Emergency Veterinary Care

After-Hours Pet Emergency Steps

If you are experiencing a veterinary emergency, follow the steps below.

• Call (705) 949-4222 Immediately - You will be redirected to Smart.Vet, or you can call our unique Smart.Vet line directly at (705) 482-9066. You will speak to an RVT, who will triage your pet. If telemedicine is recommended, they will set up a consult where prescription and recommendations are made. If the call is critical in nature, you will be directed to the on-call hospital at that time. 
• Follow Instructions Provided - After calling the operator, you will then get a call back from a Sault Ste. Marie vet on duty to assess the situation over the phone. Instructions may be provided by the emergency veterinarian to help you apply first aid or otherwise make your pet as comfortable as possible. Follow these instructions carefully. Depending on availability and urgency, care may be available immediately or in a few hours
• Remain Calm - Remain calm and be extra careful around your pet. When an animal is in pain they often react negatively towards anyone trying to help and could bite or scratch.
• Bring Your Pet In For Care - Do not put yourself at risk! Safely bring your pet to the Sault Ste. Marie veterinary clinic given to you by the on-call emergency veterinarian you spoke with previously.

Smart.Vet Virtual Support

Smart.Vet is a virtual service that triages urgent health issues affecting our patients and provides veterinary advice and emergency referrals. 

When your pet is experiencing an emergency outside of our operating hours, we recommend you call Smart.Vet.

Call: (705) 482-9066

Alternatively, you can visit their website to book an appointment with one of their vets. 

Emergency FAQs

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

• Do I need to call ahead?

  Animal Hospital aims to provide emergency and urgent veterinary care to our existing patients during our regular clinic hours when we are able.

  When possible, call us at (705) 949-4222 as soon as you can to determine whether or not we can provide care to your pet. 

  If we are closed, we advise you to call (705) 482-9066. to speak with an on-call emergency veterinarian.

• When is your clinic open?

  Our veterinarians strive to treat emergency cases when possible during our regular business hours:

  • Monday:09:00 am - 05:00 pm
  • Tuesday:09:00 am - 05:00 pm
  • Wednesday:09:00 am - 05:00 pm
  • Thursday:09:00 am - 05:00 pm
  • Friday:09:00 am - 05:00 pm
  • Saturday:Closed
  • Sunday:Closed

   

• What situations require emergency veterinary care?

  The following situations are 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 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 Sault Ste. Marie animal hospital is just like a human doctor's office—it can be unpredictable and you may have to wait. 

  We cannot predict what cases we will see and when they will arrive. If possible, call ahead to find out whether we are able to provide emergency care for your dog or cat.

  If we are unable to fit an emergency appointment into our schedule we recommend that you (705) 482-9066. .  Depending on availability and urgency, care may be available immediately or in a few hours.

Contacting Smart.Vet

Using Smart.Vet virtual services during a veterinary emergency:

• Call Smart.Vet After Hours - Outside of our hours, either call Smart.Vet using the number listed above or visit their website to book an appointment. You will be connected with an RVT who will be able to triage your pet.
• Follow Instructions Provided - After being triaged by one of Smart.Vet's on-call RVTs, you will either be connected with one of their veterinarians for urgent but non-life-threatening care or referred to an emergency hospital in our area for immediate attention.