Emergency Veterinary Care

After Hours Emergency Clinics

If your pet is experiencing an emergency after our hospital hours, we recommend the following emergency veterinary clinics.

Steps to Take In A Pet Emergency

If you are experiencing a pet emergency, follow these steps.

• Call Ahead If Possible - During our regular business hours, call us right away. After hours, call one of the emergency animal hospitals listed above to let them know you are on your 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 Kinston veterinary clinic or the after-hours emergency vet location above.

Emergency FAQs

Read through our most frequently asked questions below to learn more about bringing your pet in for an emergency appointment at Five Oaks Animal Hospital. 

• Do I need to call ahead?

  Five Oaks Animal Hospital provides emergency and urgent veterinary care for cats and dogs during our regular clinic hours on a case-by-case basis. 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 shown above. 

• When is your clinic open?

  Our veterinarians see emergency cases during our regular business hours:

  • Monday: 07:30 am - 05:30 pm
  • Tuesday: 07:30 am - 08:00 pm
  • Wednesday: 07:30 am - 05:30 pm
  • Thursday: 07:30 am - 08:00 pm
  • Friday: 07:30 am - 05:30 pm
  • Saturday: 07:30 am - 01:00 pm
  • Sunday: Closed

   

  Extended hours for emergency care (available until August 1, 2022):

  Monday, Wednesday, Friday 5:30PM - 8:00PM
  Saturday 1:00PM - 8:00PM
  Sunday 7:30PM - 8:00PM

• What situations require emergency veterinary care?

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

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

  Our Kinston animal hospital is just like a human doctor's office—it can be unpredictable and you may have to wait. 

  We assess emergencies on a case-by-case basis during our regular daytime hours and 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 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 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. At Five Oaks Animal Hospital, we provide emergency care on a case-by-case basis. 

  Depending on your pet's circumstances, we may refer you to one of the emergency animal hospitals listed above, who will recommend next steps, including an overnight hospital stay at their location if necessary.

• What types of animals do you treat?

  Our emergency veterinarians are mostly experienced with cats and dogs, but will see other small animals, such as birds and rodents, in serious situations. 

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