Specialty Referrals

Referring a Patient

When you refer a dog or cat to our practice, we start with the work that you have already done on the case. We ask that you fill out the referral form below and upload your records for that pet including laboratory and blood work, biopsy information (if applicable), radiographs and ultrasound results.

This information lays the groundwork as our specialists start to work on a more comprehensive diagnostic and treatment plan after examining a pet and conferring with that pet’s family.

Prefer to fax? CLICK HERE for our Patient Referral Form Fillable PDF

For outpatient ultrasounds, please use our  Ultrasound-only Referral Form.

CLICK HERE to find out why some diagnostics are repeated?

Why Are Some Diagnostics Repeated?

When we receive information for some patients, there are occasionally abnormalities in lab work or radiographs that warrant follow up testing to help us better diagnose what is happening in the moment.

In the case of emergency transfers, we may have to repeat diagnostics if a pet comes to VSC after you have closed for the day or before results have been received from an outside lab.

Ultrasounds

It is not uncommon for us to repeat ultrasounds. Because an ultrasound is a dynamic study, our Radiologists cannot gain a full understanding of a patient’s condition with still pictures and are only able to comment on the structures visualized by the operators.

  • Ultrasounds may need to be repeated for a variety of reasons:
  • To get better measurements of abnormalities (ie: there are liver nodules but how many, how large exactly, how deep within the liver);
  • To further assess if a patient is a surgical or endoscopy candidate (ie: is a mass close to a certain vessel to get clean margins, or if the bowel is thickened is it in an area that can be reached with a camera;
  • To future evaluate progression of a disease process;
  • To provide more definition of the condition with a higher frequency ultrasound probe (ie: if the intestines is thickened which exact layer is thickened. Often this cannot be detected with less specialized machines);
  • To gain the extra interpretation from our radiologist. There is no replacement for skills of a board-certified radiologist.