When your dog or cat faces a sudden health crisis during business hours, Pawtown Veterinary Care provides emergency and critical care right here in Bend. We prioritize urgent cases Monday through Saturday, 8 am to 5 pm, so Central Oregon pet owners have direct access to compassionate emergency veterinary care without the uncertainty of an unfamiliar large-volume facility.
Dr. Erin Miller and Dr. Lauren Stayer co-founded Pawtown because they believe Bend pets deserve focused, relationship-based care — including in a crisis. When your pet arrives in distress, you’re not triaged by rotating emergency staff; you’re seen by the same veterinarians who know your pet’s health history. That continuity shapes how quickly we can assess what’s wrong and how confidently we can act. For a full picture of everything we offer, visit our veterinary services page.
What Counts as a Pet Emergency?
A pet emergency is any situation where waiting even a few hours could mean the difference between recovery and permanent harm. As the American Veterinary Medical Association explains, first aid care is not a substitute for veterinary care, but knowing what you’re seeing and acting on it quickly is one of the most important things a pet owner can do. Our urgent care team can also help you assess your pet’s situation over the phone if you’re uncertain whether an emergency visit is needed.
The following signs indicate your pet needs immediate attention from a veterinarian:
- Difficulty breathing: labored panting, open-mouth breathing in cats, or gasping that will not resolve.
- Pale or blue gums: gum color changes signal life-threatening circulation or oxygen problems.
- Collapse or inability to stand: sudden weakness or inability to rise warrants an immediate call.
- Uncontrolled bleeding: apply gentle pressure and head in without waiting to see if it stops on its own.
- Suspected poisoning: plants, medications, antifreeze, or household chemicals require immediate triage.
- Seizures: a prolonged seizure or cluster seizures within 24 hours need emergency evaluation.
- Severe trauma: car accidents, falls, or animal attacks can cause internal injuries that are not visible externally.
- Eye injuries: scratches or sudden vision changes can become permanent within hours without treatment.
- Bloat (GDV) in dogs: a distended abdomen with unproductive retching is life-threatening and requires care within the hour.
If your pet is showing any of these signs during business hours, call us right away.
Emergency and Critical Care Services at Pawtown
During business hours, Pawtown is fully equipped to handle most emergency and critical care situations affecting dogs and cats. Our clinic maintains IV fluids, oxygen therapy, and medications for immediate stabilization. We perform in-house diagnostics including blood panels and digital x-rays so we can assess your pet’s condition quickly without sending samples offsite and waiting on outside labs.
Stabilize and Diagnose
When your pet arrives in crisis, stabilization begins immediately. IV fluids, oxygen therapy, and pain medication are started on arrival. Our in-house blood panels and imaging deliver results fast, giving Dr. Miller or Dr. Stayer what they need to understand what’s happening in your pet’s body and build an accurate treatment plan without delay.
Treat and Transfer
When surgery is needed, our surgical suite handles bloat, foreign body removal, trauma repair, and lacerations. Pain management is built into every emergency protocol, and IV catheters are placed on all dogs and cats receiving emergency care to maintain access and support blood pressure under anesthesia. For cases that require overnight monitoring or specialty services beyond what we can provide, we stabilize your pet first and coordinate a transfer directly with the receiving facility, sending complete medical records so your pet’s care continues without interruption.
Emergency Situations Common to Central Oregon
Living and adventuring in Bend puts pets in situations that urban practices rarely encounter. Dr. Miller and Dr. Stayer are deeply familiar with the injuries and illnesses specific to this region, and that local knowledge matters when decisions need to happen quickly.
Seasonal emergencies follow predictable patterns here. Spring and summer bring heat stroke and tick exposure risks. Winter introduces antifreeze toxicity and hypothermia concerns. Year-round, our familiarity with Central Oregon’s environment helps us recognize what we’re seeing and treat it accurately.
What to Do If Your Pet Has an Emergency
If your pet is showing signs of a medical emergency during our business hours, call us right away and tell the front desk what you’re seeing. We will let you know immediately whether your pet needs to come straight in. Walk-ins are accepted for urgent cases, but calling ahead helps us prepare a triage space and have the right medications and equipment ready before you arrive.
Keep your pet as calm and still as possible during transport. Do not give medications, food, or water unless our team directs you to. For active bleeding, apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth. Do not attempt to remove embedded objects, pull porcupine quills in bulk, or treat wounds beyond basic first aid before arriving. Improper handling can worsen injuries or cause additional pain, so getting to us quickly is always the right move.
For emergencies that occur outside of our business hours, Bend Animal Emergency and Specialty Center and the Veterinary Referral Center of Central Oregon both provide 24-hour care. Saving their numbers in your phone before you ever need them is one of the most practical preparations a Central Oregon pet owner can make. When you return to us after an after-hours visit, we are glad to coordinate follow-up care and continue your pet’s treatment plan.
