WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE THE CONSULTATION APPOINTMENT

Receipt of referral form from the referring veterinarian

The clinic will receive a form from your veterinarian detailing the pertinent information about the client they wish to refer as well as the history of the patient. The referral form will ask which department, and in some cases, which doctor, they wish their client to see.

This form may be mailed or faxed. In some instances, the veterinarian may choose to send the form, along with X-rays or other information, directly with the client to the appointment.

Owner calls to schedule consultation appointment

It is helpful if the referral form has already been faxed by your veterinarian when you make the appointment. This will help the receptionist schedule you with the appropriate department (i.e. surgery, medicine, cardiology). If the referral form has not yet been sent, this is not a problem. Consider asking your veterinarian which department or doctor they would suggest.

All incoming new patients will likely be recommended to be NPO prior to the initial consultation in preparation for any procedures. This involves no food usually after 8pm the night before the procedure and no water the morning of the appointment.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING AN ONCOLOGY CONSULTATION

1. Patients referred to the Oncology service will be scheduled to see Dr. Lucroy. Initial consultations will involve a full physical examination followed by a discussion about the cancer type that has been diagnosed, any recommended staging procedures, and recommended therapy and prognosis.

2. Staging may often be performed the day of initial presentation.

3. For some patients, chemotherapy may also be initiated on the first day. Chemotherapy patients will require a CBC/platelet count prior to their chemo appointment.

4. Chemotherapy appointments may be scheduled as 'drop-offs', outpatients, or 'owner waiting'. This is usually dependent upon the type of chemotherapy being administered in addition to the owner's schedule for that day.