What to Expect

Coming to a specialist hospital can be a stressful experience, especially if your pet is unwell or has been involved in an accident. Here's what you can expect when you visit MASH, whether it's an emergency presentation or a referral appointment.

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Emergency Presentations

Our emergency department operates much like a hospital A&E for people. There are no appointments — patients are seen as they arrive and assessed by one of our triage nurses.

Importantly, patients are then seen in order of medical urgency, not in the order they arrive. This means that if your pet has a non-life-threatening condition, you may need to wait while more critical patients are attended to first — just as you would expect in a human emergency department. Conversely, if your pet is seriously unwell or unstable, they'll be seen immediately.

We understand waiting can be difficult, especially when you're worried about your pet. Please know that our team is always working to see every patient as quickly as possible, and our priority is making sure that those who need urgent care receive it without delay.

If Your Pet Is Admitted To Hospital

If your pet needs to stay with us, you can expect to be updated on your pet's condition at least twice a day. If your pet's condition is changing quickly, or there are important developments to discuss, we'll be in touch more frequently.

Expect updates at least twice a day.

Referral Appointments

If your pet has been referred to one of our specialist teams, you'll be given an appointment time and seen by the specialist clinician you've been referred to.

Costs, Consent & Decision-Making

Throughout your pet's care, we aim to keep you informed and involved every step of the way.

Before any treatment is provided, we'll discuss the estimated costs with you and seek your consent. This isn't a one-off conversation — as your pet's case progresses and treatment plans evolve, we'll keep you updated on costs as part of our regular communication, so you remain in control of the decisions being made for your pet.
If your pet is staying in hospital, you may also be sent additional consent forms or progress payment requests as their treatment continues.

We always recommend what we believe is medically the best option for your pet. At the same time, we understand that every family's circumstances are different, and the ideal treatment plan isn't always feasible for everyone. If this is the case, please talk to us — we will work with you to find the best possible path forward for your pet within your circumstances. Helping your pet, in whatever way we can, is what matters most to us.

Discharge & Going Home

When your pet is ready to go home, you'll be given a discharge appointment with one of our team members, where we'll talk you through how your pet is doing, any medications or care needed at home, and any follow-up appointments required.

You'll also receive written discharge notes that document this information. This way you have everything you need on hand to refer to once you're home.

We know that visiting a specialist or emergency hospital isn't something most pet owners plan for.

Our goal is to make the experience as smooth, transparent, and supportive as possible — for both you and your pet.