Frequently Asked Questions

How soon will someone respond to my enquiry?

We aim to respond to requests for advice within 24 hours of the request being received. It will help us if you provide times when you will be available to take a call. However, our clinicians are frequently extremely busy with referral cases so it may sometimes take longer than this for one of them to respond. If your call is for advice about an emergency case, we will respond as soon as possible.

What should I send with the case?

Please supply a referral letter (with a brief summary of history, physical examination findings and case progression) and computer history (where applicable), together with any laboratory results and radiographs. For Oncology cases please supply any available histopathology or cytology results. Please supply radiographs as films or digital files in DICOM format.

Please note that referrals submitted with insufficient details on the front sheet may result in a delay in processing the referral.

What instructions should I give the client?

  • Please ensure that all dogs and cats are starved from 8pm the night before (or at least 12 hours before the appointment), unless there is a medical reason why this is not possible, water can be offered as required.
  • We would ask that the owners of diabetic animals get in touch with either us or their local vet for further instructions.
  • For all medicine cases, please ask the owners to collect a urine sample, if possible from the morning of the appointment.
  • For all cases with gastrointestinal signs please ask the owners to supply a faeces sample, if possible from the morning of the appointment.
  • For chronic lameness cases it is helpful, if possible, to withdraw NSAID treatment for 24-48 hours prior to the appointment.
  • Dermatology cases should ideally have been off all therapy for three weeks as treatment may interfere with the investigation. Cases will be seen sooner if this is not possible.

Please call us if you have any concerns about taking an animal off treatment.

Who do I call for Postmortem or Pathology enquiries?

The Veterinary Pathology Department is run independently of the Hospital.

All Postmortem and Pathology enquiries should be made directly to them on 0151 795 6294.