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Frequently Asked Questions About the LSU Small Animal Clinic
How do I
schedule an appointment?
For companion
animals (such as dogs and cats), birds, or exotic animals (ferrets,
reptiles, etc.) call the Small Animal Clinic at 225-578-9600. Regular
office hours are 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. You may
schedule an appointment yourself if you are a regular client of LSU, or
have your veterinarian call to consult with a staff clinician and schedule
an appointment.
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Do I have to
call first?
Yes! During regular
business hours (8-5, Monday through Friday), patients are seen by
appointment only. You or your veterinarian should call the Small
Animal Clinic (225-578-9600) before you bring your pet to us. During
regular hours, the small animal clinic phones are answered by our
receptionists who will arrange for scheduling of both routine and
emergency appointments. After hours, our answering service will contact
the emergency duty clinician to assist you with emergencies; however, the
answering service cannot make routine appointments or provide
non-emergency information or services. Please call during regular business
hours for these services.
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What if I have an
emergency?
There is an
emergency clinician at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital 24 hours a day, 7
days a week to handle dog and cat emergencies. In addition, we have a
clinician “on call” 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to handle exotic pet and
avian emergencies. If possible, you should make arrangements in advance
by calling or by having your veterinarian call 225-578-9600 before
coming to the hospital. Calling in advance allows us to make proper
preparations to receive your pet.
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Do I have to get a
referral if I have a regular veterinarian for my
pet?
You should ask your
veterinarian to call first to arrange a referral appointment. That way, we
can get a complete history of your pet's medical problem, what tests have
been run, what medications have been given, etc.
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My pet is being
treated by another veterinarian but I
want more information. Can I get advice from your veterinarians by
telephone or e-mail?
Our veterinarians
are committed to giving your pets the best care possible but it is
impossible to give quality advice to clients whose pets they have never
examined. Therefore, our clinicians cannot answer your e-mail or telephone
questions. We will, however, be glad to consult with your veterinarian on
your animal’s health problems and take your pet on referral if necessary.
Please speak to your regular veterinarian to arrange for a consultation or
referral. If you do not have a veterinarian and would like to have your
pet seen at the Small Animal Clinic, you may call the Clinic receptionist
at 225-578-9600 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to set up an appointment.
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Are services free,
or at least cheaper than anywhere else?
We are a
fee-for-service hospital. Hospital income supports the activities of the
hospital. In general, our fees are comparable to those of other veterinary
surgical hospitals in the area; please discuss fees with the clinician in
charge of your pet.
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Can I get an
estimate of cost before agreeing to examination and
treatment?
Yes. We will make
every attempt to estimate the costs involved with diagnosis and treatment
of your pet before the services are performed. It is not always possible
to predict the course of medical management well in advance, so please
discuss fees with your clinician as the case progresses. The business
office will answer questions regarding the status of your bill at any time
during business hours by calling 225-578-9588.
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What is the
payment policy?
The University
requires that all charges be paid in full at the time of discharge.
In the event that
patients are hospitalized for diagnosis or treatment, 50% of the
estimated total bill must be paid at the time of admission.
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What
methods of payment are accepted?
We accept cash,
personal checks with appropriate identification, Visa, MasterCard, and
American Express.
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I’ve been told my
pet needs an expensive operation. Can your
students do it as a “learning experience” and save me some money?
Students do not
perform specialized surgery. All operations are done by specialists and
residents with students observing and assisting. Many of the operations we
perform require many years of post-vet school training to learn the
techniques and become proficient; it would be unethical and irresponsible
to allow students who have not yet finished their education to “learn” on
clients’ animals. In general, our fees are comparable to those of other
veterinary surgical hospitals in the area; please discuss fees with the
clinician in charge of your pet.
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Do I have to
leave my pet in the hospital?
Some procedures can
be performed on an outpatient bases while others require hospitalization
in order to be completed. The clinician assigned to your case will discuss
the options with you.
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Can I get check-ups
and vaccinations for my pet?
While our clinics
mainly take referrals of medically complicated cases from outside
veterinarians , we do perform all the same services as private clinics.
However, because of our clinical rotations, you will rarely see the same
student or clinician more than once. For routine visits, you might wish to
develop a relationship with a local veterinarian near your home much as
you would a with family doctor.
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Is the hospital open
for service on weekends or evenings?
The hospital is on
“emergency only” basis after hours and on weekends and holidays. With
special advance arrangements with the clinician in charge, discharges may
be scheduled after hours.
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Can I
pick up or drop off my pet after hours?
Special arrangements
must be made in advance through the clinician in charge of the case for
pick up or drop off after hours. Discharge will not be made after hours
without full payment of the bill at the time of discharge.
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Which doctor will examine my pet?
Each clinical
service (medicine, surgery, orthopedics, dermatology, etc.) is staffed on
a rotating basis by the specialists on staff. Depending upon the type of
problem your pet has, you will be referred to the clinician who is on duty
for that particular service. In the case of follow-up visits, appointments
are generally scheduled with the service rather than the original
clinician, although the original clinician is generally notified and
consulted regarding the re-examination. Because our clinicians rotate on
and off duty, you may not see the same doctor each visit.
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Will my pet be used
for “experiments” or research?
No! Privately-owned
pets are not used for research.
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Will students “practice”
on my pet?
Veterinary students
are an integral part of our health care team. The veterinary students
assigned to the Clinic rotations have completed a minimum of 2.5 years of
intensive veterinary training prior to initiation of clinical
rotations which does not include any pre-veterinary training they may have
completed. They are involved in the delivery of health care services to
your pet under direct supervision of a staff clinician. They do not
independently diagnose or treat any patient. They do participate and
assist in health care delivery to your pet.
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Can I
visit my pet during hospitalization?
Yes, but visits must
be pre-arranged and approved by the clinician in charge of the
case. Please call 225-578-9600 to schedule visits with patients in the
Small Animal Clinic. To minimize disturbance to other patients, please
limit visitors to owners and immediate family.
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