Massachusetts Veterinary Referral: Vet Care & Contact

Before you arrive

What happens at the ER?

A trained veterinary technician performs triage shortly after arrival. Patients are prioritized by medical urgency rather than arrival time. A critically unstable animal may be taken directly into treatment while a stable patient waits.

Initial emergency evaluation may include:

• Physical examination.
• Blood testing.
• Blood-pressure monitoring.
• X-rays.
• Ultrasound.
• Oxygen support.
• Pain management.
• Continuous ECG monitoring.
• Hospitalization or ICU admission when necessary.

Emergency problems Mass Vet treats

Advanced emergency capabilities

• Full CPR including defibrillation.
• Mechanical ventilation.
• Blood transfusion and transfusion medicine.
• Hemodialysis.
• Therapeutic plasma exchange.
• Emergency surgery.
• CT, MRI, ultrasound and digital X-ray.
• Continuous ECG monitoring.
• Specialty consultation with cardiology, surgery, neurology, internal medicine and other departments when available.

The hospital therefore should not be represented as charging a made-up “$150 ER fee” or another generic amount. Veterinary emergency costs vary based on triage, examination, blood testing, imaging, medications, oxygen, surgery, ICU care and hospitalization.

How to control costs during an emergency

1. Ask which treatment is needed immediately for stabilization.
2. Request the itemized estimate before non-immediate diagnostics or treatment proceed.
3. Ask what the low and high end of the estimate represents.
4. Tell the doctor if you have a strict financial limit so alternatives can be discussed where medically appropriate.
5. Ask what could generate additional charges beyond the current estimate.
6. Contact your pet insurer promptly if prior approval or claim documentation is useful.

When you arrive for a specialist appointment

Park at the hospital, bring your pet to the front desk and check in with Client Care. Staff will tell you whether an exam room is ready or whether you need to wait.

A veterinary technician typically begins the appointment by collecting a detailed history and taking the pet’s vital signs before the specialist evaluates the case.

Mass Vet is specifically structured as a referral hospital. Specialty departments work with the pet’s primary veterinarian so medical history, previous testing and follow-up plans can be shared.

Referring veterinary practices can submit referrals through Mass Vet’s electronic referral portal. The portal supports electronic referral letters, diagnostic results and radiographs, and allows the referring veterinary team to access patient information.

Outpatient ultrasound has stricter referral requirements

For stable outpatient abdominal, neck or musculoskeletal ultrasound:

• A formal referral must be received before scheduling.
• Relevant records should be sent.
• Bloodwork from the previous year should be provided.
• Mass Vet states that it does not accept a verbal referral from the client or referring veterinarian for this service.

Emergency & Critical Care team

Internal Medicine specialists

Cardiologists

Neurologists

Surgery team

Oncologists

Ophthalmologists

Diagnostic Imaging team

Anesthesia and pain management

Technology available inside the hospital

• MRI.
• CT.
• Digital radiography.
• Abdominal, cardiac, thoracic and musculoskeletal ultrasound.
• Endoscopy and video scoping.
• Cystoscopy and rhinoscopy.
• Arthroscopy.
• Laparoscopy.
• Thoracoscopy.
• Ophthalmic diode laser.
• Phacoemulsification equipment for cataract surgery.
• Operating microscope.
• Mechanical ventilation.
• Hemodialysis.
• Therapeutic plasma exchange.
• Echocardiography and ECG.
• Electromyography.
• Spinal tap/cerebrospinal fluid diagnostics.
• Veterinary compounding pharmacy.

Mass Vet’s cardiologists evaluate dogs and cats with heart murmurs, abnormal heart rhythms, coughing, fainting, breathing problems, exercise intolerance, hypertension and suspected congenital heart disease.

Cardiology testing includes

• Echocardiogram.
• Electrocardiogram (ECG).
• Holter/event monitoring.
• CT.
• Fluoroscopy.
• X-rays.
• Ultrasound.

Mass Vet states that a typical echocardiogram is noninvasive and often takes approximately 30-60 minutes. Most pets do not require general anesthesia for the scan. Results and next-step recommendations can often be discussed the same day.

