HOSPITAL POLICIES
Please read our policy on the topics listed below very carefully. They have been developed to ensure a good experience for yourself and your pet at our facility.
Appointments
- To allow ample time for all patients and scheduled surgical procedures, we see our clients and patients by appointment. To book an appointment Call us on 04 338-7726, Schedule and manage your own appointments on PetsApp, WhatsApp us on 055 509 9835 or e-mail us on contact@tvh.ae.
- Our standard appointments are 20 minutes long which is longer than the average 10-15 minutes offered elsewhere. Lengthier appointments are also available based on various factors.
- Emergency cases are unpredictable events and shall always receive top priority (a surcharge fee may be applicable) followed by patients with previously scheduled appointments.
- For this reason, the occasional appointment delay is inevitable. Please realize that we make a sincere attempt to see each patient on time. If there is a wait when you visit our hospital, we want to thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.
- Walk-in clients (non-emergencies) will be seen as time allows at an additional fee.
- Arrive early before your scheduled appointment and check in with one of our receptionists.
- Any medical records or other necessary information will be collected or updated. You may provide any faecal, urine or other samples you collected for your pet’s appointment.
- If you are coming for a second opinion, ensure you provide all medical history, medications and any diagnostics test results obtained by the other veterinarians/ clinics; minimum 24 hours before your appointment. If you have been referred by another clinic, ensure that we receive a referral letter from the referring veterinarian.
- For the most part, you will be attended to by your preferred veterinarian, however, you may be seen by another veterinarian based on availability and doctors’ rotation.
- For the convenience of existing clients with previously seen pets, limited drop off slots are available during our opening hours. You may bring in and leave your pet in the hospital for services to be performed. Depending on the veterinary service to be provided, we can contact you to discuss a treatment plan, or once the medical care is completed. The veterinarian or a member of our health care team will go over any information and instructions related to your pet’s health care.
Cancellations
- Cancellation – more than 24 hours prior to appointment is free of charge
- Cancellation- less than 24 hours prior to appointment is automatically charged as a consultation and clients are liable to paying it at their earliest
- No Show- is automatically charged as a consultation and clients are liable to paying it at their earliest
Patient Arrivals
Even though we make every effort to make our patients feel comfortable during visits, they may be a little uneasy about new people, new surroundings and or new encounters with other pets.
- For these reasons, and for the safety of your pet, it is important that you properly restrain your pet both inside and outside our hospital.
- Muzzles should be worn by dogs of nervous or aggressive disposition and they are mandatory for the Dubai Municipality listed dangerous breeds.
- For you and your pet’s protection, as well as for the protection of others, all dogs must be on a leash and properly controlled while in the parking area, the waiting area, and the consult room.
- All cats must arrive in an appropriate cat carrier.
- If you don’t have any of the above restraining tools (muzzle, leash, carrier cage) please ask one of our team members to provide you with a suitable option.
- If you need help carrying an animal into the hospital, please ask a member of our health care team for assistance upon arrival.
Surgical / Non-Surgical Procedures
Surgical / Non-Surgical Procedures Pre-Op and Drop Off Instructions:
- Unless otherwise indicated by your veterinarian, please fast your pet 10-12 hours before any surgical procedure. This means removing their food no later than 9 pm the day before the procedure. Keep their water access overnight and remove it no later than 6 am on the morning of the procedure.
- Patients can be dropped off between 7:30 am and 8:00 am the morning of the procedure. Other drop off times can be arranged if necessary.
- Please allow 10-15 minutes upon arrival for your pet to be checked in for surgery. There are a few short questions and minimal paperwork we like to have filled out prior to any procedure.
- Most surgical and day procedure admissions are done by our capable veterinary nurses. The veterinary surgeon may be involved based on the nature of the case.
- If you have a diabetic pet, please indicate so upon booking your appointment and we will custom our instructions accordingly.
- If your pet is already on medication, continue giving them as normal prior to the procedure UNLESS told otherwise by a veterinarian or a nurse.
- If your pet is due medication (for chronic conditions) on the morning of the procedure (ie. with food), please contact us for advice as this will vary based on the medication and or the condition being treated. Bring the medication along upon drop off (in the event that your pet will stay in the hospital overnight).
- An 80% deposit of the estimated amount is required for all procedures, upon admission and prior to commencement of surgery therefore we remind you to bring a method of payment.
In Patient Visitation
Our visiting hours are: Monday-Saturday : 2-3 pm and 6-7 pm, Sunday : 2-4 pm
- We encourage visitation by pet owners and their immediate family to help comfort their hospitalized pets.
- Visiting hours are set and limited to allow the veterinarians and the health care team to care for hospitalised patients in a timely manner.
- Special allowances are made based on the veterinarian’s discretion and depending on the nature of the case as well as prognosis.
- Visiting outside the hospital’s opening hours is not permitted.
- Staying overnight with your pet is not permitted.
- Unfortunately, sometimes visitations cannot be allowed due to emergency situations or other procedures and treatments being performed. Visitations may also be restricted or denied if a pet is in isolation with concerns of a contagious disease.
- Visitors may only interact with their pet and are not allowed to photograph and or film other inpatients in adjacent enclosures.
- Visitors are not permitted into patients wards without being escorted by a staff member.
