Policies
HOSPITAL POLICIES
PATIENT ARRIVAL POLICY
For your protection, and that of others, all dogs must be on a leash and properly controlled while in waiting area or in exam rooms. All cats must be presented in an appropriate carrier or on a leash.
APPOINTMENT POLICY
Appointments are required for surgery, wellness, and medical needs. Each day we keep several appointments available for urgent care. Emergency cases shall always receive top priority followed by patients with previously scheduled appointments.
SURGICAL POLICIES
The following information is a more in-depth look at our surgical procedures and the care we provide during your pet's stay with us. We do everything we can to make surgery as safe and comfortable as possible for our patients.
The morning of surgery, please allow yourself about 15 minutes for when you drop off your dog or cat. During this time, a technician will go over some paperwork with you and answer any questions that you may have. Each patient is given a full exam by the doctor to be sure there are no obvious clinical abnormalities that would postpone the procedure. We perform an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check for any abnormal heart rhythms. A pre-anesthetic blood screen is also done before the surgical procedure to make sure that there are no liver, kidney, or blood disorders.
Once the surgeon has evaluated the lab work and it is safe to proceed with anesthesia, the doctor will create an anesthetic protocol along with pre-surgery sedation to relax him/her. Included in the sedative is a pain medication to keep the patient as comfortable as possible during and after the procedure.
Once your dog or cat is relaxed, an intravenous catheter is placed prior to anesthesia. This allows for quick and easy access to the vein in the case of an emergency. IV fluids are given during the procedure to help maintain blood pressure and to facilitate the elimination of anesthetic agents.
The patient is then given an IV anesthetic so that we are able to intubate them (place a breathing tube down the trachea) and place him or her on gas anesthetic (as opposed to injectable anesthetic) for the procedure. Gas anesthetic is the safest available, and is also what is used for humans. The gas anesthetic is inhaled, allowing us to modify the level of anesthesia quickly if needed.
The patient is then prepped for surgery (the area is shaved and scrubbed); IV fluids are started, and then moved to the surgery suite. Once in the surgery suite their temperature is maintained with warm water blankets and placed on heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature and ECG monitors during surgery. A Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) monitors the patient during the procedure.
Once the surgery is complete the doctor that performed the procedure will contact the pet owner to let them know of their pet's status. Their temperature is taken every hour until they reach at least 100 degrees and if it falls below 100 degrees Fahrenheit post surgery, hot water bottles are places in their kennel. Monitoring continues throughout their hospital stay to ensure that they are resting comfortably and recovering appropriately. They also receive an additional injectable pain medication that afternoon and are sent home with oral pain medications.
Surgical patients are typically ready to go home after 3:00pm the day of surgery. However, there are specific procedures that do require overnight post surgical care. If this is the case, one of our doctors will come in to evaluate your pet after hours. Upon discharge, the technician will review the medications to go home and will send you home with a "pain scoring" sheet for you to monitor your dog or cat at home. We are open until 6:00pm, Monday – Friday; if you have any questions during business hours, feel free to call. If you need medical advice after business hours call the Green Bay Animal Emergency Center at 920-494-9400. One of our technicians will call to check in with you the day after surgery. As always, if you have any concerns regarding your pet's health call as soon as possible.
FINANCIAL OPTIONS
Pet's can put a financial strain on an owner's pocketbook. We want our clients to fully understand their options when it comes to our billing policy, pet insurance and financing options.
OUR BILLING POLICY...
Payment is expected at the time services are rendered. We accept cash, checks, Visa, Master Card, Discover Card and Care Credit. We do not accept any out of state checks and the person presenting the check must have a valid Wisconsin identification card present.
PET INSURANCE...
Supplemental pet insurance is a great way to keep your pet's medical costs down. Owner's pay a monthly premium, file claims and receive reimbursement for services and medications received. The client is responsible to pay their bill with their veterinarian and then file claims with their insurance agency. The insurance agency processes the claim and issues a reimbursement check to the pet owner based on the insurance plan selected.
There are a variety of plans available as well as agencies to select from. It is the responsibility of the pet owner to research insurance plans and options.
Here is the contact information for some of the agencies available: (Bay East Animal Hospital is not affiliated and does not endorse any particular insurance agency listed below.)
FINANCING OPTIONS...
If you are simply looking to finance services and/or products your option would be to apply for "Care Credit". This is a medical credit card that can only be used at participating doctor's offices. You can check with your current physicians and dentist to see if they participate with Care Credit and if so you can use this card at their office as well.
If you are interested to see if you qualify for Care Credit you can simply apply over the phone or online.
Care Credit
Toll Free 1-800-365-8295
www.carecredit.com
