Flagler Animal Hospital
What to expect during an emergency visit:
Please call us first, if possible, to advise us of the nature of your emergency and anticipated time of arrival.
When your pet arrives, he or she will be triaged by one of our nurses. You will be asked a series of questions so that the doctor will have an idea of your pet’s medical history. We treat the pets in greatest need first. If your pet is stable, you may be asked to wait while we tend to more critical cases.
If you have never been here before, our staff will ask you to fill out a new client form. Depending on the nature of your pet’s emergency, you may also be asked to sign an authorization to treat and a CPR/DNR form.
If your pet is triaged and is found to be in need of immediate attention, he or she will be taken to the treatment area. Your pet will be seen by our ER doctor immediately.
After the doctor has examined your pet, he or she will then discuss the findings of the physical examination with you. Depending on the condition of your pet, the doctor may recommend further diagnostic testing, such as radiographs and bloodwork. The doctor may also recommend hospitalization and/or surgery.
A nurse will present you with an estimate for the recommended diagnostics and treatment. If finances are an issue, adjustments can be made to the treatment plan. Once you have signed the estimate, we will proceed with the diagnostics. You can expect a wait while the diagnostics are being performed.
After the results of the diagnostics have been reviewed by the doctor, he or she will meet with you again to recommend a further treatment plan. This might include medications to go home, hospitalization, or surgery.
In the event that your pet needs to be hospitalized or needs a surgical procedure, you will be given another estimate by the nurse.
If the estimate meets with your approval, and you are leaving your pet with us, you will be asked to leave the low end of the estimate as a deposit.
What to expect if your pet is hospitalized:
If your pet is hospitalized, he or she will be housed in our treatment area with comfortable bedding. An iv catheter will be placed in order for us to administer fluid therapy and medications. Your pet will be monitored and cared for continually by our highly trained technical nurses.
Your pet's nurse and doctor will communicate with you throughout your pet's stay.
When your pet is ready to be discharged, you will meet with your pet’s doctor and nurse, who will provide you with detailed instructions on your pet’s medication and at-home care.
What to expect if your pet has an emergency surgical procedure:
If your pet is undergoing general anesthesia, you will be asked to sign a surgical consent form in addition to the above-referenced paperwork.
Your pet will receive pre-anesthetic bloodwork prior to the procedure to ensure that he or she is a good candidate for general anesthesia.
Your pet will be prepped for surgery and the procedure will be performed by one of our surgeons. Your pet will be monitored during the entire procedure by our surgical team.
After surgery, the surgeon will call you to let you know that your pet is in recovery. At that time, the surgeon will also any questions you may have about the surgery and your pet’s prognosis.
While your pet is recovering from surgery, he or she will be housed in our treatment area with comfortable bedding. Your pet will be monitored and cared for continually by our highly trained technical nurses.
Your pet's nurse and doctor will communicate with you throughout your pet's stay.
When your pet is ready to be discharged, you will meet with your pet’s doctor and nurse, who will provide you with detailed instructions on your pet’s medication and at-home care.