Board-certified veterinary internists manage chronic or complicated illnesses that may require advanced diagnostics or coordination between multiple specialty teams.

Common areas treated

• Diabetes and other endocrine disorders.
• Thyroid disease.
• Pituitary disorders.
• Chronic vomiting or diarrhea.
• Pancreatitis.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Liver disease and liver failure.
• Kidney failure.
• Recurrent urinary infections.
• Urinary stones.
• Immune-mediated disease.
• Tick-borne, bacterial, fungal and viral disease.
• Respiratory disease.
• Nutritional and feeding-tube management.

Internal Medicine can use CT, MRI, endoscopy, fluoroscopy, X-ray, ultrasound, hemodialysis and plasma exchange when appropriate.

Neurology treats disorders of the brain, spinal cord, nerves and muscles. Mass Vet also performs advanced veterinary neurosurgery.

Conditions treated include

• Seizures and epilepsy.
• Brain tumors.
• Head trauma.
• Strokes.
• Vestibular disease.
• Encephalitis.
• Intervertebral disc disease.
• Spinal fractures.
• Paralysis.
• Degenerative myelopathy.
• Neuromuscular disease.

Neurologic diagnostics

• MRI.
• CT.
• Spinal tap.
• Myelography.
• Nerve-conduction testing.
• Muscle and nerve biopsy.

Mass Vet’s surgery service performs complex orthopedic, soft-tissue, oncologic, respiratory, abdominal and minimally invasive procedures.

Examples of procedures

• TPLO and other stifle/knee procedures.
• Medial patellar luxation surgery.
• Total hip replacement.
• Joint surgery.
• Fracture management.
• Abdominal and gastrointestinal surgery.
• Thoracic surgery.
• Respiratory surgery.
• Urogenital surgery.
• Skin and reconstructive surgery.
• Oncologic surgery.
• Neurosurgery.
• Arthroscopy.
• Laparoscopy.
• Thoracoscopy.

Surgical patients may require diagnostic imaging, blood testing, anesthesia and postoperative monitoring. Your surgeon provides the case-specific estimate and explains what is included before treatment.

The oncology department works with Surgery, Diagnostic Imaging and other specialists to diagnose, stage and treat cancer while considering the pet’s comfort and quality of life.

Cancers commonly managed

• Lymphoma.
• Osteosarcoma.
• Mast-cell tumors.
• Mammary tumors.
• Bladder tumors.
• Melanoma.
• Hemangiosarcoma.
• Soft-tissue sarcoma.

Treatment may include

• Chemotherapy.
• Targeted medication.
• Immunotherapy.
• Surgery.
• Palliative treatment.
• Pain management.

The ophthalmology team evaluates diseases of the eye and performs advanced ocular surgery.

Eye problems treated

• Cataracts.
• Glaucoma.
• Corneal ulcers.
• Dry eye.
• Uveitis.
• Cherry eye.
• Entropion.
• Distichiasis.

A specialist eye exam may include

• Fluorescein staining.
• Tear testing.
• Tonometry for eye pressure.
• Microscopic examination.
• Retinal examination.
• Ocular ultrasound when needed.
• Electroretinography when indicated.

Eye surgery

Mass Vet lists cataract surgery, corneal grafting, eyelid surgery, glaucoma procedures, dry-eye surgery and surgical repair of selected corneal ulcers.

Mass Vet has an in-house veterinary Diagnostic Imaging service staffed by board-certified radiologists and imaging residents.

Outpatient ultrasound checklist

• Pet must be stable enough for an outpatient study.
• A formal veterinary referral is required.
• Prior records should be sent.
• Relevant bloodwork from the previous year should be supplied.
• If sedation is anticipated, Mass Vet prepares an additional estimate.

Medical updates

Families can expect scheduled medical updates approximately twice daily:

The hospital also calls if there is a significant change in the patient’s condition. Mass Vet asks families to designate one person to receive medical updates and relay them to other family members.

Before admission

The medical team explains the pet’s diagnosis or working diagnosis, treatment plan and an itemized treatment estimate. Instructions may also include changes in feeding or medications.

