For Pet Owners |
|
Frequently asked questions
I'm worried about my pet's skin, ears or feet
|
if you have an unhappy dog or cat with a skin problem and wonder if David might be able to help you then you are welcome to make contact with David Godfrey Dermatology.
email janet.davidgodfreydermatology.com or message below and David's assistant Janet, will get back in touch as soon as she can. However, David can only give specific advice after seeing you and your dog or cat. This happens via a referral from your own veterinary surgeons. This is a standard, straightforward procedure. To ask for a dermatology referral to see David:
If your pet has not seen a vet before then you may want to register as a client at one of the practices that David visits and then we can arrange a consultation with him. |
What happens in the first consultation?
1. Prior to your first consultation with David
David will wish to see you (the pet's carer) and your pet during the first consultation. This first consultation is usually about 1.5 hours long.
This appointment is mostly about you and David talking, so he can fully understand the issues and circumstances and everyone all together can decide on the best options for resolving or managing the problems. Because of this it is important that he has a chance to talk to a main carer of the pet but anyone else who is involved with decision making ideally would be there. He always needs to communicate in great depth with the pet's carers and be able to answer questions. He will need to see your pet too but usually this is a relatively short part of the consultation.
Great care is taken to minimise stresses for everyone, usually this means that the pet owners and pet stay together but this is flexible according to what works best. Sometimes dogs are happiest staying in their car most of the time and being examined outside.
3. Following your first consultation
David will email you the written report detailing your pet’s treatment plan with any further instructions, information and help. You can expect to receive this report within 24-48 hours. It's really important that you understand everything in these early stages of treatment, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have any concerns once you've reviewed the information. We're here to help ensure the treatment's success. And this is also a chance to include carers who were not able to attend the consultation.
We provide email support for any additional questions or concerns and to manage the issues. There is no additional charge for this service until we meet again in person (maximum one year between meetings) or care is handed back to the referring practice.
- Your practice will make the referral to David.
- David or Janet, David's Veterinary Nurse, will contact you to book in a mutually convenient location, date and time for your first consultation. They will answer any initial questions you have.
- You will also be sent a Patient Information Form (PIF) requesting further details about your pet, the issues they have been suffering from and questions which help David understand your pet's circumstances.
- David will review your pet's clinical history and the completed PIF in preparation for seeing you both ahead of the initial consultation.
- Can my pet remain on their current vet-prescribed medication? Almost always, pets will stay on their current medication before the first consultation. David does not need patients to get worse before being seen. The patient's welfare is always the priority. Photos of skin problems can always be taken and brought to the consultation. Sometimes David can suggest new medications to provide relief before that first consultation, especially if there is any delay in meeting, and this will require the referring vets to supply these. An exception is that usually it's best not to put ear drops down ear canals or to shampoo in the day before a consultation as this helps David better see down the ears and the state of the skin.
- We have tried a food trial and are reluctant to start another. Food trials are only performed if your pet may have allergic skin disease. They are used to diagnose food related skin allergies. David will not advise another food trial as long as it has been performed adequately. Part of David's job is to judge how well such things have been done in the past and these assessments are part of the reason why the consultations are so long, giving time for everyone to decide whether such things might be useful.
David will wish to see you (the pet's carer) and your pet during the first consultation. This first consultation is usually about 1.5 hours long.
This appointment is mostly about you and David talking, so he can fully understand the issues and circumstances and everyone all together can decide on the best options for resolving or managing the problems. Because of this it is important that he has a chance to talk to a main carer of the pet but anyone else who is involved with decision making ideally would be there. He always needs to communicate in great depth with the pet's carers and be able to answer questions. He will need to see your pet too but usually this is a relatively short part of the consultation.
Great care is taken to minimise stresses for everyone, usually this means that the pet owners and pet stay together but this is flexible according to what works best. Sometimes dogs are happiest staying in their car most of the time and being examined outside.
3. Following your first consultation
David will email you the written report detailing your pet’s treatment plan with any further instructions, information and help. You can expect to receive this report within 24-48 hours. It's really important that you understand everything in these early stages of treatment, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have any concerns once you've reviewed the information. We're here to help ensure the treatment's success. And this is also a chance to include carers who were not able to attend the consultation.
