Emergency Veterinary Care

At Santa Cruz Veterinary Hospital, we are here to help your pet in urgent situations. Our emergency pet hospital provides this service during our regular clinic hours.

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Steps to Take In A Pet Emergency

If your pet is experiencing a veterinary emergency and is in need of urgent care, follow the steps below.

• Call Ahead If Possible - During regular business hours call us right away. After hours, call the emergency animal hospital listed above to let them know you are on the way.
• Follow Instructions Provided - When you call to let the emergency pet hospital know you are on your way, instructions may be provided to help you apply first aid or otherwise make your pet as comfortable. Follow these instructions carefully.
• 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 our Capitola veterinary clinic or the after-hours emergency vet location above.

Emergency FAQs

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

• Do I need to call ahead?

  Santa Cruz Veterinary Hospital provides urgent veterinary care for cats and dogs during our regular clinic hours. It's always best to give us a call in advance if possible, but we understand that in emergency situations that's not always possible. 

  If we aren't able to fit your pet into our own schedule, we advise that you visit the emergency veterinary location shown above. 

• When is your clinic open?

  Our veterinarians see urgent cases during our regular business hours:

  • Monday:08:00 am - 05:00 pm
  • Tuesday:08:00 am - 05:00 pm
  • Wednesday:08:00 am - 05:00 pm
  • Thursday:08:00 am - 05:00 pm
  • Friday:08:00 am - 05:00 pm
  • Saturday:08:00 am - 05:00 pm
  • Sunday:Closed

   

• What situations require emergency veterinary care?

  The following situations are examples of emergencies that require immediate care:

  • Injuries to the eye(s)
  • Seizures and/or staggering
  • Heat stress or heatstroke
  • Severe bleeding or bleeding that doesn't stop
  • Obvious signs of pain or extreme anxiety
  • Fractured bones or severe lameness
  • Bleeding from nose, mouth, rectum, or blood in the urine
  • Inability to urinate or pass feces, or pain associated with urinating or passing feces
  • Choking, difficulty breathing, or continuous coughing/gagging
  • Severe vomiting or diarrhea; 2+ episodes in 24-hours
  • Your pet has ingested something poisonous (such as antifreeze, xylitol, chocolate, rodent poison, etc.)
  • Refusal to drink for 24 hours or more
  • Unconsciousness
• How long will we have to wait to see the vet?

  Our Capitola animal hospital is just like a human doctor's office—it can be unpredictable, and you may have to wait. 

  We aren't able to predict what cases we will see and when they will arrive during the day. If possible call ahead to discover whether or not we are able to provide urgent care for your dog or cat. 

  If we are unable to fit an emergency appointment into our vet's schedule we recommend that you visit the 24/7 animal emergency clinic detailed above. 

• What happens if my pet needs to stay in the hospital?

  Some veterinary emergencies require intensive overnight care. At Santa Cruz Veterinary Hospital we provide overnight care for animals in need.

  While in our care, our dedicated team will treat your pet as if they were our own.

• What types of animals do you treat?

  Our veterinarians are able to treat both dogs and cats in serious situations during our regular hospital hours.