For many people the terms veterinary clinic and veterinary hospital are used interchangeably, which can create more than just a little bit of confusion. Part of the problem is that clinics and hospitals for animals have become much more comprehensive in the services that they provide, at least the top ones have, which creates even more of an overlap.
Animal Clinics
In the not too distant past it was generally understood that an animal clinic or vet clinic provided basic animal health services including vaccinations, non-surgical procedures or only limited surgical procedure such as spay and neuter. The clinics in the past typically did not offer any overnight care for pets and any long term treatments were referred to a veterinary hospital. They also tended to have traditional business hours and did not offer 24 hour emergency services.
This is still generally true, although many animal clinics now provide in-house radiology and lab services and may, in fact, do more advanced types of procedures with short term care provided for pets. However, they rarely have on-site 24 hour emergency care.
The Veterinary Hospital Difference
A veterinary hospital offers all the services of an animal clinic or vet clinic, including preventative care, routine examinations and help for pet owners. However, they do provide extended hours of care for urgent or emergency types of procedures, which may include 24 hours or may include specific extended hours.
The veterinary hospital will have the facilities and the staff to care for animals round the clock for extended periods. There will typically be different vets on staff, some with specializations and some highly trained in small or large animal treatment. These vets will be able to handle all types of emergency and urgent care needs such as kidney or heart failure, trauma, poisonings, digestive blockages and obstructions, assistance with births and virtually any other types of animal emergency health care needs.
In addition, the comprehensive services provided by a veterinary hospital can include training and behavior support for pet owners, assistance in managing dogs with chronic health conditions, dental care and all routine examination and vaccinations.
By working with a veterinary hospital in Ft. Meade pet owners will always be working with a group of professionals that know the pets. This helps ensure that preventative care is maximized for your pet but, in the case of an emergency, your pet’s medical history and background is all a matter of record for most effective treatment.
