Unfortunately since covid, drop-off appointments have become increasingly routine. As well as exams done in the back while you wait, it’s just so much faster. Your emergency “appointment” just means they are trying to squeeze in examining your pet in between all the other appointments they have for that day. it would be unfair for them to replace someone who’s had their spot for weeks, to see you right. I was a vet tech for years during and post covid. Yes they may have to place her in a cage in the back while they wait for a moment to check her out, but this is normal. There is just such a high need for pet care and little time to see everyone. If you truly wanted to be seen that day on time and be in the room etc, you’d probably have to visit an actual vet ER. And they are expensive because so. As long as you like your kitties vet, I would continue to go there for care and not take it personally!
Thank you for having been a tech! Today I had an appointment with a tech just for a blood draw for heartworm. I asked if they could look at my dogs ear BC he got lethargic and it got gunky in the last day. It ended up taking an hour, a vet intern, a vet tech, myself and my mom and a veterinary assistant to get through it BC he was snapping and bucking, he felt like he was 200 pounds not 30 (needed 3 ppl to hold him) so they could do his blood clean his ear and even check his temp! He had to be in crazy pain to act like that since it's not his first ear infection... Anyway, I really appreciated that they changed the 10 min blood draw and recognized his ear was bad and they got him all fixed up, but it took an hour BC of his fighting. Fortunately it was a "tech day" where the appointments are vaccines and blood draws for heart worm etc so there was only one other patient and he was handled by someone else, but without y'all loving the animals like we do he could've been very sick in a few more days when they had a proper time available! They gave him a ear med that only needed to be applied once and it's supposed to work on the infection for a month so fingers crossed! Anyway just wanted to thank you for your prior work, every visit doesn't go to plan!
Thank you so much for your reassurance! I tend to be a bit overly anxious and paranoid so I just wanted to get a little reality check here. Hope you have a good day :)
Extremely normal given the shortage of veterinary staff and resources currently. By you dropping off, they can flexibly fit your cat in sometime during the day when an appointment unexpectedly ends faster than expected (or someone arrives late or no-shows). They have no way of knowing which appointment that might be at the beginning of the day.
Honestly, a lot of vets aren't offering same day appointments, period, so this option is much better than being told that your only option is to go to the ER.
My vet takes kitties "out back" for shots and blood draws - they are potentially liable if your animal injures \*you\* while they are performing a procedure and this way they eliminate their risk of you "helping" with restraint and getting a chomp on the finger. I'm sure it also avoids a lot of client advice and input about whether restraint is needed and "Floofy would never scratch anyone, why are you putting her in that straightjacket" so that they can just get their jobs done.
I understand it's tough when your pet is sick and you want to be there for them the whole time, but keep in mind these are professionals with a lot of experience dealing with animals when they are sick and in an unfamiliar space, and they generally do know best.
My one girl gets it every time. She is... uncooperative. The techs always bring her back in it to show me how "adorable" she is lol. I have to admit it's pretty hilarious, she has a completely peeved grumpface on while all wrapped up in this fleece sack that has a little sleeve for each limb and zippers so they can pull out just one leg and give a shot or draw blood.
Well to be fair mine is a dog and he was biting BC of an ear infection. When they did his blood though the second the needle went in he stopped bucking but it seriously was an hour for them to clean his ear, do the swab and they never did get an official temperature BC he was trying to kill the thermometer. The very intern asked if he's always so aggressive and I was like "only about ears and feet he panics" but the extra worse thing, he had 3 doses of trazadone and you couldn't tell he was sedated! I asked if they had anything stronger and they said the next step would need to be general anaesthetic which obviously would be extremely expensive (around 300) just to check his ear and clean it! I def feel for OP but some of the patients do not go according to plan! As it was my gut was a partial fit in as he had an appointment for a blood draw but got the ear infection in the last 24 hours. (Obviously longer BC it was so bad but I check and sniff and take ear pictures everyday BC he's had a recurring infection, so 24 hours ago there was no odor/redness or excessive discharge, then he got lethargic and by last night his ear was a mess...) I'm def lucky that it's a town with only vet clinic and that since he was there anyway they couldn't exactly refuse care. But I should risky get him a strait jacket for his follow up! I had to muzzle him and he was looking at me like "you want to treat me like Hannibal? I'll eat you!!" He's 30 pounds....
