The field of veterinary medicine has grown exponentially in the last decade, especially since the pandemic. And navigating the continuum of care when your pet isn’t feeling well can be overwhelming for new and more experienced pet owners, alike.
Two essential types of veterinary care are primary care veterinary medicine and urgent care veterinary medicine. While both are critical for maintaining your pet’s health, they serve different purposes. Here’s a closer look at the differences between the two.
Primary care veterinary medicine is akin to your family doctor. A visit to your primary care vet involves regular, routine care aimed at maintaining your pet’s overall health and preventing disease. Primary care veterinarians provide comprehensive care for pets throughout their lives, from puppy or kitten hood to their senior years.
Urgent care veterinary medicine, like the care you receive at any Veterinary Urgent Care Center’s six urgent care hospitals, focuses on providing immediate medical attention for non-life-threatening conditions that require prompt treatment. It bridges the gap between regular veterinary office hours and emergency veterinary services, offering extended hours to accommodate urgent but not critical situations.
Some of the key differences between the two are that in primary care you will have a scheduled, routine visit focused on preventative care and managing your pet’s long-term health. While urgent care will be for those unscheduled appointments or for the times when your PCP vet can’t squeeze you in for a few days or weeks at a time.
For example, say your dog has an ear infection and while not life-threatening by any means, it requires you to see a veterinarian because your dog is in pain. Now you can call your PCP veterinarian and see if she or he can fit you in. Or you can visit an urgent care facility that takes walk-ins on the daily. An urgent care hospital may have scheduled appointments for non-emergent illnesses, but the option to get seen as a walk-in is very high and likely that you will be able to get the immediate care and comfort that your pet needs to get past this ear infection. Then you can go to your general practice veterinarian and see if it’s a longer-term issue that needs a solution for your pet.
There is no style of veterinary care that is better than the other. While they serve different purposes, the main goal is to make sure your pet is getting healthy and feeling their best. Understanding when and where to seek the appropriate care can make a significant difference in your pet’s health and your peace of mind.
If your pet is not feeling well and needs to see a veterinarian today in Massachusetts and Rhode Island then Veterinary Urgent Care Center can be an option! VUCC is open 7 days a week and has locations in Braintree, Plymouth, Easton, Saugus, Dedham and East Providence, RI. Book online or view our hours before you walk-in at veturgentcare.com