Discharge

Mass Vet asks owners to allow up to one hour for the discharge process. Before the pet leaves, a technician or doctor reviews:

• Current medical condition.
• Discharge instructions.
• Home medication.
• Follow-up care.
• Recheck appointments.
• Remaining balance.

Owners can ask staff for help getting a recovering pet safely into the vehicle.

Important payment policy

Payment methods currently listed

• Cash.
• Personal check through TeleCheck; identification required.
• Visa.
• Mastercard.
• Discover.
• American Express.
• CareCredit, subject to approval and current program terms.
• Scratchpay, subject to approval and current program terms.

The hospital can help clients with financing application documentation such as estimates and receipts, but credit approval and repayment terms are determined by the financing company rather than Mass Vet.

CareCredit

Mass Vet’s current payment page describes CareCredit promotional financing for qualifying purchases of $200 or more, subject to CareCredit’s current terms and approval. Because financing terms change, confirm the current promotional period directly with CareCredit before relying on it.

Mass Vet encourages owners to consider pet insurance because emergency and specialty care can become expensive. Coverage varies substantially between insurers and policies.

Questions to check before buying or using a policy

• Is the deductible annual or per incident?
• What reimbursement percentage applies?
• Are there annual or lifetime limits?
• Are pre-existing conditions excluded?
• Is there a waiting period?
• Does the plan cover specialty consultations?
• Does it cover emergency hospitalization?
• Does it cover MRI, CT or surgery?
• Does the owner pay the hospital first and seek reimbursement afterward?

The hospital is located at 20 Cabot Road in Woburn. Mass Vet’s official specialist-arrival instructions tell clients to park and proceed to the front desk.

Customer parking is available at the hospital property. The official hospital site does not currently publish a parking charge, valet fee, parking-garage rate or reserved-space schedule, so this guide does not invent one.

Emergency arrival

1. Call 781-932-5802 while preparing to leave when possible.
2. Drive to 20 Cabot Road.
3. Park safely without blocking emergency access or the hospital ambulance bay.
4. Bring your pet to the entrance or alert staff immediately if your pet cannot safely be moved.
5. Follow staff instructions for triage and registration.

Specialty appointment arrival

1. Park in the customer parking area.
2. Keep dogs secured on a leash and cats inside a carrier.
3. Go to the front desk.
4. Tell Client Care which specialist or department you are scheduled to see.
5. Wait for staff to direct you to an exam room.

If you know or strongly suspect your pet ate something toxic and the pet is symptomatic, Mass Vet recommends emergency veterinary evaluation.

Bring this information if available

• Packaging, wrapper, bottle or product label.
• Approximate amount eaten.
• Approximate time of ingestion.
• Current symptoms.
• Poison-control case number if you already called a poison service.

Mass Vet’s official emergency resources list the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and Pet Poison Helpline as resources for suspected toxin exposure. Those organizations may charge their own consultation fees.

Mass Vet is designed to coordinate specialty and emergency treatment with the pet’s primary veterinarian. Referring veterinary clinics can use the hospital’s referral portal to receive referral letters, diagnostic information and radiographs electronically.

During hospitalization, Mass Vet also states that it keeps the family veterinarian informed about the patient’s condition so follow-up care can continue after discharge.

If another veterinarian needs the record

Mass Vet has an in-hospital veterinary social worker, Colleen Tata, LSW, CCM, who supports clients facing difficult diagnoses, treatment decisions, chronic illness and loss.

Social-work support includes

• Pet-loss and anticipatory-grief support.
• Caregiver support.
• Crisis intervention.
• Help processing a new diagnosis or treatment plan.
• Quality-of-life discussions.
• End-of-life decision support.
• Family discussions about patient care.

Cremation arrangements

Mass Vet works with Forget Me Not for cremation services. Private cremation pricing depends on the pet’s weight and the urn or memorial option selected. Because those prices vary, there is no responsible single cremation fee to publish for all pets.

Mass Vet’s Woburn hospital is approximately 42,000 square feet and includes: