Pet Emergencies happen. Here at Boca Veterinary Clinic, we have specific protocols in place to help get your pet to the doctor as soon as possible in emergencies. Understanding these protocols will help you and our staff to best care for your pet in times of crisis.
Before you get to the Pet ER
If your pet has an emergency situation during our business hours, call Boca Veterinary Clinic immediately. Tell the reception that you are on your way, your approximate distance, and a brief explanation of the emergency. This will allow our staff to prepare to stabilize your pet’s condition and for any anticipated diagnostic tests.
When you get to the emergency hospital
When you enter the building, tell the receptionists your pet’s name and that this is an emergency condition. The receptionist will page through the overhead system “triage to the front”. This page signals the closest technicians to the front to evaluate your pet. Often in emergencies, your pet may require medical stabilization such as oxygen or intravenous fluids due to shock. The technician may need to bring your pet directly to the treatment area. Once there they can be evaluated by a doctor and life saving measures started. The technician could ask for verbal permission for stabilization. The front desk will shortly have paperwork for you to approve stabilization of your pet’s condition. Having your pet taken to the treatment area can certainly be a scary situation, but know that the measures taken in those first 10 minutes can save your pets life
As the Clinic proceeds with care
After your pet is in treatment and stabilization approved, the receptionist will place you into a room with a questionnaire. The answers to these questions will help the veterinary team to better evaluate your pet (in light of their past medical history) and the cause of their current emergency. A technician or doctor will be in the room shortly to give you an update on your pet. They will then review the answers to the questionnaire.
In any emergency situation, our goal is to stabilize your pet, identify immediate concerns, and get the doctor in to speak with you as soon as possible. Depending on your pet’s condition this may be a matter of a few minutes or a little longer. Once stabilization is achieved and the doctor has spoken to you about their concerns, an estimate for further care will be provided. If the doctor determines that your pet needs 24 hour doctor care or the care of a board certified specialist, Boca Veterinary Clinic has the ability to transport critical cases to specialty clinics with a doctor, monitoring equipment, and supportive care en route.
Despite knowing the protocols, we understand that emergency situations are scary and intimidating. Rest assured that our technicians and doctors are well trained and experienced in the field of emergency medicine and are working quickly and effectively to get your pet the care that they require.
