We are available for emergency calls at all times for both equine and small animal patients.  Emergency cases shall always receive top priority, which is why occasional appointment delay or reschedule is inevitable. Please realize that we make a sincere effort to see each client on time.  

Equine Appointments:
The ambulatory practice schedules  "Farm Calls" in an area roughly bounded by route 79 on the west, route 66 and 14 to the north, and the Rhode Island border on the east.  We will also see any horse as a "haul-in" at Tangle Tree Farm in Colchester, CT.  Because of the large area of our practice, it is very helpful to schedule routine appointments well in advance when possible.

Small Animal Appointments
Salem Valley sees pets by appointment only. Waiting times should be minimal and service should be friendly and unhurried.
Our appointments generally run 20 minutes for a routine examination and doctors are scheduled to see only 1 patient per time slot. If you should think of more questions after your appointment, please do not hesitate to call us at any time.

Surgeries
If your pet is scheduled for surgery, please remember not to feed him or her after 11:00 pm the night before surgery. It is
also important that he or she does not drink water the morning of the surgery. Drop-off time for surgery patients is between
8:00-8:30 AM, and we will advise you of when your pet may go home.

Dentistry and Dentistry Referral Appointments
Dr. Robert Baratt is a Fellow of the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry in both the small animal and equine species. He has received advanced training in all aspects of veterinary dentistry and maxillofacial surgery and accepts referrals from small animal and equine veterinarians. In most cases the small animal referral appointment is made in the early morning, with plans made for leaving the cat or dog for the balance of the work day. An initial assessment is made in the exam room, but a treatment plan usually is not determined until the patient is evaluated under general anesthesia. To avoid repeated anesthesia, time is allotted to perform the desired procedure immediately following telephone contact with the client and agreement on a treatment plan. Patients generally go home the day of the procedure. The referring veterinarian and the client are mailed a detailed medical report.

Ultrasounds and Specialist Consultations
If your pet is scheduled for an ultrasound or a consultation with a specialist, we ask that you drop off your pet between 8:00
and 8:30am. Because these specialists travel to many animal hospitals in the area, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact time
that they will arrive at Salem Valley. Admitting your pet to the hospital early in the morning ensures that he or she will be
ready for the specialist when they arrive. We will call you immediately when the procedure or consult is finished, and in
the meantime we will do everything we can to make your pet's stay as comfortable and stress-free as possible.

New Clients
If you have a new pet, or are visiting us for the first time, please bring any paperwork from the breeder or any previous
vet records with you to your first appointment. Or for your convenience, we can also call your previous vet  and have all
of your records faxed over.