Emergency Veterinary listings?
 

I know that the whole concept of this site is that if it's an emergency, take the animal to an emergency vet. I also happen to know which ones exist in my own city, but I've lived here my whole life and worked in the animal care field for 3 years. But some people might not know. For some who are new to having pets or new to the location they're in, a listing of the emergency vet clinics in some major cities would probably be useful. If people from each city submit them, it'd save time for moderators.

Can something like this be done? Is it even a realistic idea?

Melissa

I think it would be best to tell people who adopt pets to ask their vets for the animal hospital in their area and take note.I have 2 phone numbers to reach emergency animal clinic in my area and another emergency phone number.I think people should be prepare and know these things BEFORE something happens.

Dogmelissa,don't take this the wrong way.I just wish people would be prepare in case of an emergency.

I think it's a great idea. There's no harm in having emergency vets' numbers in an extra place... I don't know if you'd have to ask permission from the vets though, or if posting them on here would be sort of vouching for their services too, even if none of us really can....:shrug:

Prin you make an excellant point about it seeming like we're vouching for that particular vet. I originally thought it was a good idea, but could see problems arising with it. Besides, in all my experiences, most vet clinics have a recording that gives you an emerg clinic number to call in case of emergencies after hours.

What might be a good idea, is to have a sticky with what to do in [B]certain emergencies while waiting for a call back from the clinic[/B]. Things like, if your dog has ingested certain poisons, a list of which ones to induce vomiting and which ones not to, or what to do if your pet is hit by a car (cover with blanket, prevent shock) etc. or what to do if they've suffered a serious wound with serious bleeding etc. Things like how to do CPR on a dog, or what to do if your dog has something lodged in his throat.

There would have to be a stern warning these would only be temporary measures, emergency actions taken in life threatening times,, and to be taken before/while transporting your pet to the vet or waiting for the emergency call back.

I think the list would be too cumbersome. Members are from all over Canada and the US and we have the odd international visitor/member. I am also very cautious about giving ANY emergency intervention advice for liability reasons as the US (sorry folks, calls it as I sees it) and Canada to some extent, is becoming increasingly and ridiculously litigious. It might be worthwhile to consider a sticky which has a "Checklist for the New Animal Owner" to includes things like " Make a list of Important and Emergency Numbers and keep it in a highly visible location. NUmbers to include would be...".

I was lucky when I needed one in a life or death situation, that my vet gives out the number on his after hours answering machine or I would have never known where to go. My last dog bloated on his way home from the cottage, and I ran him straight to the emerg vet never even came home with him.

I can understand all perspectives here, and I want to address what my intentions were in relation to them:

To Frenchy: I agree that all people who have pets should be prepared for emergencies, but in situations where they've just gotten their first pet or perhaps just moved to a new city, they're not going to be thinking about the emergency situations. Especially for those who are first time pet parents, everything is so exciting, thinking about things going wrong is the *last* thing on their mind. And not all people adopt their animals from a shelter where staff often include emergency numbers in their packages. I personally know first-time dog owners who's puppy is coming from out-of-province; should that breeder be expected to give emergency numbers to the new puppy family? What about if you were visiting somewhere with your pet, and didn't plan on getting a vet there, cause you were only going to be there 2 weeks? How would you know about emergency vets then?

To Prin & Shannon: I understand what you're saying, but I'm not suggesting that you say "Dr Smith", just refer to the name of the emergency clinic. It might be different in small towns, but in Calgary, home of over 1 million ppl, the 3 emergency clinics (and every vet clinic I can think of) aren't named for one vet who is there, but called something like the community they're in or what they do, like "McLeod Trail Animal Hospital". I don't think we want to go as far as listing which specific veterinarians to go to, but just a listing of the 24 hr [B]emergency[/B] clinics and their addresses and phone numbers, so in case of an emergency, people know what number to call and where to go. Not all vet clinics have messages on their answering machines saying where to phone, and if they do, it's not always the only option. I drive all the way across town to see the veterinarian that I chose for my pets, but in case of an emergency, I'm going to find the closest clinic. I won't be leaving messages and waiting for *my* vet to call me back, I'm going to pack up my pet, and go to the nearest open clinic. If you have a dog that's too big to carry, or don't have a car, more options would be nice because some emergency clinics offer pet ambulance service, but it may not be the clinic that's closest to you or your vet.

I have lots of reasons for this; all those above (visiting, new city, 1st time pet parent), but also because in big cities, people move to new areas. I moved from the far north of this city, to a city 30km north--which didn't have an emerg clinic--to the south end of this city. When I lived in the far north, and the city to the north, I knew where to take my pets. But now that I'm in the south, and when my cat needed an emerg vet yesterday, the only one I knew of was all the way across the city. Now that I've had time to look, I found out that one other clinic I thought of has moved (new phone, new address), there's a clinic I thought was for cancer and specialized treatment which is actually an emergency clinic, and there are 2 other 24 hr clinics that I didn't even know of! If there's people from each city inputting these lists, and keeping them up to date, there could be animals that are saved across North America, not just Canada. Thankfully for me, I didn't have an extreme emergency with Aubrie, just something that couldn't wait until today, and I had time to spend fighting the phone books to find what I needed.

Here's my list for Calgary, Alberta (note that some clinics also operate "normal" vet clinics, and these are noted, so that animals can have primary care there, be followed up with the same vet, and can accomodate shift working parents). This list is in Alphabetical, not by area of city nor recommendation:

Animal Care Emergency
1635 17 Avenue SW
Phone: 770-6388
24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Calgary Animal Referral and Emergency Centre
7140 - 12 Street S.E.
Phone: 520-VETS (8387)
24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Calgary North Veterinary Hospital and Emergency Service
(+ regular veterinary service)
4204 - 4 Street NW
Phone: 277-0135 (phone before emergency arrival and fees are less)
24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Fish Creek Vet Hospital
(+ regular veterinary service)
3125, 150 Millrise Blvd SW
Phone: 873-1700
24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Shawnessy Pet Hospital
(+ regular veterinary services)
144 - 70 Shawville Blvd SW
Phone: 254-5900
24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Moderators; willing to make a sticky?
Melissa

[QUOTE=mummummum]I think the list would be too cumbersome. Members are from all over Canada and the US and we have the odd international visitor/member. I am also very cautious about giving ANY emergency intervention advice for liability reasons as the US (sorry folks, calls it as I sees it) and Canada to some extent, is becoming increasingly and ridiculously litigious. It might be worthwhile to consider a sticky which has a "Checklist for the New Animal Owner" to includes things like " Make a list of Important and Emergency Numbers and keep it in a highly visible location. NUmbers to include would be...".[/QUOTE]

Not suggesting we tell people to do certain things, but just provide them a list of what clinics they can phone. Then they can phone the place, say "this is what's happening and how do I get them there safely" and have qualified people tell them to feed them this or wrap them this way, or just "bring them here ASAP!!!" These boards are a source of information, not a veterinary diagnosis, and if we can provide information that could get animals to the help they need in emergency situations, why aren't we doing that?

Yes, a list would be long, but it wouldn't need to be a big deal for mod's. People could just PM them the info, and they cut & paste into a thread for that city. Not all cities in North America are represented here, nor are there emergency clinics in all places that *are* represented here.

But in the end, it's not up to me. It's up to the mods. If they don't think it's worthwhile doing, or is too much effort, takes up too much space on a forum, or whatever, then it won't happen. I just thought it was a good idea after what I had to do yesterday to find out where to take my cat.

Melissa

Funny how Calgary has one third of the population of Montreal and Montreal only has one 24 hour vet clinic (unless I just don't know of the others...:shrug: ).

:eek: i am in Ottawa ontario and just about every vets office here that you call or walk by has the 24 hour vets clinic office number and a small map posted in the window during holidays or on there answering machine

I just assumed that all vets offices were like this, all i have to do is call my vets office and bingo i got the 24 hour emergency number when they are not available

And this is why a listing would be good.... because I'm sure there must be more than one in Montreal (or in suburbs?). It wouldn't make sense otherwise!

Melissa

I was lucky enough that I had been given a pamphlet on the emergency vet because I never really thought about it...I can tell you that right now...

When we had to put our hampster to sleep (ages ago) we had a hard time finding a vet that was open on a holiday....but he had to go...he seemed to have gotten a version of "Parkinsons" for hampsters but as a result of a seed or something he'd eaten.

Megan

I know I don't have much input here but I agree dogmelissa, it's a great idea. Even if it saves 1 life, it's worth it. As for it being too cumbersome, if one member from each city represented on the forum, listed their own cities emerg number, it's not that much work.

It would be great for people who visit cities as they don't know the local vet clinics, let alone after hour ones. We have a couple of campsites in our area that allows dogs, and I remember a couple of summers ago, a lab had fallen off a cliff on a hiking trail. He was alive, but had severe internal injuries and 2 broken legs. The owners had written a letter to our local newspaper thanking the clinic and Firefighters for saving their dog. I'm sure they didn't have a phone book handy, nor would others in similar circumstances, but the campsite workers called the local clinic, and the vets were there waiting for the hurt dog when they got there. It's not a 24 hr service, but there was a recording with the info nec.

[B]A friend's dog had a heart attack, and she had read how to do CPR on a dog forum, and ended up saving her dogs life. That's why I suggested we include emergency treatments in your sticky.[/B] [B]How many here would know how to tie a tourniquet (sp) on a hemoraging limb? This also happened when another persons boxer was hit by a car! Because they didn't know how, the dog hemoraged through a blanket and all over their car which ruined the interior and the doggy died from loss of blood [/B]Anyway, I'm rambling, but want to emphasize how important and valuable a tool this could be.

[QUOTE=Prin]Funny how Calgary has one third of the population of Montreal and Montreal only has one 24 hour vet clinic (unless I just don't know of the others...:shrug: ).[/QUOTE]
Hudson Vet offers emergency hours for their patients however, the DMV is cheaper. :eek:

I think it's a good idea. I too recently had to use the 24hr emergency vet services, and I didn't know if there even was one here until I called my regular vet's office and got their recording. I would be willing to submit the 24hr emergency vet for my area. It could definitley be a valuable tool. I agree that it should only be emergency clinics and not specific vets.

Mississauga Oakville Veterinary Emergency Hospital
2285 Bristol Circle
Oakville ON
L6H 6P8
Just off of Winston Churchill Blvd. North of Hwy 403

There's also a vet that's open at odd hours (I think) exclusively. That's where I took Layla when she got hit by the bike at 9 pm on a Sunday.

[QUOTE=BMDLuver]Hudson Vet offers emergency hours for their patients however, the DMV is cheaper. :eek:[/QUOTE]
:eek: I didn't think the DMV was cheaper than anybody. :eek:

I like the DMV though because they have all the sophisticated equipment and the specialists, so if your emergency is complicated or bizarre, it's all right there.

Whats the dmv??? Cause im getting Department of Motor Vehicles in my head and it doesnt make much sence at all. Sorry for threadjacking a tad , but im having a hard time following.

For the sudbury area I dont think there is an actual clinic, If we call our vet it gives an emergency number which pages the vet who is on call that nite. THey are usually really quick at calling you back and telling you which office to go to.

As far as North Bay... I have no idea, I dont go there, not sure why but just dont.

DMV is DVM (doctorate of veterinary medicine) in french, but it's the name of the 24 hour supervet here in Montreal.
[url]http://www.centredmv.com/fr/index.html[/url] (only in French...:sorry: )

I think there are only two emerg vets in the Toronto area, surprising considering the amount of people here. I know at our cottage the vet has an on call too, you just call ahead and they will get a vet to come in and look at your pet. I keep both numbers handy incase of emergency.

What goes in a first aid kit for animals.. brochure for pet cpr, and emergency first aid
[url]http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_FirstAid.php[/url]

In Reno Nevada
 

This clinic isn't open during the day, it's after hours only:

Animal Emergency Center
6425 S Virginia St
Reno, NV 89511
(775) 851-3600

I had my previous std poodles broken leg splinted and got pain meds here.

************


This is a regular clinic that responds to after hour calls:

Fairgrounds Animal Hospital
2435 Sutro St
Reno, NV 89512
(775) 329-4106

No experience with them, but it doesn't hurt to have multiple choices.

There's also the CHUV: 1525, rue des Vétérinaires in Saint-Hyacinthe. It's a drive for Montrealers, but if you're on the South shore, it'd be easier than getting onto the island. I've never been, but it would probably be cheaper than the DMV (anyone know for sure?) and they have everything there.

Puppyluv,I heard many times that St-Hyacinthe is a great place but very expensive (as the animal hospital in Brossard)

Actually, I've found the DMV to be cheaper than St Hy, but DMV doesn't have as much equipment as St Hy so if it was really major your pet may end up at St Hy on a transfer anyways.

As other mentioned posting here would be cumbersome even if it was canadian listing only and search thru all the posts to find out if there is a list for your area is time consuming and may not even be there and you will have wasted precious moments


Best bet for anyone is to check the yellow pages of their the phone book under veterinarians and look at the ads Looking at mine There are 2 in town that offer emergency services and 3 out of town, they are not 24 hour clinics but vets who have a 24 hours answering service if you call the vet will be called at home and will phone you right back and ask the problem and if not immmediate care needed he will advice what to do to help till office hours or will ask you to meet at his office, they will take anyone not just those from their own practice.

If I open up an old London phone book i have I can find ads for vet offices that open round the clock, a couple emergency after hour clinics , more ads for vets with after hour numbers, and then reading the phone number listings there are a few vets that do not have ads but do have after hour numbers

Best thing to do is cut out the ads you could paste on a small board place in a page protector include the poison control number then place them near the phone that way it would be easy to take with, if you are not familiar with the areas, go to mapquest of yahoomaps and print up maps and place with your ads in the page protector so you will be ready to run if the need occurs, also have a pet first aid kit , here is a list of items that could put in your kit for a dog [URL="http://www.dogsonly.org/FirstAid.html"]http://www.dogsonly.org/FirstAid.html[/URL] You don't need every item, one thing I did not see was a splint material on the list, a couple of one foot wooden rulers would be handy for bigger dogs, though a folded towel wrapped around with vet wrap around it will work, A farm supply store carries vet wrap, you might find other things there for your kit in the livestock/horse section, putting in a knap sack or small case makes it easy to throw in the car for trips whether vacation or dog park You can also print out this first aid info and put with your kit [URL="http://www.pet-supplies-review.com/dog-first-aid.html"]http://www.pet-supplies-review.com/dog-first-aid.html[/URL]

It explains things like how to recognize shock and what to do before transporting to the vet and how to do CPR, you can make an indexed cover page and number all your pages to find the info you need right away faster

[QUOTE=OntarioGreys]As other mentioned posting here would be cumbersome even if it was canadian listing only and search thru all the posts to find out if there is a list for your area is time consuming and may not even be there and you will have wasted precious moments[/QUOTE]

I believe that you could make the first post as a listing of the different cities and then link them further down the page. So it would say something like this:

Montreal <--- this would be a link

The link itself would say (something like) [url]www.pets.ca/bb/threadXYZ=post56[/url] <--- this is made up so ignore the actual link stuff...lol

So Montreal would be the 56th post down and it would take your browser straight to post 56...I suppose the problem would come in when we added new ones since if we did it alphabetically we'd have to put more than one city in a posting...


Could we maybe make an entire website where it only lists emergency/after hours vets? Just an entire site dedicated to it? Maybe have one of those map images and all that so you choose which country/state/province/territory you are in and then it lists the cities? And if your particular city/town is too small to have its own vet then put it in with a close city (ie. say Hamilton was too small to have its own vet so we put "Hamilton" in with say Toronto)? We could put a disclaimer at the top stating that its not necessarily a complete list and we will never claim it to be that but that its here to help just in case something does go wrong and if in doubt visit the yellow pages/phone book? I'm not sure what we could do for the few people who are not North American...perhaps that would come in time?

I suppose it would take alot of work though....

Megan

Well, it would work if they did it like their dog park page.
[url]http://www.pets.ca/index-dogparks.htm[/url]