How Pawtown Is Different From a 24/7 Emergency Facility
Pawtown is not a 24/7 emergency hospital. We are a relationship-based practice that handles emergencies during business hours, and that distinction matters for many Central Oregon families. When your pet is in crisis, you’re seen by Dr. Miller or Dr. Stayer, veterinarians who already know your pet’s health history, their chronic conditions, and what’s normal for them. That continuity accelerates accurate assessment and reduces unnecessary diagnostics. At a high-volume emergency facility, staff often start from scratch with every patient. Here, your pet’s history is already in the room.
For families who prefer the continuity of a primary care vet handling urgent situations during the day, Pawtown offers that combination: the diagnostics and surgical capability of a full emergency clinic with the relationship and context of a practice that knows your animal. It is a meaningful difference, especially for pets with complex or chronic health situations.
Flexible Payment Options for Emergency Vet Care
Emergency veterinary costs can arrive without warning, and we believe that financial concerns should never stand between your pet and the care they need. Pawtown accepts CareCredit and Scratch Pay financing to help manage treatment costs when timing is difficult. Both options allow you to get your pet the care they need immediately while spreading payments over time.
We provide upfront cost estimates before beginning treatment whenever the situation allows. Our team believes in transparency about costs, even in stressful moments, so that you can make confident decisions for your pet without added pressure. If you have questions about what a treatment will cost, ask us directly, and we will give you a clear, honest answer.
Emergency Vet in Bend: Contact Pawtown Veterinary Care When Your Pet Needs Help
Dr. Erin Miller and Dr. Lauren Stayer founded Pawtown Veterinary Care on the belief that Bend pets deserve a local practice where relationships matter and emergency care means seeing doctors who already know your animal. When your pet is in crisis, you deserve a team that responds quickly, communicates clearly, and treats your pet with the same care they would want for their own.
If your dog or cat is showing emergency symptoms during business hours, do not wait. contact us right away because the sooner we see your pet, the more treatment options we have available. We are open Monday through Saturday, 8 am to 5 pm, and walk-ins for urgent cases are always welcome.
Does Pawtown Veterinary Care handle pet emergencies?
Yes. Pawtown provides emergency and critical care for dogs and cats during regular business hours, Monday through Saturday, 8 am to 5 pm. We accept same-day urgent cases, prioritize patients showing emergency symptoms, and can perform in-house diagnostics, pain management, IV fluid therapy, and emergency surgery when needed. For after-hours emergencies, we will direct you to 24-hour facilities in Bend.
What are the signs my pet needs emergency vet care?
Signs that require immediate attention include difficulty breathing, pale or blue gums, collapse or inability to stand, uncontrolled bleeding, suspected poisoning or toxin ingestion, seizures, severe trauma from a car accident or fall, eye injuries, and in dogs, a distended abdomen with unproductive retching, which is a sign of bloat that is life-threatening within hours. If you are unsure, call us and describe what you are seeing. We will help you decide right away.
What should I do if my pet has an emergency outside your hours?
Bend Animal Emergency and Specialty Center and the Veterinary Referral Center of Central Oregon both provide 24-hour emergency care. We recommend saving their contact information in your phone now, before you need it. For situations that can safely wait, contact us first thing when we open Monday through Saturday at 8 am. After an after-hours visit, we are happy to coordinate follow-up care and continue your pet’s treatment plan.
Do I need an appointment for emergency care at Pawtown?
No. We accept walk-ins for urgent cases during business hours. Calling ahead when possible helps our team prepare for your arrival and have the right equipment ready, but it is not required. If you are unsure whether your pet’s condition is a true emergency or an urgent case, call us and describe what you are seeing. We will triage over the phone and tell you how quickly to come in.
What does emergency vet care cost at Pawtown?
Emergency care costs vary based on what your pet needs, as diagnostics, medications, surgery, and the complexity of treatment all factor in. We provide upfront estimates before beginning treatment whenever the situation allows. Pawtown accepts CareCredit and Scratch Pay financing to help manage unexpected veterinary costs. Our team is transparent about pricing and will give you a clear answer if you ask.
Will I see Dr. Miller or Dr. Stayer for an emergency?
Yes. Dr. Erin Miller and Dr. Lauren Stayer handle emergency and urgent cases alongside routine care at Pawtown. When your pet has a crisis, you are seen by the same veterinarians who know your pet’s history, not rotating emergency staff unfamiliar with your animal. That continuity often means faster assessment and more accurate treatment from the start, especially for patients with underlying conditions or complex histories.