If your pet needs to be admitted to an animal hospital for an emergency or routine procedure, it is important that you stay up-to-date about their progress and possible release date. This will allow you to prepare for their homecoming and can help ease your concerns about their health. Here are some tips for keeping in touch with the animal hospital after your pet has been admitted.
Know How Long Your Pet Will Stay at the Hospital
The amount of time your pet will stay at an animal hospital varies depending on what they are being treated for and what types of treatment are received. For example, pets that undergo surgery with a local anesthetic may only need a brief overnight stay whereas pets that receive general anesthesia may need to be kept several days to make sure complications do not develop.
Allowing your pet to stay at the hospital for the recommended time can improve their recovery by ensuring that they get proper care, medicine, and a calm environment to rest in. For non-emergency surgeries and procedures, your veterinarian should be able to give you an estimated length of stay so you can plan your schedule to accommodate your pet's hospitalization. In an emergency situation, getting your pet treated and stabilized is important and your vet may not be able to give you a release date until your pet shows signs of progress.
Arrange Daily Updates
While it is normal to be concerned about your animal's well-being while they are hospitalized, frequently calling the hospital for updates can tie up the telephone line, preventing emergency calls from getting through, and can distract veterinarians and assistants from caring for the animals at the hospital.
However, most animal hospitals have a schedule for updating owners of currently admitted pets. Someone should call you with an update once or twice a day, any time there is a severe change in your pet's status, and immediately after any surgeries or complex procedures are completed. If there is a certain time when you prefer to receive updates, such as before your children get home from school, let the staff at the hospital know so they can attempt to accommodate you.
Schedule Visits
While some pets can develop unnecessary stress from their owners leaving after a short visit, other pets may benefit from seeing their owners. Whether you decide to visit your pet while they are in the hospital is both a personal and medical decision. Seeing your pet may help you better understand how they are recovering and what they are experiencing. However, if you decide to visit your pet, you should schedule a visitation ahead of time and respect the animal hospital's visiting hours and rules about the length of your stay. This is both for the functioning of the hospital and the health of your pet.
Be Available In Case of Emergencies
You should make sure that the animal hospital has the number to your mobile phone and the number to contact someone else in case you cannot be reached. Although you may have a contact schedule, changes in your pet's condition may need immediate input from you and it is important that you can be reached at all times while your pet is at an animal hospital.
Know Which Night Clinics Your Pet Hospital Partners With
Many animal hospitals only operate during the day and partner with a night clinic. If you take your animal to one of these hospitals, you may have to arrange transportation between the night clinic and the hospital. Even if the hospital arranges transportation, it is important that you know the contact information for the night clinic where your pet may be staying in case an emergency arises.
For more information, visit websites like http://www.1stPetVet.com.
Share8 April 2016
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