Top 5 Emergency Vet In San Antonio, Texas | 2024

If your pet is experiencing a medical emergency, please call or visit your local emergency pet hospital immediately.

We dread the thought of our pets ever getting sick enough to require emergency care. Unfortunately, accidents and illnesses do occur, so our exceptional emergency care teams are here to help in your time of need.  

The best thing to remember during your pet’s medical emergency is to remain calm. The more you panic, the more you risk putting your pet through greater distress and the less you’ll be able to help them.  

What Is Emergency Care? 

Emergency veterinary care is immediate medical treatment for pets that have serious or life-threatening conditions. The goal of emergency pet care is to stabilize, diagnose, and treat pets that may require:

• Advanced care 

• Hospitalization 

• Surgery 

• Advanced diagnostics  

Doctors within the emergency department will work to diagnose the cause of a pet’s condition, provide initial treatment, and then either hospitalize the patient, transfer care to another doctor or specialist, or release home for continued treatment with their primary care veterinarian.

Ensure you are aware of your nearest emergency pet hospital. Keep the address and contact info somewhere easily accessible. Even if your pet is not currently experiencing crisis, you'll thank yourself later if a need ever arises. 

What Counts As A Pet Emergency?  

If your pet has been in the following situations or is suffering these symptoms, please seek immediate emergency care for your pet:  

• Ingested a poisonous substance  

• Hit by a vehicle or fallen from a large height  

• Experiencing seizures  

• Bleeding from the mouth, nose, ears, or anus  

• Any bleeding that has not slowed in over 5 minutes  

• Bitten by an animal   

• Choking or breathing difficulties  

• Dragging legs or inability to stand/move    

• Severe vomiting or diarrhea   

• Loss of consciousness  

• Not eating or drinking for more than 24 hours  

• Not urinating for more than 24 hours/ straining to urinate

• Difficulties while giving birth  

What To Expect When I Take My Pet To An Emergency Hospital?  

Most animal emergency care centers operate on a triage system like that of human ER’s. This medical need-driven prioritization ensures that pets in the most critical condition can be rapidly tended to.

Wait times to see a veterinarian will depend on the severity of your pet’s condition and the status of other patients requiring care.  

If the status of your pet changes while you are at the hospital waiting to be seen, please ensure you consult a member of staff.

What Is The Difference Between Emergency & Urgent Care?  

You should take your pet to an Emergency Care center when they are in a life-threatening condition and need immediate medical help. These hospitals typically have extended hours, some open through the night, to accommodate emergencies outside of regular business hours. (Please reference your local emergency pet hospital’s operating hours.)

Urgent Care centers are there to see your pet for issues that are not immediately life-threatening but cannot wait until the next available appointment with your primary care veterinarian. The operating hours for these centers can vary. Learn more about Urgent Care for Pets ➔