Emergency Veterinary Services

Steps to Take in a Pet Emergency

If your pet is experiencing any concerning symptoms or behaviours, follow the steps below.

1. Call Ahead - During regular business hours, call us right away. After hours, contact the emergency animal hospital listed above to let them know you are on the way.
2. Follow Instructions Provided - When you call the emergency pet hospital, instructions may be provided to help you apply first aid or otherwise make your pet as comfortable as possible while you make your way to the animal hospital.
3. Stay Calm - Try to remain calm and be extra cautious around your pet. Pain can lead pets to react negatively towards anyone trying to help and could bite or scratch.
4. Bring Your Pet In For Care - Do not put yourself at risk when transporting your pet to your emergency vet.

Emergency FAQs

Read through our most frequently asked questions below to learn more about bringing your pet in for an emergency appointment at Picton Animal Hospital. 

• Do I need to call ahead?

  Our team at Picton Animal Hospital makes every effort to provide emergency and urgent veterinary care during our regular clinic hours. However, it is always best to contact us in advance to ensure that we can provide your animal with the care they need. 
  
  If we are unable to fit your pet into our schedule, we recommend that you visit the after-hours emergency vet location shown above. 

• When is your clinic open?

  Our regular business hours are:

  • Monday:08:00 am - 06:00 pm
  • Tuesday:08:00 am - 06:00 pm
  • Wednesday:08:00 am - 06:00 pm
  • Thursday:08:00 am - 06:00 pm
  • Friday:08:00 am - 06:00 pm
  • Saturday:Closed
  • Sunday:Closed

   

• What situations require emergency veterinary care?

  Below are some 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 the 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
• How long will we have to wait to see the vet?

  Our Picton animal hospital operates in a similar way to a human doctor's office—it can be unpredictable and you may have to wait. 

  It simply isn't possible for our team to predict what cases we will see and when they will arrive. We respectfully ask that you call ahead to find out whether we can provide emergency care for your pet.

  If we are unable to fit an emergency appointment into our veterinarian's schedule we recommend that you visit the 24/7 animal emergency hospital detailed above. 

• What happens if my pet needs to stay in the hospital?

  Some veterinary emergencies require intensive overnight care. At Picton Animal Hospital we may be able to provide overnight care for your dog or cat but if that's not possible we will help you arrange for appropriate overnight veterinary hospitalization.

  Your pet's well-being is our top priority.

• What types of animals do you treat?

  Our veterinarians are primarily experienced with cats and dogs but will see other small animals, such as birds and rodents, in serious situations. Please call ahead to find out if we can care for your sick or injured pet.