Pet Emergency and Critical Care
If your pet is ever in need of emergency vet attention or you are simply worried about their health, call or bring them into one of our animal emergency centres. Our experienced team of emergency veterinarians and nurses can diagnose your pet and provide the proper care.
No appointment is necessary; please just visit us or call ahead.
Remember, our highly experienced team of vets are here for you when you need it the most – 24 hours, 7 days a week, across the country.
Equipment our emergency vets can access
The Emergency Process
What constitutes a vet emergency?
If you are ever worried or concerned about your pet, do not hesitate to contact one of our emergency centres at any time.
An emergency for your pet may include sudden illness, not eating, vomiting, heavy breathing, rapid breathing, seizures or collapse.
Accidents can also happen at any time of the day or night. Your pet could be hit by a car, sustain an injury at the park, get in a fight with another cat or dog, get bitten by a snake, suffer from tick paralysis or ingest a poison. Our emergency veterinary team is highly trained in these specific areas of emergency pet medicine.
Pets may be poisoned by chocolate, grapes, anti-inflammatory medications such as Nurofen, other human medications, illicit drugs, snail bait, rat bait, macadamia nuts or rotten food or rubbish. If you are concerned about any sudden or urgent condition, contact us or come straight to the hospital.
Conditions that may require emergency assessment and treatment include:
- Snake bite or suspected snake bite
- Sudden collapse
- Unconsciousness
- Seizures
- Difficulty breathing
- Vehicular trauma
- Ingestion of a poisonous substance
- Severe pain or lameness, including suspected fractured bones
- Severe bleeding or bleeding that lasts more than a few minutes
- Suspected over-heating or heat stroke
- Inability to urinate or defaecate
- Continued coughing, gagging or retching
- Ataxia or paralysis
- Continued vomiting or diarrhoea
- Refusal to eat or drink for more than 24-hours
- Eye injuries
- Difficulty whelping or giving birth
This is not an exhaustive list. If you are worried about your pet’s health, you should contact your local vet during business hours or our emergency service after-hours.
Please remember you don’t need a referral or appointment to attend our ARH emergency hospitals outside regular veterinarian hours. Please phone us anytime, day or night, or go directly to your closest hospital.
Our Network
Our Animal Referral & Emergency Network is the largest specialty and referral network in Australia, consisting of more than 20 sites. With more than 1,200 dedicated team members, including approximately 600 nurses and almost 400 veterinarians (including specialists and registrars), we provide exceptional care for your pets. Count on us for expert medical attention and comprehensive veterinary services.