Veterinary Emergency Services

Are you experiencing a pet emergency on an evening, weekend, or holiday? The veterinarians and staff at the Veterinary Emergency Group are here to provide emergency care when your primary veterinarian is out of the office. While we’re open, we are always staffed with doctors who can take your call to discuss your pet’s situation with you directly. We know that when you’re having an emergency, you want to speak directly to a veterinarian, and we are proud to offer that option at our hospital. If you have questions, please call us!

Is This an Emergency?

It isn’t always easy to tell whether what your pet is experiencing is an emergency, but we’re here to help. Below are some symptoms you may observe to help you determine whether you need to come to the Veterinary Emergency Group for immediate care. We recommend that you consider the questions beside each symptom and call us immediately to discuss your pet’s situation and needs. You will be able to speak with a doctor about your pet’s issue and they will help you determine what you need to do with your pet.

Acute lameness – is your pet favoring a paw or struggling to stand or walk?
Decreased appetite – how reduced is your pet’s appetite and when did this start?
Diarrhea – how often, how bad, and for how long?
Excessive drooling – when did this start?
Head shaking – how often is this happening?
Increased thirst or urination – how noticeable is this issue and when did it start?
Intense scratching or hives – when did they appear and what does the skin look like?
Lethargy – how unusual is your pet’s behavior?
Vomiting – how frequently and under what circumstances?

If you are seeing any of these or other symptoms, please contact us right away so we can talk with you about your pet’s situation and advise you about whether you need to bring them to our hospital. We are able to provide prompt diagnostic services, including x-rays, ultrasound, lab testing, and more.

Urgent Care Categories

There are three categories of emergencies that your pet might fall under. As always, we recommend that you call us to discuss your observations. From there, we can help you determine the right course of action.

Trauma

A traumatic emergency includes injuries, such as bites, cuts, or breaks, which may have been incurred in an accident, fall, or dog fight.

Toxicities

Toxicities involve ingestion, whether of a poisonous substance, a food that is toxic to animals (food poisoning), or an object that is indigestible or stuck in the digestive tract. We often see cases where pets ingest their own medications in excess or their owner’s medications which are toxic to them. Some of these medications may include pain killers, birth control pills, heart medication, blood pressure medication, antidepressants, antianxiety medication, and more.

Complications from Chronic Diseases