Emergency Procedures

For Consulting Hour Emergencies:

Please phone 02-48722028 first. Please do not assume, as the vet may be either busy in surgery or away.

Upon arrival, your pet will be assessed by Dr Keith. We will aim to provide an estimate of the costs involved in your case. However, please be aware that with emergency procedures, costs can vary depending on what services and treatments are required. Dr Keith or one of our nurses will keep you updated regularly during the course of your pet's stay in hospital. In some cases, we may need to refer to a veterinary specialist centre or a 24-hour emergency facility.

For clients of MVH ONLY, we also provide after-hours emergency service-via VetChat. (See Below). This service is a triage service, via experienced veterinarians. You can have a telechat consultation with a veterinarian or, if deemed necessary, you will be advised to attend one of the dedicated Emergency Hospitals based either in Campbelltown, Sydney or Wollongong. Cost payable to Mittagong Veterinary Hospital is $59. Collected the day after an afterhours VetChat consultation.

Please contact us to discuss our after-hours arrangements. It’s always nice to know this information before you actually need it.

FAQs

What is considered an emergency for a pet?

Emergencies can arise from many different situations with your pets, but when it happens, it is good to know what animal emergency services are available for your pet.The most commonly experienced situations at Mittagong Veterinary Hospital include pets being hit by cars, accidental ingestion of poison or food poisoning with vomiting and diarrhoea or tick and snake bites, plus many others. . If you are experiencing any of these or other emergencies with your pet, please contact our animal emergency services veterinarian, Dr Keith McKellar Stewart.

What symptoms should I watch out for?

Your pet being ill can cause extreme stress and sometimes panic for owners. If your animal has ingested something that you think might be poisonous, then it is important to watch for symptoms such as persistent vomiting or diarrhoea. There are other types of emergencies that result in a variety of symptoms, including loss of consciousness, seizures or sudden changes in behaviour or temperament. When you notice these symptoms, it is highly valuable and important for our team that you track these symptoms and provide us with as much detail as possible, before you dial us, and before you arrive at our animal emergency centre or contact VetChat via our hospital number - 02 4872 2028.

What should I do if my pet has an emergency?

If you require emergency services, you should immediately telephone our clinic on 02 4872 2028, and follow all instructions. Time is of the essence when your pet is sick, so it’s important that you seek treatment for them as soon as possible. Our experienced team is highly knowledgeable in animal emergency services, but if they are not able to provide what your pet needs, we will ensure that your animal remains stable enough to be moved on to a specialist who can help. Mittagong Veterinary Hospital has at least 4 specialised Emergency Veterinary Centres, to whom we refer patients.

What is your process upon arrival of my pet and myself at Mittagong Veterinary Hospital?

Firstly, please park in our car park accessible from Albert Lane. (See our location map (link). When you come to the Mittagong Vet in an emergency, your animal is our top priority. We will assess the damage or illness to your pet, and triage as needed. Your complete details will be recorded, and please inform us if you have pet insurance. We will provide you with approximate costs as soon as we can. The most important part is ensuring that your pet receives the correct treatment that it needs, which could potentially save its life.

Is your emergency facility 24 hours with 24hrs observation?

The Mittagong Veterinary Hospital is not an ‘always open’ 24-hour facility. We provide a 24hr answering service (VetChat has experienced veterinarians who will triage cases). Dr Keith is sometimes available to come to the hospital and clinic if needed.

Following triage by telephone, the triage service may direct you to an emergency 24-hour-equipped hospital if needed or simply give sound advice. Dr Keith is sometimes on roster (with Dr Ken Davidson - 4868 1766) for nights (occasionally) and some Weekends, to take care of all your pet's emergency requirements. If the circumstance arises that we are unable to help with your pet’s condition, we will refer you to the required specialists or 24-hour emergency centres who are fully equipped to help with your animal emergency. Please, always contact our team on (02) 4872 2028 to discuss the situation before visiting our hospital (no-one lives on site - please do not just turn up).

Please note that VetChat is available only to clients of Mittagong Veterinary Hospital - and will be charged $59 - payable to Mittagong Veterinary Hospital, the day after a VetChat emergency call has been made. (There are no additional fees from VetChat). Our nurses will follow up on any VetChat calls - firstly to check up on your pet and secondly to process credit card over the phone.