INFO FOR PET OWNERS

From Admission to Discharge

No appointment is necessary if your pet becomes ill out of hours. When you arrive, one of our friendly receptionists or nurses will assess your pet’s status. If your pet is critically ill, he or she will be taken immediately to the treatment room and stabilised. If your pet is stable on arrival, you will be asked to complete a form with your details before being taken to a consultation room to await the vet on duty. Please ring the buzzer if the front desk is unattended on your arrival. If you are worried your pet is critical or a large dog needing assistance, please call ahead to notify us.

Your pet will be seen as soon as possible but sometimes you may be asked to wait as other pets may have more urgent medical needs. At our After Hours Vet in Perth, patients are seen in order of their level of emergency.

Triage and Consultation

Triage is the process of determining whether or not your pet has a life-threatening problem requiring immediate care. A staff member of our vet clinic will ask you questions and observe your pet to determine the level of urgency. If a critical problem is identified, we will ask your permission to take your pet straight through to the treatment area for immediate therapy. Once your pet is stabilised the veterinarian will meet with you to discuss your pet’s condition and discuss their recommended course of action.

If your pet is found to be stable, you will be asked to take a seat in the waiting room until a veterinarian is available to examine your pet. During this time you will be given a form to complete allowing us to generate a record for your pet or find their existing records if they’ve been to us before. The veterinarian will then examine your pet and consult with you about available treatment plans or medications.

All patients are seen to in order of the severity of their illness or injury. If you feel your pet’s health has deteriorated whilst waiting for consultation, please alert our helpful staff.

Admitting Your Pet

If your pet stays for tests, monitoring or surgery in our animal emergency centre in Perth, you will be asked to sign a consent form. This form allows you to pre-determine your decision should your pet require a sudden change of treatment and authorises Perth Vet Emergency to complete the treatments you consent to on the form. We encourage you to ask questions about the details and seek further clarification from Perth Vet Emergency staff to ensure you understand and are comfortable with this consent. It is also vital you double-check all contact details on the form to ensure we are able to reach you while your pet is in our care.

How Do I Get An Update?

No news is good news! The vet is unlikely to call you during the evening of admission unless there is something specific to report or we need additional information. However, you are welcome to call our after hours vet in Perth any time during your pet’s stay to see how they are doing. The vet may not be able to speak with you personally but a Perth Vet Emergency representative will advise you of your pet’s status. The next morning between 5am – 8am we will call you to provide an update on your pet as well as the ongoing treatment plan for the day, or to arrange for your pet to be discharged to return home.

What Happens at Discharge?

Patient discharges from the animal emergency service will usually occur between 6am and 8am on weekdays. You will be provided with discharge instructions and medications if required. You will be advised if your pet is well enough to go home or if they still require further care at your Primary Care Vet – our veterinarians aim to discuss all cases with your Primary Care Vet prior to transfer if possible. If your animal has a complicated medical or surgical condition requiring specialist care, they can be referred to another specialist in any vet clinics in Perth as recommended by your Primary Care Vet.

Payment Options

The veterinarian will advise you with an estimate of the costs associated with your pet’s treatment. Perth Vet Emergency accepts cash, and has electronic card facilities for payment. If you require financial assistance please advise the staff as soon as possible. At the completion of the consultation or your pet’s stay with us, you will be given an itemised invoice. Payment is required prior to discharge or referral to a specialist service.

Our Pet Blood Donation Program

Did you know pets need blood too? While it’s not a well-known fact, pet blood donations are critical in our hospital and can often mean the difference between life and death.

With the growing number of pet emergencies we are seeing, our pet blood supplies are quickly draining leaving us in urgent need of more doggy donors. Do you know a pooch who could become a blood donor hero and help us save lives?