When you bring your pet to Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota, whether it is to visit one of our specialty departments or our emergency service, you will work closely with your pet’s veterinarian to determine the best plan for their care. Depending on your pet’s condition, stability, and diagnostic results, hospitalization for stabilization and supportive care may be recommended to help manage an illness or injury.
Your veterinarian will discuss the details of hospitalization with you, including specific testing and treatment your pet may receive during their stay, and our team will provide you with a cost estimate for care. While the idea of hospitalizing your pet can be stressful and overwhelming, our team is here to support both you and your pet every step of the way. Here’s a look at what pet parents can expect if their pet needs to be hospitalized.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
We provide care for our hospitalized patients in our Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a specialized area designed to meet a wide variety of needs. If you choose to admit your pet to the hospital, they will be placed in their own individual cage or run that is appropriate for their size and comfort. Your pet will be provided with cozy bedding that our team will ensure is always clean and dry. To help reduce stress, we have separate housing areas for dogs, cats, and exotic animals. Pets with suspected infectious diseases that could spread to other patients are housed in designated isolation areas while still receiving the same high level of individualized attention and personalized care as all our patients.
24/7 Care and Monitoring
Your pet will receive 24-hour monitoring while in the hospital, with a dedicated veterinarian and veterinary technician responsible for their care at all times. In the hospital, we can closely assess their condition as it changes and intervene quickly if necessary. Intravenous fluids and medications will be administered to treat their specific illness or injury and further specialized intensive care such as oxygen support, feeding tubes, and blood transfusions can be provided if needed. They will be offered food and water regularly if appropriate, depending on their condition, and taken outside to relieve themselves in a safe, enclosed area, as often as they need.
Keeping You Informed
We know it can be stressful to be away from your pet which is why we prioritize communication with owners throughout the day. Since we are open 24/7, you are always able to access your pet’s care team to understand how your pet is doing – we just ask that you designate one member of your family to be the primary point of contact to make sure our team can communicate efficiently and effectively with you while focusing our attention on providing your pet with the best care possible.
During your pet’s hospitalization, you can expect to receive:
- Telephone updates from your pet’s veterinarian at least twice per day to keep you informed of your pet’s progress and any further testing or treatment adjustments that may be recommended. Note: Sometimes these calls come more frequently if your pet is very ill or if there are rapid changes in their condition – we don’t hesitate to call at any time, day or night.
- Picture updates via text message, as well as welcome text messages or phone calls, for check-ins with you from your pet’s technician at any time.
Additionally, in-person visits are also welcomed (and encouraged!) so you can spend time with your pet and ask further questions of their care team throughout your pet’s stay.
Discharge and Ongoing Care
Once your pet has recovered and is ready for home care, you will receive discharge instructions outlining the ongoing care, medication, and monitoring they will need at home. Your pet’s veterinarian will discuss these recommendations with you and provide you with the opportunity to ask any questions you may have—we want to make sure you are as comfortable as possible with meeting their needs at home! We also will make sure you understand what follow-up visits are necessary, either for ongoing care with your family veterinarian, or through our specialty teams at AERC.
Your pet’s full medical record, including all test results, treatments, and progress reports, will be available to your family veterinarian after your pet’s stay so that your family veterinarian can continue their care.
After discharge, you are welcome to call and continue to ask any questions you may have—if you are worried about your pet, or anything is unclear, please let us know so that we can continue to help in the healing process!
We understand that having your pet admitted to the hospital can be a stressful experience. At AERC, we are committed to keeping you connected and informed every step of the way, from admission to discharge and beyond. Your pet’s well-being is our top priority, and we’ll be with you and your pet throughout their recovery journey.
More Reading:
- When a Life-Threatening Pet Emergency Comes to Our ER
- Life-Saving Blood Transfusions for Pets
- Does My Pet Need Urgent Care or Emergency Care?
- Top 5 Preventable Pet ER Visits
- Infectious Diseases at the Animal ER
