How to decide if you should take your pet to urgent care vs the emergency clinic…
Urgent care is best equipped to handle non-life threatening conditions and mild illness like the ones listed below.
- Skin infection, rash, abscess
- Skin growths that are infected or bleeding or bothering your pet
- Ear infections
- Coughing or sneezing pets that can still breath normally. If you pet is struggling to breath, open mouth breathing, cannot walk/stand, or the gums look blue or white, you pet should go to the ER.
- Vomiting and diarrhea or changes in appetite.
- Changes in urination – accidents in the house or urinating out of the litter box, discolored urine, smelly or sticky urine. IF your pet (especially male cats) has been trying to urinate but unable to go for more than 4 hours, this could be an emergency and you should take you pet to the ER.
- Small lacerations or bite wounds. If you pet has extensive wounds or extensive bleeding, the ER is the best place to go.
- Limping or trouble walking. IF your pet cannot walk and has a bloated belly or very heavy breathing, you should go to the ER.
- General pain.
- Torn, bleeding toenail(s).
- Ingestion of toxins or medications or illicit drugs.
- Euthanasia.
- Eyes – swelling, redness, discharge, squinting, etc.
- Tooth pain or infection.
- Swollen lymph nodes.
- Troubles with anal glans – scooting, bleeding, infection.
Urgent care closes in the evening and pets are not hospitalized at this location. If your pet’s illness requires hospitalization, you will be referred to our ER department for this level of care once your pet is stable.
If you believe your pet is experiencing something more serious, please call our emergency location. Please press 2 to be immediately connected to our emergency team.