Emergency Veterinary Care

After Hours Emergency Care

If you and your pet require urgent or emergency care after our normal business hours contact one of the following after-hours emergency animal hospital locations:

Steps to Take In A Pet Emergency

If you are going through a veterinary emergency, take the following steps: 

• Call Ahead If Possible - For care during our regular business hours call us immediately. After hours, contact the emergency animal hospital detailed above to tell them that you are coming.
• Follow Instructions Provided - When you call the emergency pet hospital letting them know you are on your way,  they might provide you with instructions to help you apply first aid or to make your pet more comfortable. Carefully follow these instructions carefully.
• Remain Calm - Remain calm and be especially careful near your pet. When animals experience pain they often respond negatively towards anyone trying to help them and may bite or scratch.
• Bring Your Pet In For Care - Don't put yourself in harm's way! Safely take your pet to our Cave Creek veterinary clinic or the after-hours emergency vet location displayed above.

Emergency FAQs

Browse our frequently asked questions below for more information about taking your pet to our clinic for an emergency appointment at Animal Health Services. 

• Do I need to call ahead?

  Animal Health Services offers emergency and urgent veterinary care for cats, dogs, and exotic animals during our usual clinic hours. We always recommend calling us in advance if you are able, but we know that in emergency situations it isn't always feasible. 

  If we can't take your pet into our schedule, we suggest that you visit one of the after-hours emergency vet locations shown above. 

• When is your clinic open?

  Our veterinarians take emergency cases during our normal business hours:

  • 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 - 05:00 pm
  • Saturday: 08:00 am - 12:00 pm
  • Sunday: Closed

   

• What situations require emergency veterinary care?

  Below are examples of situations that require immediate veterinary care:

  • Severe vomiting or diarrhea; 2+ episodes in 24-hours
  • 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
  • Refusal to drink for 24 hours or more
  • 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
  • Injuries to the eye(s)
  • Your pet has ingested something poisonous (such as antifreeze, xylitol, chocolate, rodent poison, etc.)
  • Heat stress or heatstroke
  • Unconsciousness
• How long will we have to wait to see the vet?

  Our Cave Creek animal hospital operates like a human doctor's office—it can be unpredictable and you might have to wait. 

  We aren't able to predict what cases we will see and the times they will arrive at. If you can, call us in advance to find out whether we are able to provide emergency care for your dog, cat, bird, or other exotic pet.

  If we are unable to fit an emergency appointment into our vet'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 Animal Health Services we provide overnight care for animals that require it.

  While in our care, our compassionate vets will treat your pet as if they were our own.

• What types of animals do you treat?

  Our emergency veterinarians are mostly experienced with cats and dogs however we will see other small animals and exotic pets.