Patients and Visitors

Patients and Visitors
 

APPOINTMENTS
Please schedule all visits to our hospital at your earliest convenience to ensure the most appropriate member of our medical team is available to address any of your question(s) and/or concern(s). Scheduled visits are particularly important when you wish to speak with one of our veterinarians and/or discharge your pet from the hospital.

PATIENT ADMISSION
Please bring all of your pet's medications and/or food to the hospital when s/he is admitted. Additionally, please know bringing your pet's medication(s) at the time of hospitalization may help to reduce the financial expense of your pet's stay with us.

HOSPITALIZATION
We are happy to keep some of your pet's personal items (special toy and/or blanket) with him/her during his/her hospitalization. However, we cannot guarantee you will receive this special item back at the time of your pet's discharge. Please know your pet will be supplied with comfortable blankets, beds, and/or even toys during his/her hospitalization.

While we encourage you to visit with your pet, our Intensive Care Unit has set visitation times and a member of our medical team may not be available to speak with you at that time.  If you wish to speak with a member of our medical team during your visit, please call in advance of your visit to schedule time with one of us.

Our doctors strive to call you with an update for your hospitalized pet at least once daily. Please trust a doctor will contact you when s/he is available and, of course, when s/he has pertinent/urgent information to relay about your pet. We encourage you to use our voicemail extensions or e'mail addresses, and each of us will be happy to provide you our direct voicemail extension and/or e'mail address at the time of your next visit with us.

PATIENT DISCHARGE
Please be certain your pet's doctor has approved your pet's discharge from the hospital, and you have agreed upon a time BEFORE you arrive for pick'up. Many time consuming details must be finalized/completed before your pet can be released, including preparing medications and discharge instructions. We would like everything to be prepared ahead of time in an effort to minimize your wait.

FOLLOW'UP CARE
Many of the pets treated at VCA Veterinary Care Animal Hospital and Referral Center require ongoing care after their initial visit. In some cases, it may be more convenient for you to have your pet's primary care veterinarian perform these tests rather than return to us.  We are happy to collaborate with your pet's primary care veterinarian regarding the continued care of your pet. As part of this collaborative effort and if needed, our team can interpret laboratory test results performed by your pet's primary care veterinarian. Based upon laboratory test results, we can also be able to provide treatment recommendations.

PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION INFORMATION
Please note all prescription refill request(s) submitted to VCA Veterinary Care Animal Hospital and Referral Center will be reviewed, and processed within 24 hours of our receipt of your request(s). In many cases, prescriptions can be filled much sooner.

Please plan accordingly should your pet potentially require a prescription refill(s). To submit a request for a prescription refill, please contact our office at 505-296-2982 or 505-292-5353. Please note prescription refill requests submitted during the weekend will not be reviewed/processed until the following Monday.

Should your pet require a refill of a prescription medication during your pet's scheduled visit with our medical team, please advise the doctor and/or his/her nurse at the beginning of your pet's appointment. This will help to reduce your waiting time during your visit.

GENERAL INFORMATION
If a member of our medical team is not immediately available to answer your telephone call, please ask to be directed to the voicemail of your pet's veterinarian with our hospital. Alternatively, please feel free to e'mail your pet's VCA VCRC doctor directly with your question(s)/concern(s).

Please know our medical team strives to return all non emergency voicemail messages within 24 hours of receipt on days when we are on clinical duty in the hospital. Your patience and understanding are extremely appreciated.

We thank you ahead of time for your patience and understanding while we strive to do our very best to take care of your beloved pet/family member.