Pet urgent care clinics sit between your regular vet and a 24-hour emergency hospital. Choosing the right one saves time and money, and in a true emergency, it can save your pet’s life. This guide explains the difference and gives you a quick decision guide.
It is part of our pet emergency guide.
The three levels of care
| Regular vet | Urgent care | Emergency hospital | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical hours | Business hours | Extended hours, evenings and weekends; usually not overnight | 24/7, including holidays |
| Treats | Routine and non-urgent problems | Urgent but not life-threatening problems | Life-threatening emergencies and critical care |
| Equipment | General diagnostics | X-ray, lab tests, fluids | Full critical care: oxygen, transfusions, surgery, intensive monitoring |
| Hospitalisation | Daytime | Rarely overnight | Yes, round-the-clock |
| Cost | Lowest | Moderate | Highest |
Go to urgent care for
- Vomiting or diarrhoea in an otherwise alert pet
- Minor wounds, cuts or bite wounds that are not bleeding heavily
- Limping but still walking
- Ear infections, eye irritation, skin infections or hotspots
- Urinary signs in female cats or dogs (not blocked male cats)
- Mild allergic reactions, such as facial swelling without breathing trouble
- Coughing or sneezing with normal breathing
Go straight to an emergency hospital for
- Breathing difficulty or blue or pale gums
- Collapse, seizures or unresponsiveness
- Bloated belly with retching
- Male cat straining to urinate
- Poisoning
- Major trauma or uncontrolled bleeding
- Heatstroke
- Difficult labour
See all pet emergency signs.
A quick decision guide
- Is your pet struggling to breathe, collapsed, bleeding heavily, poisoned or in severe pain? Emergency hospital.
- Is it urgent today but your pet is alert, breathing normally and stable? Urgent care, or a same-day slot at your regular vet.
- Can it wait 24 to 48 hours without getting worse? Book with your regular vet.
When unsure, call. Many emergency hospitals will advise you over the phone whether to come in.
Plan ahead
- Save the numbers and addresses of your nearest urgent care and 24-hour hospital.
- Check whether they treat your species, especially exotics.
- Keep vaccination records and a medication list on your phone.
Related guides
This guide is general information for pet owners and is not a substitute for an examination by a licensed veterinarian. If your pet is unwell, contact your vet.
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