WHAT TO EXPECT?

On arrival to North Coast Veterinary Specialist and Referral Centre (NCVS), one of our receptionists will first ensure that we have the correct information about your pet, and yourself. They will also inform the veterinarian and their staff that you have arrived. If your pet is in a critical condition, one of our nursing team will take your pet through to our treatment room, where triage can be performed, vital signs monitored and emergency treatment given if required.
One of our reception team will direct you into a consulting room when the veterinarian is ready to see you. Your veterinarian will try hard to keep to your appointment time, however sometimes another case may take longer than anticipated or an emergency will delay their schedule. Whilst every attempt is made to inform clients of delays in advance, where possible, this may not always be possible. If you have a deadline by which time you must leave then please inform us as soon as possible. Otherwise please be patient; we do have a WiFi connection if you choose to bring your laptop. Please know that once they are free, your veterinarian will take as much time with you as you need to help your pet.

At the time of consultation your veterinarian will take a history from you and will then likely do a physical examination of your pet. From this information your veterinarian will estimate the nature of the problem before discussing their recommendations with you. The first step in this process will nearly always involve one or more diagnostic tests (eg: blood test, radiographs, ultrasound etc) to determine the exact nature and extent of the problem. You will be provided with an estimate for the costs of each of these tests; from this you will decide if you wish to go through with any tests and in what order. The second step in this process relates to what treatment and/or surgery options might be available for your pet. We will give you an estimate for these costs as well but they may have to be refined in cases where the diagnosis is not yet certain. We will send your regular veterinarian a detailed letter within a few days.

If your pet is admitted to our hospital, both you and your veterinarian will be notified daily about their progress. While your pet is with us you can rest assured that your pet will receive around the clock care by our skilled Veterinarian and nursing team.

We understand that you want the best possible care for your pet. We will therefore strive to offer you the most effective care available and then let you decide what is best for your pet and for your family. We understand that some people will need time to think through their options before coming to a decision or may choose not to pursue diagnosis or treatment. Our goal is to give you the information needed to make the best decision and then we will do our best to get your pet back to health and living a happy full life.