Emergency Veterinary Care

After-Hours Emergencies

Is your pet experiencing a veterinary emergency after our regular business hours? Go to these animal emergency clinics as soon as possible.

Steps to Take In A Pet Emergency

If you are experiencing a veterinary emergency, follow the steps below.

• Call Ahead If Possible - During regular business hours call us right away. After hours, call the emergency animal hospital listed above to let them know you are on the way.
• Follow Instructions Provided - When you call to let the emergency pet hospital know you are on your way, instructions may be provided to help you apply first aid or otherwise make your pet as comfortable. Follow these instructions carefully.
• Remain Calm - Remain calm and be extra careful around your pet. When an animal is in pain they often react negatively towards anyone trying to help and could bite or scratch.
• Bring Your Pet In For Care - Do not put yourself at risk! Safely bring your pet to our Novato veterinary clinic or the after-hours emergency vet location above.

Pet Emergency FAQs

Here are our most frequently asked questions our patients have had about bringing pets in for an emergency appointment at Bel Marin Animal Hospital. 

• Do I need to call ahead?

  Bel Marin Animal Hospital provides emergency and urgent veterinary care for cats and dogs during our regular clinic hours. It's always best to contact us in advance if you can, but we understand that in emergency situations that's not always possible. 

  If we are unable to fit your pet into our schedule, we recommend that you visit the after-hours emergency vet location listed above. 

• When is your clinic open?

  Our veterinarians see emergency cases during our regular business hours:

  • Monday:08:00 am - 06:00 pm
  • Tuesday:08:00 am - 06:00 pm
  • Wednesday:08:00 am - 06:00 pm
  • Thursday:08:00 am - 06:00 pm
  • Friday:08:00 am - 06:00 pm
  • Saturday:Closed
  • Sunday:Closed

   

• What situations require emergency veterinary care?

  The following situations are examples of emergencies that require immediate care:

  • Severe bleeding or bleeding that doesn't stop
  • Obvious signs of pain or extreme anxiety
  • Refusal to drink for 24 hours or more
  • Injuries to the eye(s)
  • Bleeding from nose, mouth, rectum, or blood in the urine
  • Seizures and/or staggering
  • Inability to urinate or pass feces, or pain associated with urinating or passing feces
  • Severe vomiting or diarrhea; 2+ episodes in 24-hours
  • Fractured bones or severe lameness
  • Your pet has ingested something poisonous (such as antifreeze, xylitol, chocolate, rodent poison, etc.)
  • Heat stress or heatstroke
  • Choking, difficulty breathing, or continuous coughing/gagging
  • Unconsciousness
• How long will we have to wait to see the vet?

  Similar to a human doctor's office our emergency animal hospital in Novato can be unpredictable and you may have to wait. 

  We are not able to predict which cases we will see and when they will arrive. If possible, please call ahead to find out whether we are able to provide emergency care for your dog or cat.

  If we are unable to fit an emergency appointment into our vet's schedule we recommend that you visit one of the 24/7 emergency animal hospitals listed above. 

• What happens if my pet needs to stay in the hospital?

  Some veterinary emergencies require intensive overnight care. At Bel Marin Animal Hospital we provide overnight care for animals in need.

  While in our care, our dedicated team will treat your pet as if they were our own.

• What types of animals do you treat?

  Our emergency veterinarians are experienced with cats and dogs.