Most Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When can I make an appointment to the PU-VTH?

A: Small Animal Hospital: operates on a referral basis only You can make an appointment once we have received a referral from your regular veterinarian. The client phone line of the Small Animal Hospital (SAH) is 765-494-1107, 8am-5pm, Monday –Friday EST

Large Animal Hospital: does not require a referral from your regular veterinarian. You can make an appointment by calling the client line of the Large Animal Hospital (LAH) at 765-494-8548, 8am-5pm, Monday – Friday EST.

Q: Who will I see when I visit the PU-VTH?

A: A senior veterinary student, foreign veterinary graduate, or veterinary technology student will initially greet you and perform a physical exam and take a medical history on your animal. The veterinary student will collaborate with a clinician to establish an appropriate diagnostic plan and cost estimate for the recommended procedures. The clinician and student will discuss this plan with you. If you decide to proceed you will be asked to sign a Client Information/Service Agreement and an estimate sheet.

Q: How long will the initial appointment take?

A: The initial appointment visit will last at least two hours. However, please be prepared to spend the entire day at our hospital. It can sometimes take many hours to complete all the procedures needed to diagnose and/or treat your animal’s problem. Remember we are a teaching hospital and each case is a teaching opportunity. We are also a referral facility and the cases we see need advanced diagnostics and care. This may cause delays.

Q: Will my animal need to be hospitalized?

A: For proper diagnosis and treatment, most animals will need to be hospitalized at least 2-3 days. This will be dictated by the procedures needed to diagnose and treat your animal and the status of your animal when admitted. We are very thorough and attempt to reconstruct the history of the entire disease process. Diagnostic testing may require scheduling with 3 or more diagnostic units of the hospital.

Q: Why are tests performed by my regular veterinarian repeated?

A: A seriously ill animal’s status can change drastically within hours, so there will be times when we repeat diagnostic tests your regular veterinarian has already performed. This will provide the most up-to-date information about your animal.

Q: How will I find out about my hospitalized animal?

A: The senior student or clinician assigned to your case should make regular reports to you about your animals’ status. In most cases this is done on a daily basis. If and when a diagnosis is reached and a treatment plan has been established, or a major change occurs in your animals’ status, you will be contacted immediately. Please provide phone numbers where you can be reached during the day and evenings. An updated cost estimate and prognosis should be provided to you at this time. Our clinicians will try to inform you if the cost is going to exceed the original estimate.

Q: How much will my animal's exam and treatment cost?

A: The PU-VTH is not funded to provide low cost or free veterinary care. You will be provided an estimate of the charges for diagnostic procedures and treatment of your animal. If your animal is admitted, you will be required to leave a deposit of 50% of the low-end estimate. The balance of the current bill will be due upon discharge of your animal. Frequently, not all charges are known at the time of discharge due to recent care, uncompleted lab procedures, etc. Late appearing charges will be sent to the owner’s address on the medical record, and could arrive 30-60 days after your visit. If you anticipate that you may not be able to comply with these payment policies, please advise the receptionist so that our business manager can discuss the matter with you.

The PU-VTH accepts payment by cash, check, and Master Card, Visa, and Discover cards.

Care Credit, through Hurley State Bank, is available to clients that qualify. You must speak to our business office to apply for Care Credit.

Q: What information will I receive when my animal is discharged?

A: The student and clinician will discuss the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, possible complications, and follow-up appointments at the time of your animal's discharge. You will receive a written Referral Correspondence Form, which outlines these discharge instructions, and any medications your animal will need. Sometimes a final diagnosis cannot be reached. Your animal could be discharged to be treated at home for its symptoms, but without clearly knowing the underlying cause.

Q: Will my regular veterinarian receive a discharge report?

A: Your regular veterinarian will receive a copy of the Referral Correspondence Report. The clinician on the case will call him/her to update him/her on your animal's status at discharge. You may return to your regular veterinarian for follow-up treatment. We work as a team with your regular veterinarian to restore your animal's health.

Q: How important are follow-up visits?

A: They are very important! These visits help the attending clinician assess your animal's response to treatment and make adjustments to the treatment protocols.It is your responsibility to make follow-up appointments at the time your animal is discharged.

Q: Can I get a copy of my animal's medical record?

A: Copies of your animal's record and other pertinent data (i.e. radiograph copies) are available for a fee. An authorization release form is required for this. Contact our Medical Records Department for more information. Contact the reception area (LAH or SAH) and they will direct your request to the Medical Records department. It is our intent that you will be well served and that your animal will receive the best care in the most humane and compassionate way. Our staff are competent and caring professionals who are committed to high quality standards. If you have questions, feel free to bring them to the student or clinician on the case or, if needed, contact the Hospital Director at 765-494-7235.