We provide email support for any additional questions or concerns and to manage the issues. There is no additional charge for this service until we meet again in person (maximum one year between meetings) or care is handed back to the referring practice.
Duration of the referral
This is very variable. Some clients see David just once, and the issue is either resolved or a detailed plan is agreed upon, and your pet's care is then handed back to the referring veterinary surgeon and client to continue. Other referrals last for several months with repeated consultations to achieve ongoing control.
At the end of the referral, care for your pet's condition will be handed back to the referring veterinary surgeon i.e. your main vet. Clients can ask for this at any stage. Some patients continue under David’s care indefinitely. The commonest reason for this is for cats and dogs with lifelong allergies who often benefit from lifelong care from a veterinary dermatologist.
At the end of the referral, care for your pet's condition will be handed back to the referring veterinary surgeon i.e. your main vet. Clients can ask for this at any stage. Some patients continue under David’s care indefinitely. The commonest reason for this is for cats and dogs with lifelong allergies who often benefit from lifelong care from a veterinary dermatologist.
Appointment costs
The initial consultation cost is typically around £445, which covers a comprehensive 1.5-hour consultation with David, physical examination, some microscopy tests, and a detailed written report for you and your practice. Additional diagnostic tests or treatments will be discussed with you during the appointment and will incur extra charges.
Subsequent consultations - If further appointments are agreed, the fee is typically around £270 per consultation. This includes a 30-minute examination and a written report. Additional tests or treatments will be charged in addition.
Subsequent consultations - If further appointments are agreed, the fee is typically around £270 per consultation. This includes a 30-minute examination and a written report. Additional tests or treatments will be charged in addition.
Payment and insurance
Payments are made directly to the host veterinary practice (where you meet David). Payment is due at the time of your appointment.
The host practice is also responsible for processing any insurance claim and this will include their policies for when they accept a direct insurance claim and any fees for submitting an insurance claim. Their reception staff will be happy to explain these details at the time of consultation.
N.B. DIRECT INSURANCE CLAIMS
A direct insurance claim is when your insurers pay your bill directly to the practice rather than you paying up-front and being repaid by your insurer. If you wish to request a direct insurance claim, you must request this with the host practice in advance of your appointment date. A direct claim is at the discretion of the host practice and will incur an administration fee.
The host practice is also responsible for processing any insurance claim and this will include their policies for when they accept a direct insurance claim and any fees for submitting an insurance claim. Their reception staff will be happy to explain these details at the time of consultation.
N.B. DIRECT INSURANCE CLAIMS
A direct insurance claim is when your insurers pay your bill directly to the practice rather than you paying up-front and being repaid by your insurer. If you wish to request a direct insurance claim, you must request this with the host practice in advance of your appointment date. A direct claim is at the discretion of the host practice and will incur an administration fee.
Prescription medicines
Veterinary surgeons have to follow legal requirements when prescribing medicines to animals. They can only prescribe prescription-only medications for animals under their direct care. Thus, for ongoing conditions, your pet must be assessed by us every three months. This assessment can be via a combination of in-person pet examination and email exchanges including photos and posting samples to David. However the maximum time between in-person consultations is 12 months. The legal rules are stricter for the prescription of antimicrobials and parasite controls.
You have a choice of where you buy your pet's skin medicines from. These include from your own veterinary practice, from the clinic's host veterinary practice at the time you are seen, or from an on-line veterinary pharmacy via a written prescription provided by David.
Our written prescription charge is £30.00 for three months of all the necessary prescriptions. Written prescriptions are happily supplied on request to David (within the legal framework described above).
You have a choice of where you buy your pet's skin medicines from. These include from your own veterinary practice, from the clinic's host veterinary practice at the time you are seen, or from an on-line veterinary pharmacy via a written prescription provided by David.
Our written prescription charge is £30.00 for three months of all the necessary prescriptions. Written prescriptions are happily supplied on request to David (within the legal framework described above).
