No matter how careful you are with your pet and how well he/she is looked after, there are times when you need to get your pet to your vet as soon as possible, for some or other reason.
Fortunately, out-of-hours vet care is available if and when you need emergency medical care for your pet. Most times, these services are only carried out by vets and nurses who work mostly at night, over weekends and on bank holidays. This means that they are usually alert and well-rested when emergencies occur.
Vets and medical staff that work after hours are normally in partnership with daytime vets and nurses to provide the dedicated emergency service that pet owners need from time-to-time. Since these vets and their nurses work entirely out-of-hours they are always available for emergencies, whether at 4 in the morning or on Christmas day at lunchtime!
These after-hours veterinary teams consist of highly-qualified vets and registered nurses that have undergone extensive training in critical and emergency care, so they are quite capable of handling all types of serious injuries or illnesses.
What to expect when you visit an Emergency Vet
Since emergencies are unpredictable it’s not always possible to make an appointment, so you might have to wait for a while before the vet can to your pet.
Emergency staff usually see to the neediest pets first, so it’s essential to give the staff as much information as possible, so that they can determine what type of emergency they are faced with. This is even more important with very sick animals so that the team can make the appropriate preparations before you arrive.
If there is a delay before you can see the vet, a veterinary nurse will do a triage evaluation to make sure that your pet is not at risk. Should the nurse have concerns about your pet, your pet might be admitted to the treatment section first aid like pain relief and oxygen therapy.
Speak up if you have concerns!
Don’t sit and stress about your pet if you have to wait to see the vet. Speak to the nurse or receptionist about your concerns so that they can reassure you.
After examining your pet, the vet and nurses will talk to you about any tests that they might need to do, as well as any treatments that they need to give your pet. It is at this stage that they will give you an estimation as to the cost of the consultation and treatment.
Bear in mind though, that if blood samples, intravenous injections, a scan or intravenous catheters are involved in treating your pet, they might need to clip fur to keep the area clean to administer these treatments.