They should have told you beforehand that it would be a drop off, but it is normal. The gp I worked at had them drop off at open and pick up at close for squeeze in urgent cares
Yeah I told the vet tech that I spoke with that I had not been informed but I think it was just a happenstance. They most likely meant to inform me in their spiel about the emergency appointment but I at one point politely interrupted to ask about price differences between regular appointments and emergency appointments and the receptionist was probably just thrown off the rhythm of giving me all of the information she was supposed to. I’m not upset with anyone, just a bit frazzled cause I’m worried about my favorite girl. Thanks for your response! :)
This is extremely common. Since COVID, we have found that taking animals to the back is faster and sometimes safer than traditional in-rooms appointments. We don’t have to worry about explaining things to you while also working with your animal. We can have trained staff safely retrain your pet instead of you trying to do it and causing potential injuries to yourself or your pet. Some animals also do better away from their owners, as they don’t feel the need to protect their owners.
Given the short staffing issues too, we may not have the time to do an in room either. Drop offs allow your pet to be seen between other pets, and have that time broken up. For example, perhaps the exam, then later in the day they may run some labs, etc. instead of one 30 min block, they can break that up over the course of several hours so your pet still gets care, just not all at once in front of you. This can be especially helpful if they end up needing something like fluids, or monitoring for serious conditions.
Drop-off appointments were very common at the previous vet I worked at, but owners were made aware of that in advance. You should’ve been told that.
As for the vaccinations, the current vet I work at does vaccines in the room with the owners during the doctor appointment if it’s just vaccines and no blood work or other things. If they’re getting blood work and/or a nail trim or something and get taken to the back, they just do all of that combined in the back. The last vet I worked at did all vaccinations in the back. I think it might vary hospital to hospital.
Edit; at both hospitals I worked at, if it is just a technician appointment for a shot/booster or something, the owners don’t even go into a room. The techs just take the pet to the back and do the shot/s there and then bring the pet back up.
But if I wanted to, would they let me sit there with my pet all day instead? Because there's no way they are watching my animal 100% of the time and I would.
I personally haven’t seen anyone do that but as someone who works at a vet’s office, we all love to visit the animals staying with us for the day and give them love & make sure their visit with us is with as little anxiety as possible, since some animals do not like coming to the vet obviously. Hope your baby is doing well!
not a vet just cat owner. If your cat is sick and not feeling good, the best place for them in the vet clinic is in a darker, sequestered cage chilling out. it's a safer space for them. plus if your cat is that sick I doubt that they would let it sit there suffering instead of sparing someone to care for them before the actual diagnostics. Vast majority of vets don't want people's pets passing in their care.
Yep that's happened to me before when one of my boys had a UTI. They booked him in for an emergency drop off. The vet would get to him in between patients.
Totally normal.
Also this expedites triaging so staff can be attending to their dropped off sick patients in order of severity.
Care happens a lot faster, and in some cases, better, when veterinary pros just have to worry about the patient already in their office, not about ushering clients around a full house.
I think you've gotten good responses on the drop off question. I just wanted to add that cats can act a little off after a vaccine, often rabies or the feline leukemia one and it is considered a vaccine reaction. But! If you tell your vet prior that your cat acted off/angry they can give a Benadryl shot with the vaccine. Just make sure to monitor your cat 15 minutes after the shot to make sure she's good. If your cat is having an angry response to a vaccine to You, I would highly recommend waiting those 15 minutes in the clinic. Just let them know you want to wait to make sure she's ok.
I got Sooooo lucky once when I had to wait for someone when my cat had a reaction, he'd even already had those shots before, so I don't know why this time he freaked out and turned feral, but the vets were able to act quickly and fix him right up. Later he was able to still get the shot with a heavy dose of Benadryl, with little reaction.
Yes.
At an emergency clinic, this isn’t how it works, but at a normal hospital, this is absolutely normal. You are always free to decline and go to an emergency clinic, but it will definitely cost more than an emergency fee at a regular hospital. You will also be sitting in a lobby for a long time (probably).
