Urgent Vet Care

Whenever a beloved pet is sick or injured, a human family is scared and worried. As the medical director of Urgent VET Care, a fast-growing practice in Cockeysville, Dr. Laura Kretchmer understands that.

That’s why communication is the most important part of the care process, she says: “Explaining to a client about how we practice medicine and patient care comes first. Our patients are not just your pet to us—they are members of your family and deserve the same respect and care you would expect while receiving medical care.”

The need for qualified health care for pets is acute, as evidenced by the high rate of growth at Urgent VET Care, which in just three years of operation has doubled its revenue and increased its employee count five-fold.

Yet this boom is also due to Kretchmer’s philosophy of managing Urgent VET Care in a way that’s similar to a human medical practice. That means a pet’s care comes with amenities now common to human medicine, such as online medical records and help with insurance. Advances in veterinary medicine and standards of care have also been remarkable in recent years.

Of course, human medicine also comes with its share of inconveniences, especially around billing. While pet insurance exists, it’s still relatively uncommon. That can create a financial burden for families, Kretchmer notes. “Costs associated with veterinary care are often directly felt out of our pockets because the industry has not caught up with human medicine spreading the financial burden across insured parties,” she says. “This is our top frustration from clients.”

The team at Urgent VET Care communicates clearly and thoroughly with families about all aspects of a patient’s care. That’s what sets the practice apart, Kretchmer says: “Our focus is on exceptional patient care through transparency and modern medical practices, while providing our clients and patients with love and compassion from the first contact to discharge.”