What to expect at your visit
Visiting VSP is different depending on why you’re coming in – specialty consults, recheck appointments, drop-offs, or urgent care. Below, you’ll find clear steps for what to expect during each experience and tips to help your visit go smoothly.
What to Expect: {Urgent Care Visit}
Before You Arrive
- Reserve Your Spot (optional): If you’d like, you can reserve your spot with this link. This can save you time in the waiting room, though it is completely optional.
During Your Visit
- Check-In & Triage: Upon arrival, a member of the VSP team will greet you and assess your pet’s condition right away to determine urgency. You will also be asked to fill out a form with your pet’s most current medical records and information.
- Physical Exam & Diagnostics: When it’s your pet’s turn, a VSP clinician will perform a thorough physical exam and recommend additional testing or procedures if needed. Some tests may be sent to external laboratories and could take additional time.
- Results & Plan Discussion: Once the vet understands your pet’s condition and does any testing, a summary of the findings and recommended next steps will be discussed.
When You Go Home
- Written Summary: You will receive written notes detailing the exam findings, diagnostics, recommendations, and treatment plan either at discharge or via email within 24 hours.
- Records: A copy of all records and test results will be sent to your primary veterinarian.
- Follow-Up & Home Care: A follow-up plan and home care instructions will be provided at discharge, clearly outlining meds, wound care, signs to watch out for, and/or recommended follow-up steps.
What to Expect: {New Specialty Consultation}
Before You Arrive
- Fasting: Please fast your pet prior to the appointment unless otherwise instructed. This means no food after midnight the night before. Fresh water can still be provided at all times.
- Medications: Bring all current medications with you to the appointment. If you have any questions, please note them on the New Patient History and Registration Form (Click HERE for Louisville, Click HERE for Evansville).
During Your Visit
- Check-In Process: Upon arrival, a member of the VSP team will greet you, review your completed history form, and ensure that you have the most current medical records and information.
- Physical Exam & Consultation: A VSP Clinician will perform a thorough physical exam and discuss possible diagnoses, as well as recommendations for additional testing or procedures.
- Work-Up & Diagnostics: If needed, diagnostic work-ups (such as imaging or bloodwork) will be performed that day. Some tests may need to sent to external laboratories and could take additional time.
- Results & Plan Discussion: After the exam and testing, a summary of the findings and recommended next steps will be discussed with you before discharge.
When You Go Home
- Written Summary: You will receive written notes detailing the exam findings, diagnostics, recommendations, and treatment plan either at discharge or via email within 24 hours.
- Records: A copy of all records and test results will be sent to your primary veterinarian.
- Follow-Up Plan: A follow-up plan will be provided at discharge, outlining any necessary tests and when they should be performed. If there are pending lab results, this plan may also be sent via fax. This ensures you know what to expect at future appointments.
Before You Arrive
- Recheck Appointment Options: There are two options available to allow flexibility for managing your pet’s ongoing care. These are early morning drop-off appointments and afternoon recheck appointments.
- Scheduling and Forms: Schedule your pet’s recheck appointment in advance. Complete the Recheck Patient History Form before the appointment. This form will be emailed to you after booking, or can be accessed by clicking the highlighted text above.
- Technician-Led Communication: Our technician team will handle most communication for recheck appointments to streamline the process for you. If unexpected results arise or your pet is not doing well, a VSP doctor will review your pet’s condition and personally discuss any changes to the treatment plan. If you prefer, you may request to speak directly with the doctor, even for routine results. This “Doctor Recheck” option is available for an additional fee.
- Fasting: Please fast your pet prior to the appointment unless otherwise instructed. This means no food after midnight the night before. Fresh water can still be provided at all times.
- Medications: Bring all current medications with you to the appointment. If you have any questions, please note them on the Recheck Patient History Form (Click HERE for Louisville, Click HERE for Evansville).
During Your Visit
- Check-In Process: Upon arrival, a VSP technician will review your completed recheck history form and address any clarifications. An estimate for planned tests will be provided.
- Physical Exam & Diagnostics: Your pet will be taken for a physical exam by a VSP doctor at every recheck appointment to monitor your pet’s progress and ensure comprehensive care.
