I was recently in need of an emergency veterinarian service, and didn’t know where to turn. My cat was sick and her primary vet was booked solid. They recommended that I try the new emergency vet that had just opened in June of 2022 because they had received good feedback about them.
I wanted to tell you about my experience with Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG), because it’s a fabulous resource and I don’t know if many people even know they exist.
While I went to their Shrewsbury, Massachusetts location, they have over 30 locations nationwide. Previous to this experience, our only option for emergencies was Tufts. Since my last experience with them didn’t go well, I was not rushing in their direction.
Let’s be honest, if you are bringing a beloved pet into an emergency room, you are stressed and emotions are high. You want to be seen and heard immediately. Nothing makes you feel more unseen and more unheard than sitting in a waiting room for hours.
From the moment I walked in the door of the Veterinary Emergency Group, I knew they were very different. As soon as I walked in, I was checked in and brought to a private room. There was no filling out paperwork or promising them my first born child in exchange for services. They care first and foremost about your animal.
A veterinary technician asked me about my cat’s symptoms and took some vitals. He even had a triage nurse take a quick look at her to make sure she could wait for the doctor.
The doctor came in soon after and I went over everything with her. She came up with a plan of action and worked up an estimate. I knew it would be high.
Emergency veterinarian service is expensive because they are open 24-7 and have to pay staff to be there around the clock. They also have high-tech machinery for diagnosis and carry a hefty insurance policy.
She saw me balk at the price and asked what I was thinking. I explained what I could afford and without judgement she said we would go through the treatment step by step. Her main concern was that my cat ingested something she shouldn’t have which would require surgery. X-rays would help confirm that, so that was our first step.
This is where the next big difference was. I was always allowed to stay with my pet. Even for the X-rays, I was invited to go watch through a window. Those amazing techs were even able to get the X-rays without any sedation which also blew my mind.
I can’t even tell you how different this was compared to experiences I have had with a different emergency veterinarian service. When my dog was sick, the place I brought him took him out back for what they claimed would be a three hour procedure.
I paced that parking lot for six hours wondering what was happening. There were no updates. When his biopsy was finished, the vet just went home. I never even saw him again.
He also didn’t call me with the results for almost a week even though he had the results the following day. Spoiler alert: he had cancer. That man waited a week to tell me that my best friend was dying. I was livid.
At Emergency Vet Group, they said that if your dog or cat had to stay over night and you wanted to sleep on the floor beside them, you were welcome to do that. It is just so refreshing to see these procedures changing by forward thinking people.
VEG really recognizes how important our animals are to us. They also understand that they are helping us cope with a difficult situation by caring for our animals in this way.
Even the layout of the place was like nothing I have ever seen. It was like one big open room with the doctors in the middle and treatment rooms on the perimeter. That way, nobody ever disappeared down some hallway never to return. If I had a question, I could pop my head out the door and ask someone.
Another really negative thing that happened at the other emergency veterinarian service that I used for my dog was that when I called them for anything, I got a recording with several prompts I had to go through, then I would get a receptionist who would have to transfer me to the wrong place and I would have to start the frustrating process all over again. It took 10 minutes to get a human on the phone. When I called VEG, a vet answered the phone and gave me medical advice right away. Ummmmm…. what?!? My mind was blown before I walked through the door.
I really can’t say enough about my experience. VEG not only took expert care of my cat, but they calmed my nerves while doing it. Each and every person who handled my cat was gentle and caring. The doctor took the time to sit down and explain things to me in a way that I couldn’t understand them and answered all of my questions.
My cat will see her regular vet this week for her next steps and all of the X-rays and reports have already been emailed to her doctor and to me.
If you are in need of an emergency veterinarian service, I would highly recommend the Veterinary Emergency Group. In fact, I think it’s a good idea to have their information saved in your phone. You never know when you are going to need it.
Pin for later-
