Triage

• These emergency clinics use a triage system similar to those in hospitals for humans. It enables the clinics to assess the severity of the problems and determine the order for treatment.
  
  

Considerations

• Some clinics--Cincinnati Emergency Veterinary Clinic, for example--don't allow pet owners to go back to the exam room with injured pets. The intent is to facilitate trust between the vet and animal while minimizing the number of people in an exam room.
  
  

Expert Insight

• It is best to find an emergency vet before you might need one. Program the clinic's number into your phones or put a note where you can find it easily. Add the number for Animal Poison Control to your phone as well.
  
  

Facilities

• Most emergency veterinary clinics are equipped with labs, operating rooms, X-ray machines, dark rooms to develop X-rays, a treatment area and a kennel. Clinics open only during the night usually require you to transfer your dog or cat to its regular veterinarian in the morning.
  
  

Emergencies

• It's an emergency if your dog or cat has difficulty breathing, is bleeding profusely, has been injured, experiences loss of balance, seizures, difficulty urinating or a bloated abdomen, either with or without vomiting. Take your pet to an emergency clinic, regardless of time of day.