Preparing a veterinary referral consultation

A referral consultation goes well when the specialist has the history before the animal walks in. Ask the referring vet for the referral letter, clinical records, test results and imaging ahead of the appointment, tell the owner what to bring and how to prepare the animal, and book a slot long enough for history, examination and a clear plan. Afterwards, send a report to the referring vet and a plain summary to the owner. Each of these steps can be agreed before the day.

An owner may arrive anxious and unsure what will happen. Send them a short message after booking: the address and parking, how long to plan for, whether the animal may need to stay for tests or sedation, and whether to withhold food according to your instructions. Ask them to bring medication packaging, and a urine or stool sample if you need one. Invite them to write their questions down before they come.

A referral consultation takes longer than a routine one: history, a full examination, sometimes tests on the spot, then time to explain options and costs. Set a slot length per discipline that covers this without rushing, and keep a buffer for cases that need immediate imaging. Rechecks can use shorter slots, booked separately.

A calm animal is easier to examine. Ask about temperament at booking, offer a quieter time of day for nervous animals, and let cats wait away from dogs where your premises allow it. If an animal is known to be difficult to handle, plan the examination with that in mind and discuss sedation with the owner in advance.

Some owners come for a second opinion on a diagnosis already made. Treat it as a referral: ask for the full records from the first vet, and send your report to them too, so the animal's care stays coordinated.

Owners need to understand the diagnosis, the options and what each one involves for the animal and for their budget. Give an estimate before further tests or treatment, put it in writing, and leave time for questions. A decision does not have to be made on the spot if the situation allows a few days.

Send the referring vet a report with your findings, the plan and who does what next: rechecks with you, ongoing care with them. Give the owner a written summary in plain language, with the medication schedule and the signs that should make them call. Book the recheck before the owner leaves, so the plan does not depend on them remembering to call back.

Some referrals cannot wait for the next open slot. Keep urgent cases on the phone between vets, keep some clinic time out of your published slots, and when an urgent case comes in, add a slot and book the animal into it yourself from your calendar.

On Book, each service has a name, a price and an optional description shown on your public page. Create a "Referral consultation" service for each discipline you offer, and say in the description that a referral from the animal's vet is needed and what to bring. Publish slots that repeat weekly on your clinic days. Each slot belongs to one service and sits within a single day, and with one place per slot a booked consultation no longer appears on your public page. Owners book with their name, email and phone and can add an optional note with the animal's name, species and the referring practice, which you read in your new-booking email. Book rechecks for the owner yourself from your calendar.

Durations and prices are examples, tests and imaging extra: set your own. If a consultation has to move, change it from your bookings list and tell the owner yourself, as Book does not email clients when a booking is rescheduled or cancelled. Book costs €5/month, all-inclusive: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no commitment.