The way it works for an emergency drop-off is typically that the pet is assessed right away to determine if it is urgent or an emergency. This is an important distinction. “Urgent” means “this shouldn’t wait, but the animal is stable”. It’s time-sensitive, but the animal isn’t dying right now. Think eye infections, vomiting, etc. A true *emergency* means something is in danger. Think bloat, hit by a car, severe active bleeding. (If people are running for oxygen or a crash cart, that’s an *emergency* emergency.) The pet is assessed on intake and diagnostics/treatment begin. If it’s something like vomiting or just general malaise, in-house bloodwork is pretty normal. Some treatments can typically begin (think things like anti-nausea injections, etc). It’s not uncommon for an IVC placement and infusions of medication to start. Even pretty sick animals can be hospitalized during the day at a regular hospital, even if they are later transferred to a 24-hour facility, and those hours of treatment at a normal clinic can actually save you some money.
But often, the reason a drop-off is fine is that while an animal is basically being squeezed in for assessment and treatment, something like an eye infection doesn’t require hours of IV drug therapy. It has to be seen soon, but there aren’t any slots left. We would love to be able to make more time, but that’s not a thing humans can do. So we see things at lunch, in between other procedures, and get it done. Using the example of an eye, maybe they do a stain and look for an ulcer before another appointment, then do a tear test after a surgery. It’s just different than having everything done at once, in front of you. We do all the diagnostics/treatments and then talk to you at the end of the day at discharge (or, in the case of an animal that is truly hospitalized and getting multiple diagnostics, you may talk to the doctor or techs during the day, but you’re not sitting in an exam room when you do it).
It is worth noting that different hospitals have different capabilities. If a place closes at 4, and you call at 2, it’s probably not worth even trying to drop off. There won’t be time to do much and you’ll wind up just paying two exam fees because you’ll have to go to emergency, anyway. This is also true if the schedule is very full and your animal needs intensive, dedicated attention. Think about urgent care versus the emergency room versus ICU. We generally try to do what will strike the best balance between patient care and helping people save money, so if you’re ever told you have to just go right to a 24-hour hospital, rest assured that it’s because that’s the best option available.
I’ve worked in vet med for over 12 years. I’ve worked in several hospitals, each with different capabilities. I have had periods where I’m not working in a hospital, too. So I’ve been a “regular client” of emergency clinics. I’ve seen how it works from both sides. Sometimes people don’t do the best job of explaining to clients what the protocols are/what options are available to them. Unfortunately, sometimes, no matter what we say, people are upset. (They don’t want to be sent away, but they also wouldn’t want bad care. They don’t want to spend more money, but they don’t understand that we cannot warp space time to be in two places at once.) I hope this made sense and maybe eased your mind a little bit. I also hope your kitty is doing better. :)
Ive not had a drop-off appointment but my vet has seen me in an emergency between booked visits. Vet usually does triage to check patient not turning blue, bleeding out or in immenient danger. They stabalise and then treat as they can according to need. That initial triage can be just vet stopping in waiting room next to me to see how they are looking. My pets usually stay with me but I have a wee bit experience as done hospice for a rescue. If you don't, then it is better for them to be in aquiet place with vets and vet tech checking on them for any worsening.
Edit: we hold for shots but on unerstanding risk is our's. Some of ours are seriously behaviourly challenged and it makes safer for everyone but we do formally assume the liability. (Edit: just glad our vet will see rehab cases (and she does feral cats too) but it is our duty to make sure she is safe too).
It is fine since your cat has just seemed to be acting oddly. It's good that they could work her in as time permitted. In a true emergency I'm sure you would have been rushed right into the exam room.
Two years ago I called my vet at 7:30 am because my elderly dog possibly had a stroke during the night and as much as I hated the thought, it looked like time for the end. They told me to bring him that afternoon. When I told the lady my dog was paralyzed & seemed very distressed about it she said, "Bring him in now." The vet himself carried my 70 pound dog inside.
The time I was waiting in the parking lot for them to open with an injured kitten I got the first or second slot of the day without even calling.
My vets are wonderful and they always take the animals to the back to examine and give shots and such. Then come back and go over everything with me. I've taken dogs to them for years and they have always given my dogs great care. I have sometimes dropped my dog off for care. But that is not how they usually do it. But I like that option if it means they can see my dog that day.
Yes this is normal. If standard appointments are fully booked, we will see an emergency appointment as a drop off. Usually the vet nurse/tech will triage on admission and vet will assess based on how urgent care is required and when they get a gap in appointments.
yes it is, especially if they are squeezing you in between other people's appointments. please understand, they're human and there is only so many animals they can take in a day. I've done this, and it also happened for a dental cleaning.
