Critical Care
- What is critical care?
- A specialty dedicated to advanced diagnostic, therapeutic and monitoring techniques that may not be available at your veterinarian's hospital.
- Commonly involves cases that need more attention and care than your veterinarian can provide.
- What is ICU?
- This is an abbreviation for the Intensive Care Unit.
- Like a human hospital, we have a dedicated area for your sick pet to be monitored closely, for timely medications to be given and to detect if they are having a problem. Cases staying in ICU could include post-surgery, vomiting, diabetes, pancreatitis, those in need of blood transfusions, trauma patients and many others.
- What therapeutic, monitoring, and diagnostic capabilities do you have?
- Oxygen therapy
- Blood product administration
- Pulse oximetry
- Blood pressure monitoring
- In-house bloodwork
- Radiographs
- CT scan
- ECG monitoring
- Ultrasound
- Blood gas measurement
- Is there a doctor on the premises during the night?
- No. We have a well-trained member of our nursing staff who takes care of and monitors the ICU patients overnight. We are not an emergency clinic, so her attention is focused completely on the hospitalized patients instead of incoming cases. She will contact a doctor if she becomes concerned about any patient.
- We have doctors that live within several minutes of the hospital should their presence be needed quickly.
- Is someone with my pet during the night?
- Yes. There is a member of our nursing staff in the building anytime there is a hospitalized pet.
- Can I visit my pet? Do you have visitation hours?
- We encourage visits, but we do not have specific visitation hours. Officially the visiting time is set up between your doctor and you.
- We are open for appointments Monday-Friday, therefore, visits on these days usually are scheduled between 8am and 5pm.
- We are closed for appointments over the weekend, although some patients may remain hospitalized if it is in their best interest, visits are usually scheduled for 8am and 7pm on Saturday or Sunday.
- Will someone call me and let me know how my pet is doing?
- You should receive a call at least 2 times per day. One in the morning after the doctor has examined your pet and one in the evening before the doctor leaves for the night.
- The primary doctor, medicine intern, or a staff member may call with the update.
- Will my pet have pain medication(s)?
- We are definitely believers in pain control. Your pet will receive pain medication if it is determined they are painful and that medications would not be detrimental if given.
