When you arrive, one of our receptionists will welcome you and get you checked in. We’ll ask for some basic information about you and your pet, and may request a photo ID to ensure everything is entered accurately. Once you’re checked in, a veterinary technician will speak with you to gather more details about what’s going on with your pet. All patients are seen based on medical urgency (triage), so pets with life-threatening conditions may be treated first. Depending on your pet’s condition, the technician may recommend starting initial tests or treatments right away. If so, we’ll discuss those with you and provide a verbal estimate before proceeding. If your pet is critically ill or unstable, immediate life-saving care may be initiated. In these situations, we may request a stabilization fee so there is no delay in beginning treatment. We will communicate with you as soon as possible regarding your pet’s condition and next steps. Your pet will be taken to our treatment area so we can check vital signs and begin any necessary diagnostics. One of our doctors will then perform a full head-to-tail exam. After the exam and any initial testing are complete, we’ll bring you into a room to discuss findings and next steps. We provide a written estimate for all recommended treatments as transparency is very important to us. Once you’ve had a chance to review and approve the plan, we’ll move forward with care. If your pet needs to stay in the hospital, we will collect a deposit based on the lower end of the estimate. If your pet is going home, payment is collected at the time of discharge. We are a paper-free hospital, so all invoices and medical records will be emailed to you. We will also send records to your regular veterinarian to ensure continuity of care. Printed invoices and records are available upon request. This process may vary depending on the situation, but this is the general flow of a visit.