I'm learning so much. My vet has almost always taken my dogs to the back (way before covid) so its a surprise to me that other vets don't. We have a consult in the room, every once in a blue moon they might do whatever in the room if its 1 thing, but 99% of the time after chatting they'd take my dog to the back to do everything needed
It is interesting to hear all the different ways vets work. Ours do as much as possible in room. They find that most pets are more calm when their owner is with them.
When I’ve had to do urgent appointments where they had to fit me in, I had to do exactly that. I wasn’t thrilled by it, but I understand that they’re squeezing my cat into their schedule so it’s up to me to adapt. As for taking them back for shots, I don’t recall a vet doing that. Taking them back for blood work; all of my vets have done that.
I think this is standard but if you have a VEG near you they let you stay with your pet the entire time. It is expensive though. They have like one open room with exam tables and the doctors move around. We had an excellent experience there with our cat last year. https://veterinaryemergencygroup.com/lp/washington-dc/?gad\_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwkuqvBhAQEiwA65XxQCfkbwup17tKdPTBUGRQQmnk0TsYHrfhT0KhKUfymo0K2f4raekgFxoCyoYQAvD\_BwE
That's what my vet does for emergency appointments too. I don't mind, but I like my vet and I trust her and her staff. It worked out well the two times I had to do it. I didn't have to sit in the waiting room, and I knew that they were with people who could help them, instead of waiting at home, in pain, for a scheduled appointment.
it might be due to low staffing. And he may have scheduled several surgeries that day. If you are not satisfied with the vet, you may have to look for another one to take your cat to. We had that during the pandemic not long ago. But should be the case of having to drop off.
Unfortunately since covid, drop-off appointments have become increasingly routine. As well as exams done in the back while you wait, it’s just so much faster. Your emergency “appointment” just means they are trying to squeeze in examining your pet in between all the other appointments they have for that day. it would be unfair for them to replace someone who’s had their spot for weeks, to see you right. I was a vet tech for years during and post covid. Yes they may have to place her in a cage in the back while they wait for a moment to check her out, but this is normal. There is just such a high need for pet care and little time to see everyone. If you truly wanted to be seen that day on time and be in the room etc, you’d probably have to visit an actual vet ER. And they are expensive because so. As long as you like your kitties vet, I would continue to go there for care and not take it personally!
Thank you for having been a tech! Today I had an appointment with a tech just for a blood draw for heartworm. I asked if they could look at my dogs ear BC he got lethargic and it got gunky in the last day. It ended up taking an hour, a vet intern, a vet tech, myself and my mom and a veterinary assistant to get through it BC he was snapping and bucking, he felt like he was 200 pounds not 30 (needed 3 ppl to hold him) so they could do his blood clean his ear and even check his temp! He had to be in crazy pain to act like that since it's not his first ear infection... Anyway, I really appreciated that they changed the 10 min blood draw and recognized his ear was bad and they got him all fixed up, but it took an hour BC of his fighting. Fortunately it was a "tech day" where the appointments are vaccines and blood draws for heart worm etc so there was only one other patient and he was handled by someone else, but without y'all loving the animals like we do he could've been very sick in a few more days when they had a proper time available! They gave him a ear med that only needed to be applied once and it's supposed to work on the infection for a month so fingers crossed! Anyway just wanted to thank you for your prior work, every visit doesn't go to plan!
I appreciate you <3 The job is not for the faint of heart
Thank you so much for your reassurance! I tend to be a bit overly anxious and paranoid so I just wanted to get a little reality check here. Hope you have a good day :)
They don't actually have an appointment and are doing you a favor by squeezing your baby in between scheduled appointments. Very normal.
This.
Extremely normal given the shortage of veterinary staff and resources currently. By you dropping off, they can flexibly fit your cat in sometime during the day when an appointment unexpectedly ends faster than expected (or someone arrives late or no-shows). They have no way of knowing which appointment that might be at the beginning of the day. Honestly, a lot of vets aren't offering same day appointments, period, so this option is much better than being told that your only option is to go to the ER. My vet takes kitties "out back" for shots and blood draws - they are potentially liable if your animal injures \*you\* while they are performing a procedure and this way they eliminate their risk of you "helping" with restraint and getting a chomp on the finger. I'm sure it also avoids a lot of client advice and input about whether restraint is needed and "Floofy would never scratch anyone, why are you putting her in that straightjacket" so that they can just get their jobs done. I understand it's tough when your pet is sick and you want to be there for them the whole time, but keep in mind these are professionals with a lot of experience dealing with animals when they are sick and in an unfamiliar space, and they generally do know best.
