Pets bring joy, excitement, and a bit of unpredictability to our lives, including those inevitable emergencies that can catch us off guard.

Each year, one in three pets requires unexpected veterinary care.¹ Thankfully, most communities have emergency veterinary clinics to help ensure your pet has access to quick and capable care when they need it.

What Are Emergency Vet Clinics?

Emergency veterinary clinics are specialized veterinary hospitals open nights, weekends, and holidays — times when your regular vet may be closed. Many operate 24/7.

They are fully staffed and have specialized equipment to provide urgent medical care in critical situations, such as severe trauma, breathing difficulties, or poisoning, that can’t wait for a scheduled visit with your vet. These facilities have an emergency veterinarian. Some emergency clinics may also have access to specialists, such as cardiologists, surgeons, and internists.

An emergency veterinary clinic is very similar to a human emergency room. 

Is Your Pet in Need of Emergency Veterinary Care?

Recognizing the difference between a medical emergency and one that can wait for your vet’s regular business hours can be tricky. Here are some signs and scenarios that may require emergency veterinary care: 

• Bloated abdomen
• Choking or difficulty breathing
• Deep wounds or severe bleeding
• Excessive coughing or drooling
• Eye injuries
• Extreme pain
• Being hit by a car
• Inability to walk
• Inability to pee or poop
• Ingestion of toxic substances
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizures
• Allergic reaction 
• Severe vomiting or diarrhea, especially if blood is present
• Sudden collapse

When in doubt, call the emergency clinic and ask for guidance. 

On Your Way to the Emergency Vet Clinic

Emergency vet clinics typically do not require appointments since they handle urgent situations, but calling ahead can be very helpful. If you can do so safely, call the clinic before you arrive so they can be prepared, especially if your pet is in serious condition. 

Provide the clinic with these key pieces of information:

• Your name
• Phone number
• Pet’s name
• Pet’s approximate weight
• An explanation of what happened to your pet
• The signs your pet is showing (such as trouble breathing, unable to stand, or unresponsive)
• Estimated time of arrival

Any other details you can provide about the incident itself and what happened before and after will help inform the emergency team. 

You may be instructed to administer basic first aid or take steps to help stabilize your pet. The emergency clinic will walk you through any necessary instructions. If you’re driving or providing CPR, focus on these tasks and getting to the emergency clinic instead of trying to call ahead.

Keep safety in mind when handling your distressed pet. If they’re injured, in pain, or seizing, they may act aggressively. You may want to use a towel or a muzzle to avoid bites or contact someone to assist you.

How Long Will You Have to Wait for Emergency Veterinary Care?

Like a human ER, wait times can vary based on factors such as the number of ER clinics in the area, the number of patients being cared for, the severity of cases waiting to be seen, and other factors. Waiting from one to six hours is common. The most severe cases are seen first. 

Don’t let this impact your decision to take your pet to the emergency clinic or to call and discuss your pet’s situation with them. Better to be in the waiting room if things were to suddenly get worse than to be at home. The clinic staff can let you know if waiting isn’t necessary based on the preliminary information you provide at check-in or on the phone. 

• Pets showing the following signs are typically treated immediately: Unconscious

• Collapse
• Inability to walk
• Heatstroke
• Respiratory distress
• Severe trauma
• Seizures
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Ingestion of toxins
• Inability to urinate

What Happens at the Emergency Veterinary Clinic?

When you arrive, you will check in at the desk. If your pet requires immediate stabilization, the emergency veterinarian and staff will begin treatment and diagnostics right away. This is why calling ahead is helpful, so you can provide vital information before you arrive. 

Emergency Vet Triage 

If your pet is critical, the care team may not have time to discuss what needs to be done or the associated costs before they begin their work. While it’s a scary time, it’s essential to remain calm and be patient with the staff while they help your pet.

If your pet’s situation is less urgent, you will provide information at check-in and be asked to wait with your pet until the veterinarian is ready to assess them. 

In either case, you’ll be asked to fill out paperwork on things like your pet’s medical history and what brought you to the veterinary ER.

Treatment and Next Steps 

When the emergency veterinarian determines your pet’s condition, they will discuss the next steps necessary for care, the prognosis, associated costs, and answer any of your questions.

Depending on your pet’s condition, they may stay in the emergency clinic for further care and monitoring. If they’re able to go home, you’ll be given instructions and may be asked to follow up with your regular veterinarian or a specialist. 

You can call the emergency clinic if you have questions about after-care, your pet’s condition changes, or you want to check on your pet while they’re receiving care on-site. 

End-of-Life Support 

Emergency veterinary clinics can also offer euthanasia support if your pet unfortunately takes a turn for the worse, even if the clinic was not involved in their prior treatment. This can be a consideration if your pet is chronically ill and the time comes to humanely end their suffering overnight or on the weekend, when your veterinarian is closed. 

Preparation for Trips to the Emergency Vet Clinic 

Here are a few things you can do to prepare for emergencies that send you to the veterinary ER.

Find the closest emergency vet clinics now, before you need them. Save the phone number and address in your cell phone, under a name that you’ll remember under pressure, like “ER VET.” Keep this information close to your land line as well, if you have one. 

Know the shortest routes to each of the emergency clinics on your list.

Have important documents in one secure location for easy access. 

• Contact information for your regular veterinarian
• Medical records, including a summary of medical issues, allergies, vaccine history, current medications, and supplements
• Pet insurance information, if you’ve purchased it

A visit to the emergency vet clinic isn’t a trip any pet owner wants to make, but it’s important to be prepared in case the time comes.