Emergency Veterinary Care

It's always best to contact the emergency hospital in advance if you can, but in emergency situations, that's not always possible.  

The following situations are examples of emergencies that require immediate care:

• Severe bleeding or bleeding that doesn't stop
• Obvious signs of pain or extreme anxiety
• Choking, difficulty breathing, or continuous coughing/gagging
• Fractured bones or severe lameness
• Seizures and/or staggering
• Bleeding from nose, mouth, rectum, or blood in the urine
• Inability to urinate or pass feces, or pain associated with urinating or passing feces
• Severe vomiting or diarrhea; 2+ episodes in 24-hours
• Injuries to the eye(s)
• Your pet has ingested something poisonous (such as antifreeze, xylitol, chocolate, rodent poison, etc.)
• Heat stress or heatstroke
• Refusal to drink for 24 hours or more
• Unconsciousness

Veterinary hospitals are just like human doctor's offices—they can be unpredictable and you may have to wait. 

There is no way to predict what cases the hospital will see, or how many have gotten there before you. If possible, call ahead to find out whether they are able to provide emergency care for your cat.

Some veterinary emergencies require intensive overnight care. Many emergency clinics will offer this, but the veterinarian and staff at the emergency clinic will be sure to let you know what is best for your pet.