Urgent Care

*Beginning December 7th, 2024* Available every Saturday from 8am – 8pm.

Urgent care is here to fill the gap between wellness and emergency care situations. Urgent care services are available by walk-in or appointment on Saturdays from 8am – 8pm! With our urgent care services, your pet will be able to receive treatment for an injury or illness that requires prompt medical attention but is not life-threatening. Pets experiencing a life-threatening injury or illness need to be seen at an emergency hospital.

Urgent Care Scheduling Options:

• Online Scheduling available 24/7
• Phone scheduling during business hours: 218-751-2753
• Walk-In During Saturday urgent care hours: 8am – 8pm

Symptoms Treated at Urgent Care

• Vomiting or Diarrhea
• Minor Wounds
• Pain, Limping, Swelling
• Abscess
• Loss of Appetite
• Constipation
• Dehydration
• Itchy Skin, Rashes, Hives
• Eye Issues (tearing, redness, discharge)
• Ear Infections
• Pale Gums
• Runny Nose, Coughing, or Sneezing
• Worms, Fleas, Ticks, or Mites
• Urinary Changes (blood in urine, change in frequency)

If You Think Your Pet Has Eaten Something Poisonous

Call us at  immediately 218-751-2753! If after hours, contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435. Trained toxicologists will consider the age and health of your pet, what was ingested, and then make a recommendation about what action should be taken.

If your pet is experiencing an urgent medical condition, visit our Bemidji Veterinary Hospital & Boarding Kennel for immediate care. For questions, please call 218-751-2753.

---

What Is the Difference Between Pet Urgent Care vs Emergency Care?

One way to quickly determine where you should take your pet is to ask yourself if their condition can wait until their next vet appointment, needs prompt attention, or requires immediate care.

Unless you know a practice is a walk-in pet urgent care, you’ll most likely need an appointment. Here, your pet will be able to receive treatment for an injury or illness that requires prompt medical attention but is not life-threatening. Consider whether your pet is stable enough to wait for their appointment.

Pets experiencing a life-threatening injury or illness need to be seen at an emergency veterinary hospital. Here, patients will be prioritized and seen based on their condition’s severity. Animals experiencing a time sensitive emergency like cardiac arrest will be seen first. Pets with emergent yet less time-sensitive emergencies will be seen next. This group could apply to situations like allergic reactions.

Conditions Requiring Emergency Care

• Not eating or drinking for more than two days
• Weak or rapid pulse
• Choking
• Bloating
• Difficulty breathing
• Fall from a height
• Difficulty giving birth
• Serious trauma (hit by a car)
• Loss of consciousness
• Repeated seizures
• Paralysis
• Excessive or hard-to-control bleeding

Visit Our Walk-in Pet Urgent Care

If you’ve noticed that something isn’t right with your pet, get them the veterinary care they need as soon as possible by visiting Bemidji Veterinary Hospital & Boarding Kennel. To learn more about our urgent care services or for questions, please call Life Care Animal Hospital at 218-751-2753 today.

Safety tips:

Pets who are severely ill or injured may try to bite, claw, or act in an aggressive manner toward those trying to help them. Approach any injured or sick pet slowly and calmly; say their name and see how the animal reacts. Call for help if the pet reacts aggressively.

For dogs, fashion a makeshift stretcher if the animal is unable to move. Make sure the neck is supported.

For cats, slowly place a blanket or towel over the head to prevent biting. Slowly lift the animal into an open-topped carrier or box. Elevate and apply pressure to any bleeding wound.