After-Hours Emergency Care
Contact Family Pet Hospital Emergency Centre
OPEN: 24 hours
Call: (403) 320-5200
After-Hours Veterinary Emergency Care
If your pet is experiencing a health emergency outside our regular hours, please contact Family Pet Hospital.
NOTE: Calls received at our number after-hours go to an answering machine directing clients to contact Family Pet Hospital for emergency care.
What Is a Pet Emergency?
We understand that it can be challenging to know when emergency care is required for your pet. Below are some examples of situations that may require emergency veterinary care.
- Severe bleeding or bleeding that doesn't stop
- Obvious signs of pain or extreme anxiety
- Choking, difficulty breathing, or continuous coughing/gagging
- Fractured bones or severe lameness
- Seizures and/or staggering
- Bleeding from nose, mouth, rectum, or blood in the urine
- Inability to urinate or pain associated with urination
- Inability to pass feces, repeated straining, or signs of pain
- Severe vomiting or diarrhea; 2+ episodes in 24-hours
- Eye injuries
- Ingestion of something poisonous
- Heat stress or heatstroke
- Refusal to drink for 24 hours or more
- Unconsciousness
- Pet is struck by a vehicle
Emergency FAQs
For more information on veterinary emergencies and the emergency care provided at Chinook Pet Clinic please read through the answers to our most frequently asked questions below, or contact us right away.
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What substances are poisonous to pets?
The list of substances poisonous to pets is too long for us to list all, but some of the most common include:
- Antifreeze
- Human foods containing the sweetener xylitol
- Chocolate
- Rodent poison
- Human medications
- Disinfectants, detergents and bleach
- Grapes
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What are the signs that my pet has been poisoned?
If your dog or cat is displaying any symptoms or behaviours that give you cause for concern contact us immediately, or reach out to Family Pet Hospital Emergency Centre for after-hours care.
Some of the most common signs of poisoning in dogs and cats include, but are not limited to:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Drooling
- Breathing difficulties
- Seizures/twitching
- Lethargy
- Staggering
- Swelling
- Collapse
- Irregular heartbeat
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What should I do in an emergency?
If your dog or cat is experiencing any symptoms or behaviours that you are concerned about, follow the steps below.
- Call Ahead - During regular business hours call us right away. After hours, contact the emergency animal hospital listed above to let them know you are on the way.
- Follow Instructions Provided - When you call the emergency pet hospital, instructions may be provided to help you apply first aid or otherwise make your pet as comfortable as possible while you make your way to the animal hospital.
- Stay Calm - Try to remain calm and be extra cautious around your pet. Pain can lead pets to react negatively towards anyone trying to help and they could bite or scratch.
- Bring Your Pet In For Care - Do not put yourself at risk when transporting your pet to your emergency vet.
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Do I need to call ahead?
Yes, our team at Chinook Pet Clinic makes every effort to provide emergency and urgent veterinary care during our regular clinic hours. However, it is important to contact us in advance to ensure that we are able to provide your animal with the care they need.
If we are unable to provide emergency care for your dog or cat we will direct you to Family Pet Hospital Emergency Centre for care.
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When is your clinic open?
Our regular business hours are:
- Monday:07:30 am - 05:00 pm
- Tuesday:07:30 am - 05:00 pm
- Wednesday:07:30 am - 05:00 pm
- Thursday:07:30 am - 05:00 pm
- Friday:07:30 am - 05:00 pm
- Saturday:08:30 am - 12:30 pm
- Sunday:Closed
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How long will we have to wait to see the vet?
Our Lethbridge animal hospital operates in a similar way to a human doctor's office—it can be unpredictable and you may need to wait.
It simply isn't possible for our team to predict what cases we will see and when they will arrive. We respectfully ask that you call ahead to find out whether we are able to provide emergency care for your pet.
If we are unable to fit an emergency appointment into our veterinarian's schedule, we recommend that you visit Family Pet Hospital Emergency Centre, detailed above.
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What happens if my pet needs to stay in the hospital?
Some veterinary emergencies require intensive overnight care. At Chinook Pet Clinic we are unable to provide overnight care for dogs and cats.
If your pet requires overnight care we will help you arrange for appropriate overnight veterinary hospitalization at Family Pet Hospital Emergency Centre.
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What types of animals do you treat?
Our veterinarians treat domestic dogs and cats of all breeds and sizes.