Pet Emergency Phone Number:
02 4627 1333

What to do in an emergency

Prevent further injury to your pet or yourself

This is common sense, and obviously it will depend on the circumstances. If for instance your pet has been hit by a car, you should move it off the road. And be careful – don’t risk injury to yourself. Even the most loyal family pet can bite you when it’s distressed or in pain.

Provide First Aid if necessary

Sick or injured animals should first be examined by you, and kept warm and dry. The article on Common Emergencies will provide information to help you provide appropriate first aid for your pet. Refer to the birds and wildlife, and stray dogs and cats pages which explain how to care for these injured animals.

Call for veterinary assistance if needed

Phone your local veterinarian, or if they are closed contact one of the emergency centres below. Calling one of our clinics will put you in touch with the help that you need. During business hours emergencies are always given priority, whether you have an appointment or not.

Please phone first – we can advise what to do, and make sure that a vet will be available when you arrive.

If we’re closed, call us on 02 4627 1333 and our after-hours service will refer you to dedicated emergency centres – either the Animal Referral Hospital at Homebush, SASH Western Sydney Specialist Hospital, or the Veterinary Specialists of Sydney. These centres operate an emergency service with staff on the premises 24/7.

When should you call for emergency after-hours help?

Ultimately this decision is yours, but we would consider it to be an emergency if your pet:

• is having difficulty breathing
• has lost consciousness
• is having sustained ( > 5 mins) or repeated seizures
• is bleeding uncontrollably
• has eaten snail bait, or another poison
• has been in labour for more than 2 hours without delivering a puppy or kitten
• has any problem that you think could be life-threatening or that is causing him/her significant pain or distress, and it can’t wait until we are open.

For emergencies on a larger scale…

The EMA (Emergency Management Australia) has issued an Action Guide concerning the safety and welfare of pets in a large scale emergency or disaster.

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Animal Emergency Centres

If you have an emergency outside of our opening hours, please contact your nearest emergency vet below.