Not every small animal emergency case requires hospitalisation, however determining which patients can be managed safely as outpatients can be challenging. When can a patient be safely managed at home? When is hospitalisation essential and when is homecare reasonable? This session will explore a practical approach to making admission decisions for common emergencies, including seizure patients, trauma cases, blocked cats, and those with haemorrhagic diarrhoea. We’ll then discuss a practical framework to balance clinical needs with pet-owner preferences and other considerations, with advice on setting realistic expectations and monitoring.

• 1.Identify key clinical parameters to decide between hospitalisation and outpatient management in emergency cases
• 2.Balance risk, cost, and patient welfare to guide decision-making and pet-owner communication
• 3.Develop patient care plans for emergencies where hospitalisation isn’t feasible due to resource limitations or contextual factors