Help us fight disease and injury in animals

Referring a patient to the AHT

Information for owners

How can I arrange an appointment?

If your pet has a problem that requires a specialist opinion or treatment, your primary veterinarian may choose to refer you and your pet to the Animal Health Trust. Your vet will make an appointment, and our Receptionists will send you a letter to confirm the appointment date, and provide you with a map and other relevant information. Your vet will write a letter summarising your pet's problems with copies of any relevant blood tests or x-rays; these will be sent in advance, or given to you to bring with you to the appointment.

Please note that clients are not able to make appointments at the clinic themselves. Appointments can only be made by your primary veterinarian.

What will happen on the day of my appointment?

You will receive a letter confirming your appointment with a map and directions, this can also be downloaded here. Please note that traffic on the A14 can be very bad during peak times and allow for this in your plans. Traffic may also be bad in the area on Racing Days in Newmarket. Please call to let us know if you will be delayed as we may be able to rearrange our schedule.

Your confirmation letter will indicate if your pet needs to be starved that morning. This is suggested for many cases where further investigations may be performed.

Your appointment will normally last 30-60 minutes. Your pet may be then admitted and hospitalised, or kept in for the rest of the day, to allow investigations to be performed.

We have a coffee shop that serves food in our Visitors Centre which is normally open from 10:00-15:00 5 days a week. Newmarket is less than 4 miles away, and Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds are also within easy reach.

What happens if my pet is hospitalised?

Some patients will be admitted to the hospital for further tests or for surgery. The clinician in charge of your pet will discuss how long the hospital stay will be, and will make arrangements for contacting you regularly. If your pet requires a special diet, please bring a sufficient quantity for 3 days, or longer if needed. We ask that only one blanket and one toy are left with each pet. We also ask that you keep your collar and lead, or cat-basket with you; space is limited and it is easy to lose items in a busy hospital.

As you might expect, our veterinarians are very busy with patient care. When you call to check on your pet's status, please bear with us if you cannot immediately reach the veterinarian in charge of your pet's case. He/she will return your call as soon as possible. If you wish to visit your hospitalised pet, this must be arranged by the veterinarian in charge of the case.

If your pet is discharged outside normal hours (i.e. 9am-5pm Mon-Fri), you will be asked to arrange a specific time for collection to ensure the relevant clinician or nurse is free to discharge your pet to you.

Costs

Although our basic charges are similar to primary veterinarians, the extra time, tests, equipment and number of people involved with each pet's treatment adds up to a significantly larger cost. The veterinary medical needs of each patient vary widely, according to their problems. Please discuss the estimated cost of your pet's medical treatment with the veterinarian in charge of the case when your pet is admitted. You should be aware, however, that it is not possible for our veterinarians to determine the exact cost of diagnosing and treating your pet's problems. Since no two pet's problems or responses are identical, the numbers and kinds of tests and treatments required can seldom be precisely predicted at the time of admission.

Full payment is required at the time of discharge. We accept VISA, Mastercard, American Express, Switch, personal cheques and cash. If your pet is insured, we may be able to claim directly from your insurance company. Please note that direct payment is NOT automatic for all insurance companies; our receptionists will be able to tell you whether your insurance company will provide this service.

If the cost of your pet's treatment will exceed the original estimate, it is our policy to notify you as soon as possible. You should also note that we may not be aware of all charges at the time of discharge. You may be billed by mail for 'supplemental' charges.

If your pet is being collected outside normal hours (i.e. 9-5pm Mon-Fri), you will be asked to contact our reception staff to arrange payment prior to discharge.