COVID-19 Contingency Plan: see http://www.theskinvet.net/home/covid-19-pandemic/
The SkinVet Dermatology Referral Detailed Protocol
1. Online Referral Form:
- Please complete referring veterinary surgeon & practice details; ideally include the individual vet’s email address in addition to telephone numbers
- Please ensure ALL case details are supplied – especially current body weight, age, reproductive status
- Please ensure ALL client details are supplied – postcode, all client phone numbers & especially their email.*
- Please attach your clinical notes as well as history from previous practices, if not registered from pup/kitten.
- Please attach any relevant In-house & external laboratory test results, especially full histopathology reports, including name of pathologist & laboratory.
2. Contact me, by phone, if necessary, 07947 711200 – note initial consultations up to 75-90 minutes, re-examinations 30 minutes, intradermal test* 120mins (incl. 15min consultation). *See drug withdrawal times below
3. I will contact client thereafter:
- I will ask them to complete the online Pet Health Submission Form
- I will arrange the appointment date & time at my nearest clinic or your practice designated site.
- Please give them one of my business cards, if available, & advise them of this website, if you think they would appreciate further information.
- Suggest the owner contacts their Insurance company to check their cover, especially for any policy exclusions as a precaution. The Insurance company will invariably not discuss cover with me.
- With pedigree, or first cross (‘designer dog’), breeds it is very helpful if the owner contacts the breeder to discover if their pet’s close relatives have developed any skin conditions.
4. Costs should be discussed at onset please:
- Payment at the time of the consultation will always be necessary,
- Initial consultation, usually 75-90 minutes, average invoice guides are almost impossible to give as there is considerable variation depending on time, tests, drug treatments etc. Consider the standard 15 minute consultation fee & multiply by six for an average consultation only fee estimate – I do not usually invoice for more time even if the case has required a longer consultation.
- In-house laboratory tests will also be added – I only usually invoice two to three tests even though I may have completed more.
- Follow-up or repeat consultations 15-30 mins, once again invoiced on time basis.
- Intradermal test (IDT) usually 120 mins., (starvation, sedation & clipping always required), and approximately double this cost if serological testing is also performed, plus ~30 minute consultation fee.
- Costs of other tests and procedures, inclusive of interpretation & advice, can be discussed.
5. Medication: please ensure whenever possible minimum starvation 12 hours (blood tests/sedation etc. may be necessary).
For IDTs:
See http://www.theskinvet.net/veterinary-surgeons/canine-atopic-dermatitis/intradermal-testing
Referral Reports:
- Dermatology summary & updates, often including photos, will be written up & e-mailed as soon as possible after consultation, almost always within 24 hours. Results of external laboratory diagnostic tests will also be added as they are emailed to me.
- On request or with complicated treatment regimens, I will provide a Summary Report to the owner.
7. Ongoing Management:
- The referring vet will usually be required to liaise with the owners directly in the long term
- The clients will be asked to contact CW as necessary. The clients will have my telephone number & email address for direct contact.
- I will contact the owners to report further test results, for updates & especially when test or treatment compliance is very important.
*The client must agree to the the transfer of their personal information as per the RCVS general data protection guidelines (March 2018).