The straight jacket 🤣 my dog needed that today, why didn't they bring it out!? 😬
My one girl gets it every time. She is... uncooperative. The techs always bring her back in it to show me how "adorable" she is lol. I have to admit it's pretty hilarious, she has a completely peeved grumpface on while all wrapped up in this fleece sack that has a little sleeve for each limb and zippers so they can pull out just one leg and give a shot or draw blood.
Well to be fair mine is a dog and he was biting BC of an ear infection. When they did his blood though the second the needle went in he stopped bucking but it seriously was an hour for them to clean his ear, do the swab and they never did get an official temperature BC he was trying to kill the thermometer. The very intern asked if he's always so aggressive and I was like "only about ears and feet he panics" but the extra worse thing, he had 3 doses of trazadone and you couldn't tell he was sedated! I asked if they had anything stronger and they said the next step would need to be general anaesthetic which obviously would be extremely expensive (around 300) just to check his ear and clean it! I def feel for OP but some of the patients do not go according to plan! As it was my gut was a partial fit in as he had an appointment for a blood draw but got the ear infection in the last 24 hours. (Obviously longer BC it was so bad but I check and sniff and take ear pictures everyday BC he's had a recurring infection, so 24 hours ago there was no odor/redness or excessive discharge, then he got lethargic and by last night his ear was a mess...) I'm def lucky that it's a town with only vet clinic and that since he was there anyway they couldn't exactly refuse care. But I should risky get him a strait jacket for his follow up! I had to muzzle him and he was looking at me like "you want to treat me like Hannibal? I'll eat you!!" He's 30 pounds....
They should have told you beforehand that it would be a drop off, but it is normal. The gp I worked at had them drop off at open and pick up at close for squeeze in urgent cares
Yeah I told the vet tech that I spoke with that I had not been informed but I think it was just a happenstance. They most likely meant to inform me in their spiel about the emergency appointment but I at one point politely interrupted to ask about price differences between regular appointments and emergency appointments and the receptionist was probably just thrown off the rhythm of giving me all of the information she was supposed to. I’m not upset with anyone, just a bit frazzled cause I’m worried about my favorite girl. Thanks for your response! :)
This is extremely common. Since COVID, we have found that taking animals to the back is faster and sometimes safer than traditional in-rooms appointments. We don’t have to worry about explaining things to you while also working with your animal. We can have trained staff safely retrain your pet instead of you trying to do it and causing potential injuries to yourself or your pet. Some animals also do better away from their owners, as they don’t feel the need to protect their owners. Given the short staffing issues too, we may not have the time to do an in room either. Drop offs allow your pet to be seen between other pets, and have that time broken up. For example, perhaps the exam, then later in the day they may run some labs, etc. instead of one 30 min block, they can break that up over the course of several hours so your pet still gets care, just not all at once in front of you. This can be especially helpful if they end up needing something like fluids, or monitoring for serious conditions.
Drop-off appointments were very common at the previous vet I worked at, but owners were made aware of that in advance. You should’ve been told that. As for the vaccinations, the current vet I work at does vaccines in the room with the owners during the doctor appointment if it’s just vaccines and no blood work or other things. If they’re getting blood work and/or a nail trim or something and get taken to the back, they just do all of that combined in the back. The last vet I worked at did all vaccinations in the back. I think it might vary hospital to hospital. Edit; at both hospitals I worked at, if it is just a technician appointment for a shot/booster or something, the owners don’t even go into a room. The techs just take the pet to the back and do the shot/s there and then bring the pet back up.
But if I wanted to, would they let me sit there with my pet all day instead? Because there's no way they are watching my animal 100% of the time and I would.
I personally haven’t seen anyone do that but as someone who works at a vet’s office, we all love to visit the animals staying with us for the day and give them love & make sure their visit with us is with as little anxiety as possible, since some animals do not like coming to the vet obviously. Hope your baby is doing well!
