Living Our Core Value of Respect: Guiding Families Through Difficult Decisions
If outside the area, please call your nearest emergency vet.
When a pet needs emergency or specialty care, families can find themselves making difficult decisions, often with little time to make them. For many, cost is an important part of that decision.
A recent survey we conducted found that 8 in 10 pet owners aren't financially prepared for an unexpected veterinary emergency. The findings were featured in Forbes, shining a light on just how challenging these moments can be for pet owners and veterinary teams alike.
At our hospital, we believe that talking openly about cost is an important part of providing respectful care. That means being honest about what treatment may cost, listening to each family's concerns and goals and helping them understand their options without judgment.
As Wheat Ridge emergency veterinarian Dr. Pearlman shared with Forbes, “There’s never judgement from our side of things because — at least with all of the veterinary staff that I work with here at Wheat Ridge — everyone is very understanding that money doesn’t grow on trees. And our goal is just to work with people and what they have, to do what’s best by them and their pet.”
Every family and every situation is different. Our job isn't to make assumptions about what someone can afford or what they should choose. It's to provide the medical expertise, explain the options and work together to determine what's right for the pet and the family.
We also offer several payment and financing options, including CareCredit, Scratchpay and Affirm, to give families additional flexibility when unexpected veterinary expenses arise.
Ultimately, we believe respect means meeting people where they are. Whatever the circumstances, our goal is the same: to partner with families and do what's best by them and their pets.
The information contained in the article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to take the place of the advice of a veterinarian.
