

• We collect the deposit
• Pet owner must sign a consent form for hospitalization with a CPR/DNR status
• Before the pet owner departs, we answer any initial questions about the plan and explain our patient update protocol
• Patient Updates: We abide by the rule of “no news is good news” meaning our team will not call unless something changes with your pet, but you are welcome to call and check in when convenient for your schedule. Our team does change shifts twice a day, so we ask that pet owners call before 6am/pm or after 9am/pm to allow for proper patient rounding on our end, and so we can provide the pet owner a full update when they call.
• The patient is set up in a kennel or run with blankets, pillows, and food/water bowls (when applicable)
• The doctor and ICU tech set up a whiteboard for the patient that will track all activity and treatments the patient receives during the duration of their hospital stay
• Treatment begins

If pet owner does not approve treatment plan for hospitalized care:

We do our best to work with each pet owner that visits our hospitals. We are prepared to discuss your budget as it relates to the proposed treatment plan, and provide the necessary medical care your pet needs. In applicable cases, referral to a low-cost clinic or outpatient care with follow-up at the pet’s primary care veterinarian can also be discussed.

• A cost estimate is always presented with each treatment plan
• Payment is due in full at the time of service
  • Deposits
    • A deposit of the low end of the treatment plan is required for all in-hospital stays
  • Payments
    • We accept cash, check, and credit card (except for American Express)
  • Financing
    • We also accept CareCredit as payment, should a pet owner need additional funds
    • Our hospitals also offer an in-house financing plan that requires a deposit of 50% of the cost estimate

• Pet owners of hospitalized patients are contacted via phone when the patient is ready for discharge to set up a pick-up time
• A Discharge Summary with a review of the patient’s visit, treatments performed, any medications prescribed, at-home care, and follow-up recommendations is discussed with the pet owner
• Final invoice is presented, and any additional payments needed are made by the pet owner
• Meanwhile, the patient is readied for discharge by the technical team--removing catheter, applying e-collar if needed, filling medications, etc.
• Once all items have been finalized, the patient is brought to the owner in the hospital lobby