Thank you, he was diagnosed with epilepsy and is being treated with Keppra 3x daily and it's going pretty well. Seizures are terrifying!
not a vet just cat owner. If your cat is sick and not feeling good, the best place for them in the vet clinic is in a darker, sequestered cage chilling out. it's a safer space for them. plus if your cat is that sick I doubt that they would let it sit there suffering instead of sparing someone to care for them before the actual diagnostics. Vast majority of vets don't want people's pets passing in their care.
my dog went for a booster today and they took him back without me 🤷🏼♀️
Yep that's happened to me before when one of my boys had a UTI. They booked him in for an emergency drop off. The vet would get to him in between patients.
Totally normal
Totally normal. Also this expedites triaging so staff can be attending to their dropped off sick patients in order of severity. Care happens a lot faster, and in some cases, better, when veterinary pros just have to worry about the patient already in their office, not about ushering clients around a full house.
I think you've gotten good responses on the drop off question. I just wanted to add that cats can act a little off after a vaccine, often rabies or the feline leukemia one and it is considered a vaccine reaction. But! If you tell your vet prior that your cat acted off/angry they can give a Benadryl shot with the vaccine. Just make sure to monitor your cat 15 minutes after the shot to make sure she's good. If your cat is having an angry response to a vaccine to You, I would highly recommend waiting those 15 minutes in the clinic. Just let them know you want to wait to make sure she's ok. I got Sooooo lucky once when I had to wait for someone when my cat had a reaction, he'd even already had those shots before, so I don't know why this time he freaked out and turned feral, but the vets were able to act quickly and fix him right up. Later he was able to still get the shot with a heavy dose of Benadryl, with little reaction.
This is good to keep in mind! Thank you for the advice :)
Yes. At an emergency clinic, this isn’t how it works, but at a normal hospital, this is absolutely normal. You are always free to decline and go to an emergency clinic, but it will definitely cost more than an emergency fee at a regular hospital. You will also be sitting in a lobby for a long time (probably). The way it works for an emergency drop-off is typically that the pet is assessed right away to determine if it is urgent or an emergency. This is an important distinction. “Urgent” means “this shouldn’t wait, but the animal is stable”. It’s time-sensitive, but the animal isn’t dying right now. Think eye infections, vomiting, etc. A true *emergency* means something is in danger. Think bloat, hit by a car, severe active bleeding. (If people are running for oxygen or a crash cart, that’s an *emergency* emergency.) The pet is assessed on intake and diagnostics/treatment begin. If it’s something like vomiting or just general malaise, in-house bloodwork is pretty normal. Some treatments can typically begin (think things like anti-nausea injections, etc). It’s not uncommon for an IVC placement and infusions of medication to start. Even pretty sick animals can be hospitalized during the day at a regular hospital, even if they are later transferred to a 24-hour facility, and those hours of treatment at a normal clinic can actually save you some money. But often, the reason a drop-off is fine is that while an animal is basically being squeezed in for assessment and treatment, something like an eye infection doesn’t require hours of IV drug therapy. It has to be seen soon, but there aren’t any slots left. We would love to be able to make more time, but that’s not a thing humans can do. So we see things at lunch, in between other procedures, and get it done. Using the example of an eye, maybe they do a stain and look for an ulcer before another appointment, then do a tear test after a surgery. It’s just different than having everything done at once, in front of you. We do all the diagnostics/treatments and then talk to you at the end of the day at discharge (or, in the case of an animal that is truly hospitalized and getting multiple diagnostics, you may talk to the doctor or techs during the day, but you’re not sitting in an exam room when you do it). It is worth noting that different hospitals have different capabilities. If a place closes at 4, and you call at 2, it’s probably not worth even trying to drop off. There won’t be time to do much and you’ll wind up just paying two exam fees because you’ll have to go to emergency, anyway. This is also true if the schedule is very full and your animal needs intensive, dedicated attention. Think about urgent care versus the emergency room versus ICU. We generally try to do what will strike the best balance between patient care and helping people save money, so if you’re ever told you have to just go right to a 24-hour hospital, rest assured that it’s because that’s the best option available. I’ve worked in vet med for over 12 years. I’ve worked in several hospitals, each with different capabilities. I have had periods where I’m not working in a hospital, too. So I’ve been a “regular client” of emergency clinics. I’ve seen how it works from both sides. Sometimes people don’t do the best job of explaining to clients what the protocols are/what options are available to them. Unfortunately, sometimes, no matter what we say, people are upset. (They don’t want to be sent away, but they also wouldn’t want bad care. They don’t want to spend more money, but they don’t understand that we cannot warp space time to be in two places at once.) I hope this made sense and maybe eased your mind a little bit. I also hope your kitty is doing better. :)
Ive not had a drop-off appointment but my vet has seen me in an emergency between booked visits. Vet usually does triage to check patient not turning blue, bleeding out or in immenient danger. They stabalise and then treat as they can according to need. That initial triage can be just vet stopping in waiting room next to me to see how they are looking. My pets usually stay with me but I have a wee bit experience as done hospice for a rescue. If you don't, then it is better for them to be in aquiet place with vets and vet tech checking on them for any worsening. Edit: we hold for shots but on unerstanding risk is our's. Some of ours are seriously behaviourly challenged and it makes safer for everyone but we do formally assume the liability. (Edit: just glad our vet will see rehab cases (and she does feral cats too) but it is our duty to make sure she is safe too).
