After-Hours & Veterinary Emergency Care
MarQueen Pet Emergency & Specialty Group
OPEN: 24 Hours
Call: 916-757-6600
Veterinary Urgent & Emergency Care
Is your pet experiencing any behaviors or symptoms you're concerned about? Contact our office right away, or the after-hours emergency pet hospital location listed above.
While emergency departments are meant to address serious and life-threatening issues, Elkhorn-Walerga Animal Hospital's urgent care team addresses urgent, same-day issues that are not life-threatening. Animals are our passion, and we are proud to provide quality medical care when needed.
Steps to Take In An Urgent Care Situation
Follow these steps if your pet is in need of urgent care:
- 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 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 Sacramento veterinary clinic or the after-hours emergency vet location above.
Vet Urgent Care FAQs
Review our most frequently asked questions to find out more about bringing your pet in for an urgent care appointment at Elkhorn-Walerga Animal Hospital.
- What is the difference between urgent care and emergency care?
While serious and life-threatening issues are addressed in emergency departments, pet owners can bring their animals to Elkhorn-Walerga Animal Hospital for urgent care.
We address urgent, same-day issues that should be treated same-day but which are not life-threatening.
- Do I need to call ahead?
Elkhorn-Walerga Animal Hospital provides 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 some situations this is 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 shown above.
- When is your clinic open?
Our veterinarians see urgent care 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:09:00 am - 05:00 pm
- Sunday:Closed
- What situations require urgent veterinary care?
The following situations are examples of urgent situations that require immediate care:
- Ear or eye issues
- Bite wounds or lacerations
- Limping
- Nail or paw issues
- Abscesses
- Coughing/Sneezing
- Decreased appetite
- Hives, swelling or reactions
- Bad breath
- Urinary problems/accidents
- Fever
- Inability to urinate or pass feces, or pain associated with urinating or passing feces
- Severe vomiting or diarrhea; 2+ episodes in 24-hours
- Your pet has ingested something poisonous (such as antifreeze, xylitol, chocolate, rodent poison, etc.)
- Obvious signs of pain or extreme anxiety
- How long will we have to wait to see the vet?
Our Sacramento animal hospital is just like a human doctor's office—it can be unpredictable and you may have to wait.
We cannot predict what cases we will see and when they will arrive. If possible, call ahead to find out whether we are able to provide urgent care for your dog or cat.
If we are unable to fit an urgent care appointment into our vet's schedule we recommend that you visit the 24/7 animal emergency hospital detailed above.
- What happens if my pet needs to stay in the hospital?
Some veterinary emergencies require intensive overnight care. In these cases, our vets will refer you to the 24/7 emergency pet hospital location listed above.
- What types of animals do you treat?
Our urgent care veterinarians are experienced with cats and dogs.