Clients may be allowed to visit their pets subject to the approval of the attending clinician.
Clients are expected to make arrangements for visitation in advance and to schedule visitation during regular clinic hours:
Visits with pets will take place in open SA exam rooms or other available secure areas (such as G303). Appointments for visitation should be made with the client so all are aware of the expected time of arrival. Clients normally will not be allowed in ICU, isolation, or the patient wards. Suggested length of a visit is no more than 60 minutes at a time with twice a day being the maximum allowed. Shorter times may be appropriate due to health status of the patient. The clinician on the case will determine this.
Exceptions may be granted only at the discretion of the attending clinician.
If the patient's condition prevents it from being moved from ICU, approval of visitation in ICU is at the discretion of both the attending clinician and the ICU Supervisor or ICU nurse on duty if the Supervisor is not available. The client must be accompanied at all times by the attending clinician or student. Children are not allowed in ICU. The suggested time limit for a visit in ICU is no more than 5-10 minutes/day.
If visitation is requested, the pets will be brought to an exam room where the owner can then spend time with them. Clients are not allowed in the wards or the treatment room/procedure rooms of the Purdue University Small Animal Hospital for the safety of both the people and the hospitalized animals.
It is rare that a client is allowed in the isolation area to visit with their animal. To have that happen, the senior clinician working with that animal must approve the request. The visit must be kept very short (5-10 minutes). Visits cannot be scheduled daily. The client must be accompanied at all times by the attending clinician or student.
The length of visit is at the discretion of the clinician, but should be no longer than times suggested above. Shorter times may be appropriate due to the health status of the patient.
Clients/owners/agents are not allowed in the induction/recovery areas of the Small Animal Hospital. They are also not allowed in the surgical areas. This is for the safety of the person and the patient, liability issues for the Hospital, and sterility issues for the surgical areas.
