Community Practice

The AVC Community Practice Service has a focus on primary care centered around the relationship between our clients and patients.  We provide preventative care via wellness appointments and perform elective surgical procedures such as spays, neuters and dentals. We are also here for you when your pets are experiencing an illness, and will help you navigate diagnostic and treatment options, including referral to our specialty services if necessary. Our veterinarians see pets throughout all of their life stages, and have a keen interest in providing high quality care that considers the needs of both our patients and their people.

• What is a teaching hospital?

As the teaching hospital for Atlantic Veterinary College veterinary students, our goal at the AVC-VTH is to provide exceptional veterinary care to your pet while also providing clinical teaching and instruction to our senior (final year) veterinary students, interns and residents.  Students participate in many aspects of examining and treating our patients under the immediate supervision of our licensed veterinarians and board-certified veterinary specialists.  Incorporating teaching into your pet’s appointment does take additional time, but our clinical care team do their best to provide prompt, efficient service within the hospital’s teaching environment.  As the only institution in Atlantic Canada educating doctors of veterinary medicine, teaching is essential to our hospital, however the well-being of our patients remains the highest priority for our clinical care team.

• What to expect during your appointment
  • Your clinical care team will typically include a registered veterinary technician, senior (final year) veterinary student, and a primary care clinician.  Behind the scenes, the wider hospital team will provide the highest level of care and attention to meet your pet’s needs during their stay.
  • A senior veterinary student and/or a registered veterinary technician, dedicated to your pet during their visit, will greet you and your pet upon your arrival and bring you to an examination room.
  • Your student and/or technician will discuss your pet’s condition with you, including asking questions to obtain a full medical history and performing an initial physical examination.
  • Your pet’s assessment may take some time while we perform physical examinations and discuss your pet’s symptoms and clinical history with the clinician, who will join the appointment.
  • In order to be thorough and to fully understand your pet’s needs so that we can make better recommendations, you may be asked questions that you have already discussed with your student.  Please be patient during this process and remember to ask any questions that you may have so that we can understand all of your concerns about your pet or the options discussed.
  • The clinician will discuss their findings and recommendations with you, which may include for example additional procedures or diagnostic tests.
  • Whenever possible, your pet’s needs are addressed on the same day as your appointment.  Some diagnostic tests and procedures, such as x-rays and biopsies, may not be completed on the same day as your appointment.  In which case, we will provide you with another appointment time as promptly as possible and will explain what may be required in advance of that appointment (fasting, for example).
  • We realise that your time is valuable and we make every attempt to schedule diagnostics and treatments in a timely manner.  As a hospital that treats critically ill emergency patients, we do occasionally have to postpone scheduled diagnostics or procedures.  As with human hospitals, we will always work to care for the needs of the most urgent patients first.
  • Your pet’s clinical care team will arrange a time to meet with you to review the outcomes of the diagnostic tests and procedures performed, as well as to go through any recommendations for home-care and follow-up care.

• Do I have to leave a deposit and how are payments made?
  • For wellness appointments and outpatient visits, payment will be taken after your appointment.
  • If your pet is admitted to the hospital, the clinician responsible for your pet will discuss all of the recommended diagnostics and treatments and will review with you an estimate for your pet’s care.  We understand that each pet and client is unique and we will work with you to determine the most appropriate options for your family.
  • This estimate will cover a range because some elements of your pet’s stay may vary, such as the treatment and length of hospitalization, depending on what they find and how your pet responds to treatment.
  • Before we can proceed with your pet’s diagnostic and treatment plans, you will be required to leave a deposit of 50% of the upper range of the estimate.
  • If changes are recommended to your pet’s care plan during their hospitalization, you will be provided with an updated estimate and may be asked to top-up your deposit amount.
  • The remainder of the balance will be due at the time of discharge.
• Payments:  At the Atlantic Veterinary College Teaching Hospital we accept debit cards, most major credit cards and cash.  If you have any questions about your payment options please contact our hospital for more information.
• Insurance:  Do you have pet insurance?  If so, please bring your policy details with you for your appointment.  If not, we encourage you to research pet insurance, which can help ease your financial worries for your pet’s unexpected healthcare costs.
• Financing:  The Atlantic Veterinary College Teaching Hospital works with PayBright to offer our clients low-cost financing support.  Please visit the PayBright website to learn more about what financing options may be available to you.