Poultney Veterinary Hospital Policies

Veterinary Client Patient Relationship (VCPR)

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) exists when your veterinarian knows your pet well enough to be able to diagnose and treat any medical conditions your animal develops. A VCPR is established only when your veterinarian examines your animal in person, and it is maintained by regular veterinary visits as needed to monitor your animal’s health. According to federal law, a veterinarian cannot prescribe any medications or give any veterinary advice unless they have seen the patient within the last year.

Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) FAQ

Rabies Vaccine Policy

Rabies vaccines are required by law. All patients are required to show proof of current rabies vaccine or they will be vaccinated during their appointment.

Patient Arrival Policy

For the protection of our clients, patients and staff, your animal must be placed on a leash or in a pet carrier and properly controlled before entering the waiting room.

Appointment Policy

Poultney Veterinary Hospital operates primarily by appointment. We make every effort to see each client at their scheduled time. Emergency cases do arise, however, which can result in the occasional delayed appointment. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding when this is unavoidable.

We encourage all our clients to arrive at least 15 minutes early for scheduled appointments, if possible. We have administrative paperwork that may need to be completed, especially if you are a new client or have a new pet.

If you are not able to keep your appointment or need to reschedule, please let us know at least 24 hours in advance.

Late Arrivals

We understand that delays might happen, but we feel that it is our responsibility to service clients and patients who arrive for their appointments on time. If you are more than 15 minutes late for your scheduled appointment, you may experience a delay or be asked to reschedule.

No-Shows

If an appointment is not cancelled at least 24 hours before the appointment we may – at our discretion – apply a fee equal to HALF of the exam fee.

No-shows for surgical appointments: we usually book several weeks ahead for all surgical procedures and we allocate 1-3 hours to every patient, so no-shows waste our time AND prevent other patients from receiving timely surgeries. If you are unable to make a surgical appointment, please give AT LEAST 48 HOURS NOTICE. Surgical no-shows may, at our discretion, be charged a fee equal to HALF the estimated cost of the scheduled surgery.

Drop-offs for Emergencies

Drop-off appointments are available any weekday. Owners should call to discuss the problem and then plan to drop the pet off during the morning so we can examine them between appointments during the day.

Payment

Payment is due in full at the time that services are rendered. We accept cash, checks, credit cards, and CareCredit.

Health Certificates for Travel

Traveling with your pet requires advance planning. States, airlines and countries all have different policies and regulations regarding pets. Requirements include microchips, veterinary examinations, health certificates and acclimation certificates.

To learn more, visit these websites:

• The American Medical Veterinary Foundation has an FAQ for traveling with pets.
• The USDA website outlines regulations for traveling with pets.