10/21/2026
Important Updates to Weekend and After-Hours Emergency Policies
As many of you know, the equine and large animal veterinary field faces significant challenges with burnout and a declining number of practicing large animal veterinarians. I truly love my job and the opportunity to care for your animals, and I want to continue doing so for many years to come. To make that possible, I need to make some changes to my weekend and after-hours emergency policies to help maintain a sustainable practice while continuing to provide quality care to my patients.
Effective immediately, the following changes will apply to weekend and after-hours emergency services:
Emergency Farm Call Travel Fees
For emergency farm visits, travel will now be billed based on the time spent traveling rather than the previous flat travel fee added to the farm call. The standard emergency fee and farm call fee will still apply.
Farm visits will remain available when medically necessary or when transporting the animal is not feasible. The need for a farm visit will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Please note that this travel fee change applies only to emergency farm calls outside normal business hours. Farm calls during normal business hours will not be subject to this emergency travel billing policy.
After-Hours Emergency Contact
If you are unsure whether your small animal or large animal is experiencing a medical emergency, please call the after-hours number at 512-660-6885. The answering service will direct you on the appropriate next steps.
After-hours text messages will no longer be monitored. Please call the after-hours number for any emergency concerns rather than relying on a text message.
Normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Emergency Services for Current Clients Only
Moving forward, after-hours emergency services will be available only to current clients. A current client is someone whose animals receive an annual examination and appropriate core vaccinations each year. For equine patients, annual dental examinations will also be considered part of maintaining an active veterinary-client relationship. Unless your dental care is provided by Dr. More dental services you will still be considered a current client.
Unfortunately, I will no longer be able to provide after-hours emergency services for animals that are not under my regular care.
I understand that emergencies can be stressful and frightening, and I sincerely appreciate the trust you place in me to care for your animals. These changes are not easy, but they are necessary for me to continue providing thoughtful, high-quality veterinary care while maintaining a healthy and sustainable career.
Thank you for your understanding, continued support, and commitment to your animals’ health. I am grateful to be your veterinarian and look forward to continuing to care for your animals for years to come.