Billing and Payment
- Payment is due upon completion of services and at the end of each visit using the following forms of payment: Cash, Visa, Mastercard, PetsApp payment link. Other methods such and bank transfers and over the phone payments are permitted however subject to management approval.
- Credit facilities are not available therefore ensure you bring a method of payment.
- An 80% deposit of the estimated amount is required for all procedures, upon admission and prior to commencement of surgery. Ask us for an estimate and please note that an estimate is not an exact invoice. It is to provide you with an idea of expected costs.
- An upfront payment of the full amount is required for all TNR procedures.
- Billing updates for hospitalized patients will be sent DAILY.
Prescription and Prescription Refills
- We generally refill prescriptions during your visits. We try to prescribe enough medication until your next appointment. Please contact us to request a refill before your pet’s medication runs out and allow at least 24 hours for all refill requests. However, it is best to contact us at least 7 days in advance of your pet’s medication or food running out. Some items are special orders that require additional time for delivery.
- We will examine and evaluate your pet prior to prescribing and selling medication. That way our veterinarians are able to assume the responsibility of making the need to medicate decisions, be readily available for follow-up in case of adverse reactions or the need to change the medical plan and you as the client (owner or caretaker) agree to follow the veterinarian’s instructions. Sometimes this evaluation requires certain lab tests to be performed.
- With the exception of routine or non-prescription medication such as shampoos, supplements and some anti-parasite treatment, we are obliged under the RCVS guidelines to examine animals on certain long-term medications on regular intervals. These intervals are set at the discretion of the veterinarian but normally no more than every 6 months.
- We have to perform these examinations to make sure that the medication is still suitable and safe for your pet’s condition. We will also assess your pet’s weight (weight changes will alter the dose) and we will discuss any new concerns that you may have.
- The Veterinary Hospital honour other veterinarians’ prescriptions as long as they are not older than 1 month from the date of issue. Prescription letters must be legitimate, on business paper and must contain all relevant information pertaining to the animal, condition, and dosage requirements.
- If our veterinarian prescribes a unique medication or food that we don’t stock regularly, we will source it for you if it’s available through the suppliers, but we will ask you to pay the amount in full (100%) in advance.
- Our veterinarians cannot dispense a prescription only medication (POM) for patients that are not under their care.
Medication Returns
We often get asked if we are able to refund and/or reuse access amount of medication that clients may on occasion end up having. Regrettably, we are not able to refund/ reuse medication that has left the building due to the inability to verify proof of the storage conditions. It is also against the Dubai Municipality regulations to re-sell returned medications.
Almost all medications require special storage conditions such as temperature, light and humidity. These conditions are well maintained and recorded by manufacturers, distributors and in our pharmacy.
Whilst we understand that it is unlikely that these conditions have been breached, we cannot provide evidence if the chain of storage has been maintained. This secure chain stops as soon as the drugs leave our building.
You may donate your excess medication and or food to a pet charity or a rescue organisation of your choosing
Stray and / or Unvaccinated Cats Admission
This is to ensure the safety of all in-patients by preventing viral infections from spreading amongst unvaccinated cats or cats with undocumented or insufficient immunity against fatal viruses, Feline Panleukopenia virus, in particular.
- All cats being admitted to the hospital should be up to date with their vaccinations and MUST undergo an Antibody Titer Test (Vaccicheck). A pass result (a score of 3-6) is required prior to admission. The result is valid for 1 year. Test can be done 1 month prior to admission but not on the same day.
- Owned cats with lapsed vaccination (by 1 day) or Stray cats with an unconfirmed vaccination history may not have sufficient immunity against fatal environmental viral diseases. Should they require hospitalisation to treat various conditions and injuries, and in order to protect other inpatients, there will be:
- MANDATORY Antibody Titer Test (Vaccicheck).
- If the score is 3-6, the animal is hospitalised and treated accordingly.
- If the score is 0 or 2, this is followed by;
- MANDATORY Feline Panleukopenia Test.
- Negative cats will be hospitalised in the main hospital area and treated
- Positive cats will be hospitalised in isolation and treated Isolation charges will apply.
- MANDATORY Antibody Titer Test (Vaccicheck).
- Due to the nature of the viral incubation period, repeat Panleukopenia testing DAILY for 5 days for negative cats will be required. If your cat is discharged prior to that period, we highly recommend isolating the cat from the rest of your household’s pets and retesting after 2 weeks.
- Negative cats receiving a vaccine at this point will still be tested for Panleukopenia DAILY for 5 days. The vaccine will take time to trigger an effective immune response.
- Until then, the patient is at risk.
While clients have the right to decline the tests; The Veterinary Hospital reserve the right of admission. Untested cats will be treated as outpatients but shall be refused admission into the hospital.
- Cats intended for TNR will have a MANDATORY Panleukopenia test.
- If the result is Negative, the operation will proceed, and the cat will be discharged the same day. Should you wish to hospitalise the cat for longer, repeat Panleukopenia testing DAILY will be required (for every day the cat is in our hospital for a total of 5 days).
- we highly recommend isolating the cat from the rest of your household’s pets and retesting after 2 weeks.
- If the result is Positive yet there are no symptoms, the operation will be postponed until another testing is performed after 6 weeks.