Pet Advice Categories

24 Hour Care In Our Veterinary Hospital

Having your pet admitted to hospital can be a stressful experience and we understand the worry and anxiety that goes with it. After all, we are all pet owners ourselves.

We hope this will help explain what happens during an overnight stay in our small animal hospital and reassure you of the care and attention your pet will receive from our highly skilled and qualified vets and nurses.

What happens when your pet stays with us over night?

When your pet is too ill to be cared for at home our dedicated team at Avonvale Veterinary Hospital in Warwick will ensure they get the individual nursing care they need. Our team of out of hours’ vets and nurses are drawn from each of our surgeries so it is likely that you will have met them before.

Transfer to our own veterinary hospital in Warwick

Pets requiring an overnight stay in our hospital will be collected from your surgery and transported to Warwick in our dedicated ambulance.

Admission to hospital

On arrival at Warwick, the kennels nurse will settle him or her into a warm secure recovery kennel.

These kennels are designed to allow your pet to stretch out but small enough to encourage rest. They are made of easily sanitised materials and special bedding is used which is soft and cosy but wicks away any moisture.

Our Animal Care Assistant will attend to your pet’s food and water requirements and ensure your pet is taken out for toileting if he or she is able, while the Kennels Nurse will attend to your pet’s medical needs.

Between 6.30 and 7pm your vet will hand over to the Avonvale vet who is on duty that night and outline your pet’s care requirements overnight. At the same time the Kennels Nurse will brief our Night Nurse for each inpatient that evening.

All animals are checked again and settled for the night.

Individual Care Plans

An individual care plan is arranged for each case. Depending upon their condition some pets will need intensive care nursing, some will need checks and medication every hour or two, while others will require regular but less frequent observations through the night.

Evening/Night Ward Round

Between 9pm and 11pm our Avonvale Duty Vet and Night Nurse will do a full ward round, examining inpatients, reassessing their condition and checking medication. The overnight care plan is updated for each inpatient including regular checks through the night where necessary Following the evening ward round the Duty Vet will call you to update you on your pet’s progress. If you would prefer not to receive a call at this time, please let us know.

Through the Night

Rest and quiet are important for recovery so where possible clinical intervention and observations will be planned to allow your pet as much sleep as possible. Our Night nurse is on hand to nurse your pet through the night if required and our duty vet is also available for any changes in condition.

Early Morning

In the early morning the Night Nurse will check your pet, attend to their needs, administer any medication and handover to the daytime Kennels nurse at 8am.

Comprehensive notes are kept regarding your pet’s demeanour, eating and drinking habits as well as the routine medical observations.

Morning Ward Round

Between 8am and 9.30am our vets will be making their ward rounds and reviewing all the animals under their care.

The Duty Vet will have briefed them on your pet’s condition overnight and they will then contact you with a review of your pet’s progress and a plan for further treatment that day. Until the vets have completed their ward rounds the Kennels Nurse will only be able to give you information about how your pet spent the night so please be patient.

Visiting your pet in hospital

If your pet needs to remain in hospital for a further day the kennels nurse will contact you to arrange for you to visit your pet in the afternoon if you wish. The Kennels Nurse will accompany you to answer any questions you may have about your pet’s treatment.

Remember your pet will be feeling delicate and there may be other animals receiving treatment nearby so we do ask that visits be kept short and noise kept to a minimum.

Sometimes the vet may advise that a visit is not appropriate, this because your pet’s condition may be adversely affected or your pet unsettled by the excitement in seeing you. In this instance we will do our utmost to ensure that you are fully informed of your pet’s well-being.

You can be assured that our nurses and animal care assistants will be giving your pet plenty of cuddles and attention.

Collecting your pet

Arrangements will be made with you to collect your pet from your own Avonvale surgery or directly from our Warwick hospital. Your pet’s medical records are accessible from both and will have been updated with all itemised treatment.

Our nurse or vet will give you detailed advice for looking after your pet at home following their stay in hospital so it is important that the person who collects your pet will be involved in his or her ongoing care.

Hospitalisation Fees

Our Hospital and Inpatient Care Fee is applied for each 24-hour period that your pet is cared for in the recovery ward.

Any medications administered to your pet are itemised and charged separately on your pet’s record card.

A separate Night Ward Round Fee and/or Intensive Care supplement may be applied if your pet requires examination by the Duty Vet during the night or the one to one attention of a nurse throughout their stay.

We hope this leaflet has given you confidence in the level of care we will give your pet during their stay with us.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call us or speak to our nurses when you visit.

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Opening Times

  • Warwick:6 Broxell Cl, CV34 5QF Mon - Fri:
    8.30am to 6.30pm

    Sat:
    8.30am to 5pm
    T: 01926 400255
  • Southam:4 The Cobalt Centre, CV47 0FD Mon - Fri:
    8.30am to 6.30pm

    Sat:
    8.30am to 12.30pm
    T: 01926 812826
  • Kenilworth:43 Birches Lane, CV8 2AB Mon - Fri:
    8.30am to 6.30pm

    Sat:
    8.30am to 12:30pm
    T: 01926 854181
  • Wellesbourne:29 Warwick Road, CV35 9NA Mon - Fri:
    8.30am to 6.30pm

    Sat:
    Closed
    T: 01789 841072
  • Stratford:5 The Rosebird Centre, CV37 8LU Mon - Fri:
    8.30am to 6.30pm

    Sat:
    8.30am to 1pm
    T: 01789 561010
  • Cubbington:41 Rugby Rd, CV32 7HZ Mon - Wed:
    8.30am – 6.30pm

    Thur - Fri:
    8.30am – 5.00pm
    Sat:
    Closed
    T: 01926 421465
  • Heathcote:123 - 125 Heathcote Road, CV31 2LX Mon - Fri:
    8.30am to 6.30pm

    Sat:
    8.30am to 12.30pm
    T: 01926 337790