At HRVSS, we believe that everything we do is built on trust, communication, and a relentless commitment to patient well-being.

We’ve distilled our philosophy into 10 core principles, 10 non-negotiables, 10 guiding principles – our 10 commitments.

Our goal is to ensure seamless referrals, and ensure the best possible patient care and customer experience, from initial consultation to full recovery.

This is how we do it:

1. Easy Referrals

Our referral process is easy.

Ask a nurse to fill in our referral form.

You can attach relevant medical records, lab work, X-rays to the same referral form.

If a mass is involved, pictures are highly appreciated.

You are welcome to call or email to consult with a surgeon.

2. Ultimate Pain Management

Our multi-modal approach to pain management ensures that patients are as comfortable as possible before, during, and after their procedure.

Our mantra is “every patient gets a block”.

In reality, most get 2: a local block preop, and Nocita at the end of the procedure.

For example, a TPLO patient gets 12 pain management modalities, including NSAIDs, opioids, NMDA blockers, gabapentin, and several local blocks to ensure at least 72 hours of pain-free, stress-free recovery.

Go home medications are often dispensed for 3-4 weeks.

3. Low-Stress Handling

We’ve built a culture that values peaceful hospitalization and recovery, as well as a Fear-Free or low-stress experience for every patient.

We will ask you to kindly dispense Pre-Visit Pharmaceuticals (PVPs) – typically gabapentin, trazodone and Cerenia – to help reduce fear, anxiety and stress for the patient.

4. Tailored Anesthesia Protocols

Each anesthetic protocol is individualized based on the patient’s specific health status and procedure, ensuring the safest possible outcome.

5. Continuous Communication

We are committed to maintaining open lines of communication with both you and the pet owner throughout the patient’s surgical journey.

For you, this always includes an email with the surgery report, exam notes, communication notes, discharge instructions and a referral letter.

For clients, this includes multiple phone calls, emails and text messages before and after surgery.

We provide clear discharge instructions and a medication schedule to each client.

6. Eating Well With Normal Mentation

We believe that a pet’s comfort and well-being are paramount.

Our tailored anesthesia protocols support our goal to send patients home who are bright, ambulatory and eating.

Our overnight nurse takes pride in ensuring that each patient eats before morning rounds.

7. Cutting-Edge Techniques

We’re committed to staying on the forefront of veterinary surgery and using evidence-based techniques.

Our surgeons attend several surgery conferences each year to offer the latest techniques and provide the best possible outcomes.

The latest modalities include therapeutic intra-articular injections for OA patients and ultrasound-guided nerve blocks.

8. Dedicated Surgical Team

Our team consists of highly trained and compassionate professionals, from our board-certified surgeons to our beloved nurses.

Each patient benefits from a dedicated anesthesia nurse, a recovery nurse, and an overnight nurse.

Our surgeons and nurses work closely together to ensure every patient receives excellent care.

9. A Commitment to Cooperation

We view ourselves as an extension of your practice.

We work with you to create a respectful and cooperative care plan that serves the best interests of your patients and clients.

We will always refer patients back to you.

10. Compassionate Care

Above all, we treat every patient as if they were our own.

Our nurses routinely hug and kiss patients. They hand feed them. They spoil them. They give them treats. They love them.

We take your trust very seriously, and we strive to honor that trust with integrity, ethics, and transparency.

We are obsessed with successful outcomes, which includes a happy client, a happy patient, and a happy referring veterinarian.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss a patient or schedule a tour of our practice.

Phil Zeltzman DVM, DACVS, CVJ, Fear free certified

Pete Baia DVM, MS, DACVS