Since we primarily see emergency and urgent care cases, our schedule can be very unpredictable. We make every effort to take care of our clients quickly, but sometimes a wait is unavoidable. Here are a few things to expect that may make your visit a little easier:

  • When you arrive you will be greeted and will be asked to sign in.
  • A technician will “triage” your pet. This means that they will assess your pet’s vitals, presenting concern, and overall status in order to determine the level of urgency needed.
  • More urgent cases will be seen first and may be immediately taken into the treatment area to be evaluated by a veterinarian.
  • While your pet is being evaluated you will be asked for the following:
    • Complete a patient check-in form with contact information, details about your pet, and your regular vet’s info.
    • If your pet is very sick, you will be asked to complete a form indicating whether you would like us to perform life-saving procedures such as CPR if needed.
    • You may be asked for a deposit if immediate treatment is needed, such as CPR, sedation, or pain medication.
  • Once the doctor has evaluated your pet, he/she will discuss a treatment plan with you and provide an estimate. This will be the time to discuss any questions or concerns that you might have. We make every effort to provide workable options for the care of your pet.
  • Once your pet leaves the hospital, we will contact your regular veterinarian with records and any follow-up recommendations that are needed.

Our goal at PETS Hospital is be an extension of your regular veterinarian and we partner to make sure that your pet receives the best possible care.

We are constantly striving to improve our services. I hope that you will let us know if we ever fail to meet your expectations or if you have any comments or suggestions.

OUR RESPONSE TO COVID-19 and INCREASED WAIT TIMES

Updated May 5, 2022

We are happy to report that we have returned to "normal" appointments. However, in the interest of reducing crowding in our lobby, please call when you arrive and the staff will direct you from there. If you prefer to have your appointment "curbside" please let us know because we are happy to accommodate that as well. If you are just picking up a prescription or dropping something off, please ring the bell or use the intercom. Masks are optional but we recommend that anyone feeling sick wear a mask or reschedule their appointment (or request curbside). As always, the health of our staff and that of our clients is our utmost priority.

Updated August 2, 2021

PETS Hospital is committed to helping our staff and clients remain as safe and healthy as possible. As such, we are closely monitoring the ongoing COVID-19 situation and are acting according to the guidelines and recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control, as well as local and state authorities.

We want to share with you the actions we are taking to help protect our employees and clients.

  • Wiping down all phones, computers and door handles continuously.
  • Wiping down exam room door knobs / frames, benches and counters after each visit.
  • No sharing pens, sharpies, food/communal food, stethoscopes – and where it is necessary cleaning after each use.
  • No hugging, hand shaking, etc.
  • Washing our hands after all appointments and often.
  • Hand Sanitizer is available in the lobby and exam rooms.
  • We recommend that you not come to the hospital if you are feeling ill, and we expect the same of our staff.
  • We are offering a “curbside service". Simply call us when you arrive and the staff will guide you through the process.

As a result of COVID and reduced availability from our general practice veterinarian partners, we are also seeing a HUGE increase in caseload right now. While we are doing our best to accommodate this increased demand, we are limited by staffing and physical space and this has led to an increase in wait times. To this end we have had to make some hard decisions regarding the kinds and amounts of cases we are able to see while we continue to work on expansion and increased staffing. To ensure that we are available for urgent and emergent cases, we may be unable to see the following types of cases:

  • Bandage changes
  • Non-urgent skin issues
  • Non-urgent ear/eye infection
  • Elective surgeries, including Dr. Terhaar’s elective orthopedic procedures
  • Routine care

We believe this will only be for a short time and we will continue to partner with our veterinarian partners to provide our community the most reliable, accessible care! We will be in touch and let you know when we are able to accommodate more services.

During this challenging time, we encourage you to:

  • Call ahead and check wait times
  • Be aware of current COVID Protocols (i.e. curbside only appointments)
  • Bring your records with you if available
  • Always check with your regular veterinarian for availability with them first
  • Understand that we always see cases in order of severity and this can be unpredictable

We appreciate the trust that you place in us. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and take actions necessary to help keep our staff and clients safe while providing the products and services you and your pet need.