24/7 Emergency Vet Care
What To Do In An Emergency
Knowing what to expect when visiting our hospital during an emergency can help make the process easier for you and your pet. If you suspect that your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call ASPCA first.
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Step 1: Call Ahead If You Can
We understand that in an emergency, you may be unable to call us in advance, but it is beneficial to our team and your pet if you do.
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Step 2: Get to our Emergency Department right away.
Upon your arrival, you will be directed to a seat or treatment area. Your pet will be triaged by one of our team members before a full examination is performed by a veterinarian.
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Step 3: Assessment & Treatment Planning
Once your pet's assessment has been completed, our highly trained veterinarians will develop a treatment plan so your pet will receive the best possible treatment.
We will keep your primary care veterinarian updated with your pet's medical history to ensure seamless, integrated care that meets your pet's needs.
Payment & Financing
We never want a pet to go without life-saving treatment due to financial constraints. At Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson we'll help you navigate our options for payment and financing so you can focus on getting your pet the care they need.
ASPCA Poison Control
The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) is your best resource for any animal poison-related emergency, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you suspect that your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call ASPCA first.
The ASPCA's poison control experts have resources on hand to evaluate your pet's symptoms and direct you for the appropriate treatment. They will also provide you with a case number to give to your veterinarian. This helps streamline the process when your pet is receiving treatment.
Meet Our Emergency Veterinarians
Our emergency veterinarians are available 7 days a week to help ensure that any dog or cat experiencing emergency medical issues receives the care they need.
Collectively, our team of veterinarians has decades of experience in emergency medicine and will be here whenever your pet needs them.
Animal Emergency FAQs
Animals in situations that require immediate attention or that could potentially be life-threatening should receive emergency veterinary care. You do not require an appointment for an Emergency.
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What is considered an emergency?
The following situations are considered emergencies, and will need immediate care. If your pet has had an accident or is experiencing any of these symptoms, bring them to our hospital straight away.
- Obvious signs of pain or extreme anxiety
- Severe bleeding or bleeding that doesn't stop
- Seizures and/or staggering
- Choking, difficulty breathing or continuous coughing/gagging
- Bleeding from nose, mouth, rectum, or blood in urine
- Inability to urinate or pass feces, or pain associated with urinating or passing feces
- Injuries to the eye(s)
- You know or suspect your pet has ingested something poisonous (such as antifreeze, xylitol, chocolate, rodent poison, etc.)
- Heat stress or heatstroke
- Fractured bones, severe lameness or inability to move leg(s)
- Severe vomiting or diarrhea; more than two episodes in 24-hours
- Unconsciousness
- Refusal to drink for 24 hours or more
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What emergency services do you offer?
Our emergency clinic offers state-of-the-art emergency care for your four-legged family members and is equipped to provide hospitalization, specialized diagnostics, and complete surgical services. Specifically, this can include:
- Overnight monitoring, critical and intensive care
- Advanced patient monitoring and therapeutics (telemetry, oxygen and ventilator therapy) for emergency and critical care
- Canine and Feline blood and plasma transfusions
- In-house laboratory diagnostics, which give us immediate blood test results
- Complete and advanced medical imaging (X-ray, ultrasound, CT)
- Orthopedic and soft tissue surgery
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How is an emergency hospital different from my primary care veterinarian's hospital?
Unlike your family veterinarian, we provide only emergency and specialty care, and do not offer any routine or preventative care such as vaccinations, annual exams, etc.
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Do I need to call ahead?
It is always best to call us ahead if you can, but we understand that in emergency situations, this is not always possible.
Please do not hesitate to bring your pet to our clinic for immediate attention if the situation does not allow time for you to call.
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When is your emergency clinic open?
We are open 7 days a week for 365 days a year to handle unexpected illness, injury and trauma.
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What is triage? How long will we need to wait to see a vet?
A veterinary emergency hospital is just like a human emergency department—it can be unpredictable. At all medical facilities, the most seriously wounded or most ill patients are treated first. This is known as "triage".
Sometimes, the most seriously ill patients don't appear that way to the untrained eye. Pets may have severe organ dysfunction, internal damage or heart problems. This triage process may not be convenient, but this is the way we must function in order to fulfill our obligation to your pet, you and your family veterinarian.
Cases will be prioritized based on medical need. You'll find a comfortable area for waiting and we will do our best to keep you updated regarding wait times and your pet's status.
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Will you keep in touch with our primary care veterinarian?
Yes, we will update your primary care veterinarian with your pet’s medical history and files to ensure seamless, integrated care.