Stay or go? Discharge decisions for emergency cases? (BVA Live 2025)

Not every small animal emergency case requires hospitalisation, however determining which patients can be managed safely as outpatients can be challenging. When can a patient be safely managed at home? When is hospitalisation essential and when is homecare reasonable? This session will explore a practical approach to making admission decisions for common emergencies, including seizure patients, trauma cases, blocked cats, and those with haemorrhagic diarrhoea. We’ll then discuss a practical framework to balance clinical needs with pet-owner preferences and other considerations, with advice on setting realistic expectations and monitoring.

• 1.Identify key clinical parameters to decide between hospitalisation and outpatient management in emergency cases
• 2.Balance risk, cost, and patient welfare to guide decision-making and pet-owner communication
• 3.Develop patient care plans for emergencies where hospitalisation isn’t feasible due to resource limitations or contextual factors