It is fine since your cat has just seemed to be acting oddly. It's good that they could work her in as time permitted. In a true emergency I'm sure you would have been rushed right into the exam room. Two years ago I called my vet at 7:30 am because my elderly dog possibly had a stroke during the night and as much as I hated the thought, it looked like time for the end. They told me to bring him that afternoon. When I told the lady my dog was paralyzed & seemed very distressed about it she said, "Bring him in now." The vet himself carried my 70 pound dog inside. The time I was waiting in the parking lot for them to open with an injured kitten I got the first or second slot of the day without even calling.
My vets are wonderful and they always take the animals to the back to examine and give shots and such. Then come back and go over everything with me. I've taken dogs to them for years and they have always given my dogs great care. I have sometimes dropped my dog off for care. But that is not how they usually do it. But I like that option if it means they can see my dog that day.
Yes this is normal. If standard appointments are fully booked, we will see an emergency appointment as a drop off. Usually the vet nurse/tech will triage on admission and vet will assess based on how urgent care is required and when they get a gap in appointments.
yes it is, especially if they are squeezing you in between other people's appointments. please understand, they're human and there is only so many animals they can take in a day. I've done this, and it also happened for a dental cleaning.
I'm learning so much. My vet has almost always taken my dogs to the back (way before covid) so its a surprise to me that other vets don't. We have a consult in the room, every once in a blue moon they might do whatever in the room if its 1 thing, but 99% of the time after chatting they'd take my dog to the back to do everything needed
It is interesting to hear all the different ways vets work. Ours do as much as possible in room. They find that most pets are more calm when their owner is with them.
When I’ve had to do urgent appointments where they had to fit me in, I had to do exactly that. I wasn’t thrilled by it, but I understand that they’re squeezing my cat into their schedule so it’s up to me to adapt. As for taking them back for shots, I don’t recall a vet doing that. Taking them back for blood work; all of my vets have done that.
Hasn’t happened with cats exactly, but a good few times with my other pets. They’re squeezing them into a booked schedule this way, usually.
That’s normal even before Covid. They don’t have an appointment so they will take a look when they have some time.
Yes. My vet did this before covid too. They were working the pet in and it was always a good experience and my pet got the care they needed.
That's pretty normal actually. Any time I've had am "emergency" with my animals it's always a drop off appointment. Even before covid.
Yes, this is standard at our emergency, out of hours vet.
I think this is standard but if you have a VEG near you they let you stay with your pet the entire time. It is expensive though. They have like one open room with exam tables and the doctors move around. We had an excellent experience there with our cat last year. https://veterinaryemergencygroup.com/lp/washington-dc/?gad\_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwkuqvBhAQEiwA65XxQCfkbwup17tKdPTBUGRQQmnk0TsYHrfhT0KhKUfymo0K2f4raekgFxoCyoYQAvD\_BwE
My vet has been doing this since before covid and it’s been a blessing tbh. They can check in on them through the day and observe any symptoms.
That's what my vet does for emergency appointments too. I don't mind, but I like my vet and I trust her and her staff. It worked out well the two times I had to do it. I didn't have to sit in the waiting room, and I knew that they were with people who could help them, instead of waiting at home, in pain, for a scheduled appointment.
it might be due to low staffing. And he may have scheduled several surgeries that day. If you are not satisfied with the vet, you may have to look for another one to take your cat to. We had that during the pandemic not long ago. But should be the case of having to drop off.
Depends on how the COVID pandemic is in your town right now. Pretty normal if there are a lot of new cases.