Top Tip 6 - Emergency - Utilising the best of your local emergency centre

Many pets come to emergency centres for full workup and treatment, but there are many situations where you can utilise the expertise or diagnostic facilities of an emergency centre while still running the case. Here’s a few ways that some primary care clinics get the best of both worlds.

General advice

Emergency centres will often have comprehensive libraries and information on conditions which are not seen every day in general practice. For uncommon toxicities you can always call an emergency centre for advice on ingested medicines or household substances. You can also get advice on suggested therapies for those toxicities you see only once or twice a year.

Emergency diagnostics

Reference laboratories provide excellent expedited diagnostic services for urgent samples. However, some samples need answers in minutes, not hours. In some cases samples can be transported to your local emergency centre for immediate processing. This may reduce the waiting time from hours to under half an hour in cases where samples can be immediately forwarded. A quick trip in the car can help obtain a quick diagnosis and get you on your way to a solid treatment plan.

Outpatient imaging

Some referral centres offer specific workup (e.g. outpatient CT or ultrasound) to help you complete the diagnostic picture. This can be completed with the patient returning promptly to you with answers in hand. This gives you the power of advanced diagnostics to best manage the next step in your case.

The Southern Animal Referral Centre offers all these services and is most happy to collaborate on cases where, for whatever reason, referral is impractical or impossible for the owner or referring vet. Please call us if you would like to discuss a case where you feel we may be able to positively contribute.

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