It’s night or the weekend and your vet clinic is closed. Emergency strikes, what do you do? Sometimes it’s hard to determine if your pup’s medical condition can wait until your regular vet clinic is open, or if you should hightail it to an emergency vet. Here’s when to head to the emergency vet or other urgent caregiver and how to find a 24-hour emergency vet if you don’t already have one:
With your dog injured or ill
If you suspect your dog is injured and you want to get it immediate medical care, or at the very least make sure it’s receiving the best care you can, head to the emergency vet near me clinic. Some clinics close very early on the weekends and holidays, so if you’re not sure when your regular vet is opening, call or text the emergency clinic to check in on their opening schedule.
For strays, livestock, or feral cats
Many emergency clinics only handle pets, not other animals. The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that “Vets may be inclined to recommend emergency care for feral or stray animals only when they have encountered immediate and obvious symptoms, such as if they are vomiting, hemorrhaging, congested, in pain or listless.” Generally if you have your animal in a “specific veterinary group” (which is usually code for most emergency clinics), you’ll find that most or all are also pet-only clinics.
If you find yourself in an emergency situation
If you have a “vague medical problem” and your dog or cat is seriously ill, you may need to contact a vet, whether that be an emergency veterinarian or a veterinary emergency clinic. If your dog’s health is truly in danger, it’s highly likely the emergency vet will not be able to give you a definitive diagnosis over the phone, nor will they perform surgery on a weekend. Instead, you may be directed to a specialty veterinary hospital, which can perform many of the same services as an emergency vet, with the added ability to do surgical procedures and diagnose and treat any systemic issues that the emergency clinic won’t be able to address.
If your animal is ill and could die without treatment
These circumstances might seem extreme, but having your dog life-saving treatment does not fall under the care of the aforementioned emergencies. According to PetMD, there is a subcategory of emergency care called “permanent or life-threatening illness.” This is a very serious illness that is not only life-threatening but that cannot be treated or fixed at an emergency veterinary clinic. For example, you may find that your pet has severe complications from a condition like pancreatitis or liver failure and your regular vet is unable to treat it.
What to do if you’re at the vet and the vet is not
Obviously, when you see a vet, you should be going to them. However, if you’re in a situation where you are unsure who to take your animal to, it’s important to not hesitate. You may be able to confirm with the veterinarian or facility that is available at the closest emergency clinic that the animal’s care would be provided, with 24-hour availability, by a vet who is available on a 24-hour basis. You may also be able to contact the animal’s regular veterinarian or the medical group that the regular veterinarian represents. Either way, it’s always best to confirm the status of your animal’s care.
If you’re at the ER
This situation isn’t typically what one would consider an emergency, but it’s best to confirm that your animal is being admitted to the hospital before you leave the vet. If your animal has a confirmed medical condition and is not being treated, it’s generally recommended that you contact the facility’s general vet and make sure he or she is aware that the animal is at the ER, or you can call the regular vet or animal group’s 24-hour hotline to confirm your animal is at the ER, if you think it’s appropriate to do so.
In general, it’s best not to attempt to consult your animal’s regular vet during an emergency situation unless you’re sure the emergency vet can help the animal, or if you have your own connections to the facility.
