Internal Medicine and Critical Care Clinic Information

Appointments and Drop Offs

The doctors see patients Monday-Saturday by appointment.  You may make a specific appointment or schedule your pet to be dropped off if it is more convenient.  Drop-off appointments are only scheduled on weekdays as early as 7:15 AM.  The patient may be picked up as late as 6:30 PM. If you would like to complete the patient information prior to your appointment, please download the appropriate form(s), and complete them. You may fax them to GCVI at 713-693-1145, or bring them for the appointment. If you have never visited GCVI before, please complete one of the client patient information forms, plus either the canine or feline questionnaire.

• Canine Questionnaire
• Feline Questionnaire

If your pet is has a drop off appointment, you may save time by completing the day patient notes form prior to coming to the hospital. Please bring the completed form with your pet for the appointment.

• Day Patient Notes

Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read the forms. Download it here.

Daily Updates

If your pet has to be hospitalized, we know you are anxious to receive an update as soon as possible.  The technicians are able to give the most complete information after the doctors do rounds and the lab work has been completed.  Rounds are usually from 8-10 AM, therefore we ask that you not call before 10 AM.

Telephone Calls

Clinic telephone hours are:

Monday-Friday  8 AM to 6PM
Saturday           8 AM to 12 NOON

The doctors each receive as many as 75 telephone calls daily.  They return as many calls as possible between appointments, procedures, and emergencies.  Many calls are returned after the clinic closes.  For this reason, please leave day and evening telephone numbers, as well as pager or cellular numbers.  The doctors frequently have their trained technicians handle some calls in order to get back to you in the shortest possible time.    It is very helpful to us if we only communicate with one family member.  The Animal Emergency Clinic is unable to provide updates on GCVI patients.  Therefore, please do not call the emergency clinic to get information about your pet that is hospitalized at GCVI.

Visitation

We know and understand how difficult it is to leave your pet in the hospital.  If your pet must stay, you are welcome to call ahead and schedule a visit.  Visitation is allowed in 30 minute blocks during the following times:

Monday-Friday   10 AM to 6 PM
Saturday              9 AM to 2 PM
Sunday               No visitation*

*special arrangements may be made for critically-ill patients 

Discharges

Please call and set up a time to pick up your pet.  This will enable us to prepare medications and discharge instructions so that your wait will be minimal.  The technician will go over the discharge summary with you when you pick up your pet.  If you have further questions, the technician will relay them to the doctor.  We will do our best to keep our appointment time with you. 

Pharmacy

Although GCVI does provide medications, we do not have a full-time pharmacist on staff.  Refills are handled around emergencies, appointments, & procedures.  Therefore, please allow a minimum of 24 hrs. to refill in-house and outside pharmacy medications.  Prescriptions may be picked up during normal office hours. 

Emergencies After Hours

If your pet has an emergency during the day, we will be happy to assist you in any way we can.  Our emergency/ critical care doctors are available 8am -6 pm Monday through Friday and 8am -noon on Saturdays. If your pet has an emergency outside of these hours, please contact your regular veterinarian or the nearest emergency clinic.  If your pet is a patient here please retain your pet’s discharge summary and take it with you if your pet requires after hours emergency care.  The discharge summary will provide a synopsis of your pet’s medical problems and treatment for emergency personnel.

With Drs. Lacaze and Willms-Cook expertise and guidance, we will provide a rapid response to your emergency and critical care needs while providing exceptional and compassionate care for your clients and their pets.

With two criticalists on board we will be able to provide the intensive care needed by many patients 7 days a week starting in April. We are available to take your daytime emergency referrals in addition to accepting critically ill patients until noon on Saturdays! If you are interested in referring a case, please call (713) 693-1144.

As always, we continue to accept patients by referral only.