Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care

Small Animal Emergencies: 540-231-4621

We are available for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including weekends and holidays. 

Led by a board-certified ECC specialist, the small animal Emergency and Critical Care (ECC) Service is supported by many dedicated emergency clinicians and licensed veterinary technicians. We understand how scary it can be when a beloved pet suddenly becomes sick or injured, and our team is ready to help you and your pet through the crisis.

We are prepared to manage dog and cat emergencies of all kinds, and our intensive care unit is prepared to handle the needs of your pet around-the-clock. If you or your veterinarian feel that your pet is experiencing an emergency situation, please call us 540-231-4621, and someone will assist you.

Sometimes, our pets may show us signs at home that suggest an emergency visit to the hospital is warranted; other times, our pets may seem okay, but they have been exposed to a potentially dangerous situation, such as difficulty breathing, weakness or collapse, loss of consciousness (fainting), seizures, vomiting and loss of appetite, difficulty urinating, experiencing trauma (e.g, being hit by a car or attacked by another animal), ingestion of a toxic substance, encounter with a venomous animal, and more.

Intensive care unit

The Small Animal Intensive Care Unit (ICU) provides 24-hour care to critical patients that may be medical or surgical cases referred by private practitioners, or local animals with emergency illnesses or trauma. Patients may be placed in ICU for a range of treatments, from as simple as requiring eye drops every hour to as critical as requiring minute-to-minute observation. Extensive monitoring equipment and life-support measures, such as IV fluids, heart monitors, and ventilators, assist clinicians caring for these patients.

Emergency fees

The emergency exam fee includes examination of your pet, review of available medical records and discussion of our assessment of your pet’s condition with you.  We will then put together an estimate for any additional diagnostics or treatments that we recommend.

Veterinary students

Because we are a veterinary teaching hospital, our students are an integral part of our emergency team. In nearly every case, one or more students will be involved in the care of your pet. Under the direct supervision of our clinicians, students will aid in the assessment of your pet and the communication of our findings with you.

Emergency and Critical Care personnel