Emergency Medicine/Critical Care
Our Emergency department at VCVREC knows that pets aren't like family, they are family. That is why we provide 24-hour emergency and critical care, every day of the year.
Our expert emergency team is comprised of highly trained emergency veterinarians and an expert support staff who combine their knowledge and skill to treat pets facing even the most challenging medical emergencies.
In addition to providing excellent care, we prioritize communication and collaboration between our clients, primary care veterinarians, and our in-house specialty services to ensure that each patient has a treatment plan that is best for their individual health needs.
What makes our emergency service even more unique is the close working relationship of our emergency doctors and our specialists. Our entire ER team is supported 24/7 by all specialty services for patients that require the most intensive treatment plans and nursing care. At any time, on any day or night, our emergency doctors are able to consult with one of our Criticialists, Surgeons, Internists, Cardiologists, Ophthalmologists, or Oncologists to determine the best care for your pet.
Some of the emergency conditions that we treat include but are not limited to the following:
- Animal attacks
- Bleeding
- Collapse episodes
- Diabetic crisis
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty urinating
- Heat stroke
- Hit-by-car incidents
- Ingestion of medications, poisons, or objects
- Paralysis
- Seizures
- Severe diarrhea
- Unresponsiveness
- Vomiting
At VCVREC we work in close conjunction with your family veterinarian to provide the best possible care for your pet. We will keep your veterinarian abreast of your pet's condition by way of faxes, e-mail and/or phone communication so that they are aware of his/her medical status and can help you make decisions about the ongoing care of your pet. At the time of discharge, your veterinarian will receive a copy of the discharge instructions so that they can be included in all aspects of your pet's care at VCVREC.
While appointments are not necessary to be seen by our Emergency Department, we do suggest that you or your family veterinarian call ahead so we can be prepared for your pet's arrival. This can be especially helpful when your pet is critically ill and requires life saving emergency measures such as oxygen, anti-epileptic medication and/or emergency surgery. Be prepared with the following information about your pet to facilitate admission: name, age, spay/neuter status, breed, current problem and duration of that problem, current medications and estimated time of arrival.
Just like a human emergency room, the emergency case load on any given day or night is unpredictable. Within minutes of your arriving at our ER, a nurse will triage your pet and take a brief history. After this initial evaluation, the order in which patients are seen is determined based on the seriousness of each individual pet's problem. Patients with life-threatening problems are seen immediately while more stable pets are seen in order of arrival. However, please note that we make every effort to see all patients in a timely fashion, and we will certainly provide you time frames when at all possible.
If you are unsure whether your pet's problem constitutes an emergency, please do not hesitate to call us at 610-435-1553. We are here 24 hours a day 7 days a week and a member of the VCVREC team will be happy to talk with you about your pet's situation.
We accept emergency referral or walk-in patients at any time of day.