- Work-Up & Diagnostics: If needed, diagnostic work-ups (such as imaging or bloodwork) will be performed that day. Some tests may need to sent to external laboratories and could take additional time.
- Results & Plan Discussion: After the exam and testing, a summary of the findings and recommended next steps will be discussed with you before discharge.
When You Go Home
- Results & Discharge: If the results and the plan are routine, a technician will review them with you at discharge. You will also receive a copy of the plan and test results for your records.
- Follow-Up Plan: A follow-up plan will be provided at discharge, detailing the necessary tests and their timing. If lab results are pending, this plan may be sent later via fax. This ensures that you have a clear understanding of the next steps.
What to Expect: {Drop-off Appointments}
General Information for All Drop-Offs
- Physical Exam: A VSP doctor will perform a physical exam during every drop-off appointment.
- Technician-Led Communication: Most communication will be handled by our technician team to streamline the process.
- Doctor Contact: If sedated procedures are needed, or your pet isn’t doing well, a VSP doctor will contact you directly.
- Results & Discharge: At discharge, you’ll receive a summary of results, the follow-up plan, and any recommendations.
Recheck Drop-Offs
1. Purpose:
• For routine follow-up care after diagnosis or treatment.
• May include physical exams, monitoring, or routine diagnostics.
2. Arrival and Check-In:
• Drop your pet off in the morning to allow our team time to complete all diagnostics and treatments throughout the day.
• Upon arrival, a technician will:
• Review your completed Recheck History Form.
• Address any questions.
• Provide an estimate for planned diagnostics or procedures.
3. What to Expect:
• Your pet will stay with us for the day while diagnostics and treatments are performed.
• A technician will review results and the plan with you at discharge.
• If unexpected findings arise, or your pet isn’t doing well, a VSP doctor will contact you to discuss and revise the plan.
4. Preparation:
• Fast your pet unless otherwise directed: no food after midnight; water is allowed.
• Bring all current medications.
• Complete the Recheck History Form and bring all current medications.
Chemo Drop-Offs
1. Purpose:
• For pets undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
• Includes pre-treatment exams and lab work to ensure your pet is ready for therapy.
2. Arrival Time:
• Your scheduled drop-off time may be a placeholder. A team member will contact you with a confirmed arrival time closer to the appointment date.
3. What to Expect:
• A pre-treatment physical exam will be performed.
• Lab work will be done to confirm your pet can proceed with chemotherapy.
• Side effects and progress will be monitored, and you will receive a treatment summary at discharge.
4. Preparation:
• Fast your pet unless otherwise instructed.
• Complete the Recheck History Form and bring all current medications.
Cushing’s Drop-Offs
1. Purpose:
• Specifically for pets requiring post-pill ACTH Stimulation testing or monitoring related to Cushing’s disease.
2. Arrival Time:
• Your listed scheduled drop-off time will be a placeholder. During scheduling, there is an option to input your estimated arrival time. If you’re unsure of the correct timing, a VSP team member will be happy to assist you and provide the appropriate arrival time.
• Important: Please ensure your pet arrives 3.5 hours after receiving their Vetoryl medication for accurate test results.If there are any changes to the timing, please notify our team as soon as possible.
3. What to Expect:
• A VSP doctor will perform a physical exam and oversee ACTH Stimulation testing.
• Your pet will need to stay with us for a minimum of 2-3 hours. This allows us time to perform the ACTH stimulation test, which involves drawing blood, administering the injection, and then waiting for the required time before drawing a second blood sample. If any additional tests or procedures are needed, your pet may need to stay longer, and we’ll keep you updated.
4. Preparation:
• Fast your pet unless otherwise instructed.
• Complete the Recheck History Form and bring all current medications.
{Your pet’s} visit begins here!
Schedule Specialty {Appointments}
Cancellation Policy
Our goal is to provide excellent care to each patient in a timely manner. If it is necessary to cancel or reschedule an appointment, clients are required to call or leave a message at least 24 hours before their pet’s appointment time. Notification allows the practice to better utilize appointments for other patients in need of prompt medical care.
Click HERE to read the complete “no-show”, late arrival, and appointment cancellation policy.