Emergency Medicine

The following conditions are considered emergencies and require immediate veterinary attention:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Collapse
• White, pale, blue, or purple gums
• Altered mentation or loss of consciousness
• Actively seizing, a seizure lasting longer than 2–3 minutes, or more than one seizure within 24 hours
• Distended abdomen or bloated appearance
• Retching or unproductive vomiting
• Bloody vomit
• Profuse or bloody diarrhea
• Burns
• Severe pain
• Inability to stand or walk
• Straining to urinate
• Animal attacks, wounds, or active bleeding
• Trauma, such as being hit by a vehicle, stepped on, dropped, or falling from a balcony or bed
• Acute fractures, 1–3 days old
• Pregnant animals in active labor with more than two hours between puppies or with green vaginal discharge
• Acute traumatic luxation, or dislocation

Poisoning or overdose concerns?
Contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Hotline at:
888-426-4435.

Yes, however; if your pet is currently under the care of a veterinarian, it is best to discuss a referral with him or her. Your veterinarian can call to discuss the case with us.

If your pet is sick and requires immediate care, please do not delay seeking treatment from a veterinary clinic.

Our prices are comparable to other specialty or emergency hospitals that offer the same level of care. Estimates are based on the needs of the patient and the nature of the condition. We will provide an estimate prior to treatment, at which time a 50% deposit will be required.

An emergency veterinarian and fourth-year veterinary student will examine your pet. Since this is a teaching facility, students are involved in all aspects of patient care while under the direct supervision of veterinarians.

The ER service is staffed by board-certified specialists in emergency and critical care medicine, as well as residents and interns trained in managing urgent and complex cases. These clinicians work closely with dedicated, highly skilled ER veterinary technicians, some of whom pursue advanced certification such as the Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in Emergency and Critical Care. Together, the team provides life-saving interventions in a fast-paced, high-volume environment that requires swift decision-making and tight collaboration with other hospital services.

Wait time will vary based on the current caseload. Our emergency team will triage all incoming patients and treat the ones with the most serious, life-threatening injuries first. Our wait is often longer than at a typical veterinary hospital due to the teaching aspect for the students.

After patients are stabilized and receive appropriate treatment, they are either discharged or transferred to another service within the TAMU Small Animal Veterinary Hospital for ongoing care.