When you bring your pet to an emergency hospital, you want help right away. That is completely understandable.

Emergency medicine works differently than routine veterinary visits. Patients are not seen in the order they arrive. They are seen based on medical urgency.

At Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn, triage is designed to protect the sickest and most unstable patients first, while ensuring every pet receives appropriate care.

Here is what that means for you and your pet.

What Is Triage?

Triage is the process of quickly assessing how critical a patient’s condition is.

When you arrive, a trained technician or nurse evaluates:

• Breathing

• Heart rate

• Level of consciousness

• Signs of shock

• Active bleeding

• Pain level

This assessment determines how urgently your pet needs to be seen by a doctor.

“Triage allows us to identify patients who need immediate life-saving intervention,” says Dr. Cecilie Brennan, DVM, Emergency & Critical Care, Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital. “It ensures that the most critical pets are treated without delay.”

Why Some Pets Go To The Hospital Treatment Area Immediately

You may notice another pet being taken into treatment before yours, even if you arrived first.

Common reasons include:

• Difficulty breathing

• Active seizures

• Collapse

• Severe trauma

• Uncontrolled bleeding

• Signs of shock

These situations require immediate stabilization. Our team moves quickly to protect airway, circulation, and organ function.

This does not mean your pet is less important. It means another pet is facing a life-threatening emergency in that moment.

What If Your Pet Is Stable?

If your pet is stable, you may experience a wait.

Stable concerns may include:

• Vomiting or diarrhea without collapse

• Lameness

• Minor wounds

• Appetite changes

• Ear discomfort

These cases still matter, but they are less likely to worsen within minutes. Our team continues monitoring while higher-acuity patients are treated.

What Influences Wait Times?

Emergency caseloads are unpredictable. Wait times can vary based on:

• Number of critical patients in treatment

• Hospitalized ICU patients requiring continuous monitoring

• Surgical emergencies

• Weather-related surges

• Holidays and peak travel weekends

Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital remains open 24 hours a day, including during snowstorms and holidays, because emergencies do not pause.

Communication During Your Visit

We understand that waiting during an emergency visit can feel stressful.

Our team will:

• Provide updates if delays occur

• Reassess your pet if their condition changes

• Keep you informed about next steps

If you feel your pet’s condition has changed while waiting, notify a team member immediately.

Dr. Scott Taylor, BVSc, DACVECC, Veterinary Criticalist at Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital, explains, “Emergency medicine is dynamic. We continually reassess patients because their condition can change quickly. Triage is an ongoing process.”

A Fair, Medically Driven System

Triage is not about efficiency. It is about safety.

Every pet is evaluated. Every pet is monitored. Every case is prioritized based on medical need.

While waiting can be difficult, this system ensures that life-threatening emergencies receive immediate care and that stable patients are treated thoughtfully and appropriately.

At Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital, our Emergency & Critical Care team is committed to delivering structured, compassionate care for pets throughout Woburn and surrounding communities.

Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital 24-Hour Emergency & Critical Care in Woburn, MA

Expert Care When It Matters Most