by Petfolk Care Team
What is an illness or urgent care exam?
We know that pets can have unplanned illnesses, accidents, and concerns. Part of our goal at Petfolk is to be there for your pet to help prevent diseases and problems as well as when something unexpected occurs.
So what qualifies as an illness or urgent care visit?
If you are concerned about your pet’s health in any way, our care teams want to know. If you are unsure if the problem warrants a visit to the vet, start with a call to our virtual care team. They will ask questions about your concerns and your pet and help decide if you need an in-person evaluation and, if so, what to do until then. It is important to know that some symptoms or conditions are an emergency and should be seen immediately at either Petfolk or an emergency hospital. These symptoms include severe trauma such as being hit by a car, bleeding that won’t stop after 2-3 minutes, difficulty breathing, or the inability to urinate, walk, or sit up.
Other illnesses may be less urgent and can be scheduled with our Petfolk care team. Common concerns include itching with or without hair loss, odor or debris in the ears, coughing or sneezing, eye discharge or redness, GI upset such as vomiting or diarrhea, weight loss, changes in appetite, thirst or urination habits, limping, and pain.
Preparing for an illness visit:
For an illness visit, we ask that you bring details on your pet’s most recent habits such as when they last ate, drank water, went to the bathroom, or had an episode of anything concerning. We also will want to know what they have been eating and any medications or supplements you may have given them at home. The more detail you can provide the better, so be sure whoever accompanies your pet has all the information. Providing a video and/or pictures can also be helpful in demonstrating the issues that are concerning.
Scheduling an illness visit:
We are available seven days a week for appointments, and because we understand that the unplanned is unpredictable, we try to plan for our wellness visits during the week so the weekends are open for unexpected illness cases. This also means that if your pet has multiple concerns or problems, we may schedule follow-up appointments or recommend a drop-off appointment so that we can give the dedicated time needed to get your pet well again.
