If Your Pet is Hospitalized

If your pet is hospitalized with MVRS, we want to assure you that your pet will receive kind and gentle care from our team of highly skilled, compassionate nurses and doctors. We have a 24 hours intensive care ward in which we closely monitor our patients around the clock. We promise to use the exceptional skills of our doctors, combined with the most advanced diagnostic techniques, treatments and surgical procedures, to ensure that each and every pet we help will receive the highest quality care.

Will I be informed of my pet’s well being?

Open communication between you and our hospital staff is a high priority. The attending doctor will update you daily on the progress of your pet. You are welcome to call and get a quick assessment of your pet’s condition from the nursing ICU staff. You are always welcome to call for a quick update or if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor will inform you of the "best time" to call and check in for updates or to ask questions. If you call at other times, the medical team may be busy with other patients and may only be able to give you limited information. You may also leave a message on the doctor or nurse voice mail. Calls are returned at our earliest opportunity. YOUR PET IS IMPORTANT TO US. Be assured that you will be informed of any significant changes in your pet’s condition.

Hospital visits

We know how important your pet is to you and how stressful it can be to be separated from them while they are hospitalized away from their familiar surroundings. We encourage you to visit with them at your convenience between the hours of 12:00 - 4:00 and 6:00 - 8:00 PM. To insure that your pet receives the most consistent care with the least interruption, we ask that you limit your visits to one hour. Visiting of patients in our critical care ICU are only permitted for a very brief period, usually under 15 minutes. Understand that during your visitation, the doctors may be busy with other patients and unable to discuss your pet’s condition at that time. They will always contact you during the day with a progress report.

Discharge

Discharge appointments should be scheduled with your MVRS doctor or nurse. Most patients are discharged Monday thru Friday between 3:00 and 7:00 PM. Patients are also discharged during the weekend but must be scheduled as the weekend emergency doctors are often busy tending to emergency appointments.

When you arrive to pick up your pet, please let the reception staff know that your pet is to be discharged. Your bill should be ready at the front desk. After paying your bill, you will be directed to an examination room where your attending doctor or technician will give you a copy of the discharge instructions and discuss all medical findings and recommendations for continued therapy. You will receive a written summary of your pet’s diagnosis and detailed instructions for continuing therapy at home.

This is the time to ask all questions to be sure you understand your pet’s treatment plan and prognosis. If you can only arrange to discharge your pet at a time when your attending doctor is unavailable, another member of our medical staff will meet with you to review discharge information. Often questions arise concerning your pet’s therapy after discharge. Feel free to contact our office if you have further questions. Our staff returns these call within 24 hours. All of us at MVRS want your pet to recover from his illness and return to good health. We also know that the key to your pet’s recovery is your ongoing care at home. You are the ones who must prepare special diets and administer frequent medications. We admire your devotional effort to your pets in following the discharge instructions. IT IS YOUR DEVOTION TO CARE that is the best insurance for your pet’s recovery and return to a quality life style. We thank you for this wonderful effort and for allowing us at Metropolitan Veterinary Referral Services to assist in your pets return to health.

Life Saving Measures

The Metropolitan Veterinary Referral Services team of specialists, emergency veterinarians and nurse-technicians care deeply about the health and well-being of your pet. Sometimes, in spite of our best efforts, serious injuries or illnesses are not always treatable and your pet's condition can worsen while in intensive care or undergoing surgery.

It is important that your family take time to consider whether or not you wish for our staff to take life saving measures should your pet’s health deteriorate. Unless directed otherwise, our medical staff will attempt to resuscitate your pet. These steps can be expensive and the results cannot be guaranteed.

Please let us know whether or not you desire resuscitation should your pet's heartbeat or breathing stop.