Emergency Veterinary Care

After-Hours Emergency Care

If your pet is experiencing a veterinary emergency or requires urgent care, contact one of our trusted veterinary emergency clinics below.

Steps to Take In A Pet Emergency

If you are experiencing a veterinary emergency, 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 Jacksonville 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 Pet Doctors of America. 

• Do I need to call ahead?

  Pet Doctors of America can provide urgent and emergency veterinary care for Jacksonville pets during regular office hours. It is best to call ahead if you can. We understand that in emergency situations, this may not be possible. 

  If we are unable to fit your pet into our schedule, we recommend that you visit the after-hours emergency vet location shown above. 

• When is your clinic open?

  Our veterinarians see emergency cases during our regular business hours:

  • Monday:07:00 am - 07:00 pm
  • Tuesday:07:00 am - 07:00 pm
  • Wednesday:07:00 am - 07:00 pm
  • Thursday:07:00 am - 07:00 pm
  • Friday:07:00 am - 07:00 pm
  • Saturday:08:00 am - 05:00 pm
  • Sunday:09:00 am - 05:00 pm

• What situations require emergency veterinary care?

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

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

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

  We cannot predict what cases we will see and when they will arrive. If possible, call ahead to find out whether we are able to provide emergency 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 hospital detailed above. 

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

  Some veterinary emergencies require intensive overnight care. In some instances we are able to provide overnight care for non-critical patients. For those needing more intensive care/observation, we will send the patient to one of the local emergency facilities. 

• What types of animals do you treat?

  Our emergency veterinarians are mostly experienced with cats and dogs, but will also see small mammals and reptiles.