At WestVet Emergency & Specialty Center, we strive to provide the care and compassion that you and your pet deserve. In order to ensure that all patients receive uninterrupted attention and treatment from our doctors, we ask that you review the policies below. Please be assured we have designed these policies with your pet's best interest in mind.

We appreciate your decision to choose WestVet for your pet's emergency and specialty health care needs and have designed these hospital patient polices with your pet's best interest in mind. Upon arrival, you will be asked to provide us with some basic information and patient history. In addition, it will be necessary for you to provide us with written authorization for treatment and consent to the care plan. All pets must be checked in by a person who is at least 18 years of age and authorized to make informed decisions regarding that pet. We feel that is is our responsibility to properly educate you on your pet's treatment options and recommended care plan. Please feel welcome to ask questions and provide feedback at any time.

If your pet has been admitted to the emergency department and your primary care veterinarian has authorized transfer to a specialist for care, you will be contacted by our doctors concerning your pet's health and be provided with an estimate. Please be aware that unless it is documented otherwise, the estimate you are given is only for the doctor and the department your pet was referred to. Care by other doctors and departments will result in the creation of a separate estimate. All estimates can be faxed to you at home or work, please talk to a client care specialists if you are interested in this service.

Appointments with specialty doctors are by referral only. Your primary care veterinarian should always be your first resource for addressing any pet health concerns that you may have. If you feel your pet is in need of a specialist's attention, please consult with your primary veterinary clinic for a referral.

If you have received a referral from your primary veterinarian, please call our hospital directly to schedule an appointment with the specialist. Speciality appointment times may vary, please check the appointment calendar for specific dates in time. In the event of an emergency, special arrangements can be made to accommodate your pet's needs.

For after hours, weekend, and holiday emergencies, please come directly to the hospital. Should your pet require emergency care during the weekdays, please consult with your primary care veterinarian first. Emergency patients will be seen in order of priority, with the more critical patients treated first. This may result in a delay of your pet's treatment. Please be assured that your pet will receive this same special attention when they are seen by the doctor.

The WestVet doctor(s) caring for your pet will be in regular communication with your primary veterinarian to keep him or her updated with the treatment plan of your pet. Your veterinarian will receive copies of lab work and radiographs performed along with typed referral letters following any procedure. Our emergency and specialty doctors are not a replacement for your primary veterinarian, but serve as an extension of their services and will work in partnership with your primary veterinarian.

At WestVet, we respect the special bond that you have with your pet and encourage visits of hospitalized patients. In order to ensure your pet and others receive uninterrupted care, it is necessary for us to have you schedule your visits in advance with a client care specialist, limit your visits to twice a day, and stay in the immediate vicinity of your pet. In the event of an emergency, your visit with your pet may be delayed or shortened until a better time can be arranged.

Specialty patient updates can be given after 10:30am. Please limit your calls to twice a day to ensure our doctors can focus their attention on patient care. Please be assured that you will be contacted immediately should there be a change in your pet's health status.

Because we know your time is important to you, all specialty patient discharges are by appointment only. This ensures that medications, home care instructions, and home care supplies can be prepared in advance of your appointment and a doctor can be available to answer any questions that you may have regarding your pet's care. Emergency discharges should also be arranged with the attending doctor. All overnight emergency patients will need to be picked up and/or transferred back to the primary care veterinarian prior to 8am during weekdays. If you are unable to arrange for your pet's release prior to 8am, your pet will be transferred to specialist and additional charges will apply.

It is imperative to the health of your pet that you follow the home care instructions exactly as provided to you. Maintaining the medication schedule and strictly adhering to the exercise restrictions given is absolutely essential to ensure your pet's optimal recovery. This includes maintaining all follow up appointments as required for your pet's particular recovery. If your pet has been given post-operative instructions that include cage rest and leash walks only, it is especially important that you respect the need to keep your pet confined for the full amount of time recommended.

WestVet's policy is full payment at time services are rendered. If you feel that payment will be an issue, please consult with a client care specialist prior to your pet's scheduled medical procedure. A client care specialist can assist you with applying for an appropriate credit plan with one of our third party financial companies. An initial payment equal to the low end of the estimate is required before your pet can be treated. Please be aware that service estimates are simply estimates and can not allow for every possible scenario. Please ask a client care specialists for daily updates on your account balance if finances are a concern.

According to Idaho State Law, medical records must remain the property of the attending veterinarian. In order for medical records to be released to you or your primary care veterinarian, it may be necessary for you to sign our release of liability form.

If you have found injured wildlife, please contact the appropriate rehabilitation organization directly. Animals In Distress Association can be reached at (208) 367-1026 and the Ruth Melichar Bird Center can be contacted at (208) 338-0897. Please be aware that we do not have licensed wildlife rehabilitators at WestVet and that injured wildlife should only be treated by licensed wildlife rehabilitators. If you have found a stray animal, please contact the Idaho Humane Society directly at (208) 342-3508.