Emergency Services

If your pet needs immediate medical care, London Regional Veterinary Emergency and Referral Hospital is here for you. We provide emergency and intensive care for the treatment of injured or critically ill pets when you need us. We are also available to provide prompt relief to your pet resulting from other mishaps or ailments that may not be life-threatening, but may cause you concern.

We understand that, when your pet needs emergency or critical care, it can be a stressful time. Rest assured knowing that our specially trained team of caring veterinarians and technical staff has extensive training and experience in emergency medicine. The hospital is equipped with advanced equipment, to enable us to deal with most emergency and intensive care treatments.

What to Expect:
If you need emergency or critical care, we recommend you call our Emergency Department, 519-432-3300.

When you visit our Emergency Department, your pet will be first assessed by a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) prior to seeing the veterinarian. Patients are triaged based on the urgency of their condition.

If your pet has to wait an extended period of time to be seen by the veterinarian, the RVT will check in with you routinely to make sure your pet is still stable. In the event your pet’s condition changes or you are concerned about his or her well being, we ask that you please inform a member of our reception team.

We endeavour to see all patients within a timely manner, however, we appreciate your patience when we have unexpected critical cases that require immediate attention from our team.

After the veterinarian has performed an initial examination of your pet, you will be presented with the most appropriate treatment options for your pet’s condition. An estimate of costs will also be reviewed before commencing treatment.

You can also count on us to partner with your family veterinarian in the event your pet requires a referral to our Emergency Department for more advanced and/or 24-hour veterinary care. If your pet requires a transfer to our facility, our Emergency Department veterinarian will work closely with your family veterinarian to obtain all the necessary medical history in advance of the transfer.

Our Open Hospital Policy:
London Regional Vet believes that the human-animal bond is very important. We encourage pet parents and their pets to stay together as much as possible when they are visiting our hospital. However, there may be times when you will be asked to leave your pet’s side, for example, during x-rays or procedures. During these times, a member of our team will ask you to stay in an exam room or reception area until you can be reunited with your pet.

Hospitalized Pets:
While the Hospital does not have set visiting hours, you are welcome to visit your pet while they are hospitalized. If you wish to visit your pet, we ask that you please schedule a visit time with a member of our team. We ask that visits are kept to 15 minute time intervals.

How Can I Avoid An Emergency Situation With My Pet?

It goes without saying that the best way to avoid an emergency is to prevent it in the first place. To reduce the chances that you will experience an emergency situation during the lifetime of your pet, consider the following tips:

Follow your veterinarian's advice regarding all relevant wellness care, including vaccinations, age appropriate health screenings, and parasite prevention.

Prevent traumatic injury by keeping pets under your control at all times. Keep cats indoors and dogs fenced. When pets venture outdoors, keep them leashed at all times. If you do allow them off leash, limit this privilege to large enclosed areas away from traffic, other potentially aggressive pets, and wildlife.

Invest the time in training your pet to obey simple commands, such as Come, Sit, Down, Stay, and No.

Never leave your pet alone or unattended in a car, even with the windows open.

Pet proof your home, removing all potential hazards from your pet's reach, much the same as you would do with an infant or toddler.

Supervise your pet as much as possible. Puppies and kittens, just like human babies, like to explore with their mouths. Supervising them during playtime can prevent their ingesting poisonous substances or choking hazards.

If your pet is coping with a chronic illness, carefully follow all of your veterinarian's recommendations regarding medication administration and check ups.

How Can I Plan For An Emergency?

Make sure you know ahead of time what your veterinarian's policy is regarding emergency care, both during regular practice hours and after hours. If your veterinarian does not have a referral relationship in place, then make sure you know the location of the closest emergency referral center for your area.

If your pet has an ongoing medical problem that could result in a sudden emergency, make sure you keep any pertinent medical records in a handy place so that you can quickly locate them and bring them with you to the emergency service or hospital in the event of a crisis.
Keep your veterinarian's phone number and any emergency phone numbers and directions next to your phone along with all other important emergency information for your family.
Know basic first aid tips for pets. Ask your veterinarian for these ahead of time during a routine wellness exam

How do I handle my injured pet?

Handle With Care

Pain, fear, and shock can make animals behave differently. When you are faced with a pet emergency, remember that even the most well trained and loving pet can behave differently when feeling ill or in pain. Also realize that even relatively small animals, such as cats or small dogs, are capable of inflicting serious bite and scratch wounds when they are disoriented and in pain. If this occurs, it is important not to take such actions personally, but to realize that it is an expression of the extreme pain or disorientation your pet may be experiencing at the time.

Approach all injured pets with caution. Despite your natural wish to comfort your ill or wounded pet, do not place your face or hands near his or her head until you can assess your pet's condition. If you feel you cannot safely manage the emergency situation, ask your veterinarian for advice on how to handle and transport your pet when you call to report the emergency. Sometimes wrapping small, injured pets in towels (taking care not to cause further injury or pain) or placing larger pets in crates or carriers for transport may be the safest option for both you and your pet.

What To Do In An Emergency?

Call your veterinarian immediately. Even if it is after hours, most veterinarians have recordings that explain how to obtain emergency help for a pet when the practice is closed.
Call your veterinarian rather than attempting to obtain advice online. Do not leave a voicemail. In an emergency, your pet needs help immediately. Keep going until you get a live person on the other end of the phone who can connect you with a veterinarian or direct you to an emergency facility.
If you are away from home, consult the yellow pages of the local phone book for the closest veterinary emergency facility.

What Type of Equipment Do Emergency and Critical Care Specialists Use?

High Tech Help

Much of the same high tech equipment that human doctors use to help critically ill humans is also available to help save injured or seriously ill pets. Emergency and Critical Care specialists are more likely to have access to the following cutting edge equipment or capabilities to help your pet recover: