When your beloved dog or cat faces a sudden health crisis during weekday business hours, Pawtown Veterinary Care is equipped to provide immediate urgent care services right here in Bend. Our experienced veterinarians, Dr. Erin Miller and Dr. Lauren Stayer, are comfortable handling emergency situations and understand that pets don’t schedule their medical crises around convenient times.
As Central Oregon’s locally-owned small animal practice, we prioritize urgent cases during our business hours Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm. While we don’t provide after-hours or weekend emergency services, we make every effort to accommodate same-day urgent appointments when your pet needs immediate medical attention during our operating hours. For comprehensive information about our full range of veterinary services, visit our services page to learn how we support your pet’s health through routine and emergency situations.
What Qualifies as Pet Emergency Care?
Pet emergencies encompass a wide range of situations that require immediate veterinary attention. At Pawtown Veterinary Care, we’re equipped to handle trauma cases such as pets hit by cars, severe cuts or wounds, difficulty breathing, seizures, suspected poisoning, and sudden collapse or loss of consciousness.
Signs that your dog or cat needs emergency care include persistent vomiting or diarrhea, inability to urinate or defecate, severe lethargy, pale or blue gums, excessive drooling, or any obvious signs of severe pain. Bloat in dogs, difficulty giving birth, and eye injuries also constitute veterinary emergencies requiring immediate attention.
If you’re unsure whether your pet’s condition requires emergency care, don’t hesitate to call us. Our experienced staff can help you assess the situation and determine the most appropriate course of action for your pet’s specific symptoms.
Urgent vs. Emergency Situations
Understanding the difference between urgent and emergency situations helps you make informed decisions about your pet’s care. Urgent situations require same-day attention but aren’t immediately life-threatening, such as minor cuts, mild vomiting, or lameness without severe pain.
True emergencies involve life-threatening conditions requiring immediate intervention. These include severe trauma, respiratory distress, uncontrolled bleeding, unconsciousness, or signs of severe internal problems. Our team is trained to quickly assess and prioritize cases based on severity.
Emergency Services We Provide During Business Hours
During our business hours, we’re fully equipped to handle most emergency situations affecting dogs and cats. Our clinic maintains emergency supplies including:
- IV fluids
- Oxygen therapy
- Diagnostic tools
- Surgical capabilities for urgent procedures that cannot wait
We can perform emergency surgery for conditions like bloat, foreign body removal, or trauma repair. Our in-house diagnostic capabilities include blood work, x-rays, and other tests needed to quickly assess your pet’s condition and develop an appropriate treatment plan.
Pain management is a priority in all emergency cases. We stock various pain medications and are experienced in providing comfort measures while addressing the underlying emergency condition.
Stabilization and Referral Protocols
For cases requiring specialized care or overnight monitoring that we cannot provide, we focus on stabilizing your pet’s condition before coordinating transfer to an appropriate emergency facility. This might include starting IV fluids, administering pain medication, or performing initial wound care.
We maintain relationships with regional emergency and specialty hospitals to ensure seamless continuity of care when referral is necessary. Our team provides detailed medical records and communicates directly with receiving facilities to ensure your pet gets the specialized care they need.
Common Emergency Situations in Central Oregon
Living in Bend’s outdoor-oriented environment exposes pets to certain types of emergencies more frequently than urban areas might see.
Outdoor Activity Situations
Hiking accidents, encounters with wildlife, and injuries from outdoor activities are situations we commonly address.
Weather-Related Incidents
During summer months, heat-related emergencies and dehydration from extended outdoor activities require immediate attention. Winter brings concerns about antifreeze poisoning, ice-related injuries, and hypothermia in pets spending extended time outdoors.
Accidents Involving Wildlife
Snake bites, porcupine quill removal, and injuries from rough terrain are regional concerns we’re experienced in managing. Our familiarity with Central Oregon’s unique environment helps us quickly recognize and treat location-specific emergency situations.
Seasonal Emergency Preparedness
Different seasons bring different emergency risks for Bend area pets. Spring hiking season increases trauma risks and exposure to ticks carrying dangerous diseases. Summer heat requires vigilance for overheating and dehydration during outdoor adventures.
Fall brings increased wildlife activity and potential for encounters with aggressive animals protecting territory or food sources. Winter ice and snow create slip hazards and increase risks of hypothermia for pets spending extended time outdoors.
After-Hours Emergency Resources
While Pawtown Veterinary Care provides urgent care only during business hours Monday through Friday 8am-5pm, we understand that pet emergencies don’t follow convenient schedules. For after-hours, weekend, or holiday emergencies, we recommend contacting regional emergency veterinary hospitals equipped for 24/7 care.
We maintain relationships with these facilities and can coordinate care when your pet requires services outside our operating hours. Having contact information for emergency services readily available helps ensure your pet receives timely care regardless of when emergencies occur. For less urgent situations that arise outside business hours, you may choose to monitor your pet closely and contact us first thing when we reopen, depending on the severity of symptoms.
Financial Considerations for Emergency Care
We understand that pet emergencies often come with unexpected financial stress. Pawtown Veterinary Care accepts Care Credit and Scratch Pay financing options to help manage emergency treatment costs when budget concerns might otherwise delay necessary care.
During emergency situations, we provide treatment estimates upfront whenever possible so you can make informed decisions about your pet’s care. Our transparent pricing approach helps eliminate surprise costs during already stressful situations.
Emergency care costs vary widely depending on the condition’s complexity and required treatments. Simple emergency visits may cost significantly less than cases requiring surgery, extensive diagnostics, or intensive treatment protocols.
Contact Pawtown for Emergency Care
When your dog or cat faces an emergency during our business hours, don’t wait to seek professional care. Quick action often makes the difference between simple treatment and complex medical interventions, and early intervention typically leads to better outcomes and lower costs.
Contact Pawtown Veterinary Care immediately if your pet experiences any emergency symptoms during our business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 am-5 pm. Our experienced team will prioritize urgent cases and provide the immediate care your pet needs during their medical crisis. Contact us immediately for same-day emergency appointments when your beloved companion needs urgent veterinary care in Bend, Oregon.