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Hospitalized Pets in Our Treatment Area Pets may be hospitalized for a short time for a medical or surgical procedure, or for a longer period when they are ill enough to require more extensive treatment and monitoring. The following is a list of topics which may be of concern to the owner of a hospitalized pet: 1) Patient CareHospitalized pets are monitored throughout the day by both our trained support staff and the veterinarian(s) on duty. We assess for any changes in condition, maintain the patient's comfort by keeping them warm and dry and as pain-free as possible, keep intravenous lines flowing, medicate as required, perform diagnostic procedures when necessary, and force-feed or coax the reluctant eater. We welcome your interest and questions about the care that we provide. 2) UpdatesReassessments of pets who have been hospitalized are completed by the attending veterinarian in the morning. We would ask that all telephone calls concerning the condition of a hospitalized patient be made after 10:00 a.m. or at a time previously requested by the veterinarian. This allows our staff time for early morning patient care, and enables us to provide a more complete report on the condition of your pet when you call. Please realize that at the time of your call there may not be much to report, however; a veterinarian or a staff member will call you as soon as new information becomes available. If an unexpected change of a serious nature has occurred you will be called with an update. In the case of a critically ill patient, it is a good idea to leave us with all your telephone numbers, including one at which we can always reach a family member capable of making difficult decisions in an emergency. 3) VisitingVisiting of hospitalized pets is arranged on a case-by-case basis. Some pets really require regular visits to keep their spirits up. You may be asked to just sit and pet them, to take them out for a short walk, or to try and encourage them to eat. Other pets become very depressed when family members visit them - and then leave again. Sometimes we are fairly certain that your pet will not do well with a visit based on how long it took them to settle down when they were initially dropped off. In our experience, dogs have more difficulty with this than cats do. The decision whether to visit or not should be made after a discussion with your veterinarian. If you and your veterinarian decide that visiting will be beneficial to your pet, please call ahead to arrange a time for this. We do not have any set "visiting hours." 4) Discharge from the HospitalAfter a lengthy hospitalization this is often arranged during an appointment as there may be a lot of detailed information about your pet's illness, surgery, or at-home care.
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Site created by Dr. Heather Ann Matheson-Rakita. Copyright 2003 Manotick Veterinary Hospital. Last modified: February 02, 2004 |
