Urgent Care

Urgent Care

The staff at Twin Peaks Veterinary Center knows that getting sick or hurt is never planned. That’s why we offer not only preventative and wellness services for your furry family members, but also urgent care when pets are unexpectedly ill or injured. If you feel your pet needs urgent care, please call our office at 520-572-8300 as soon as possible.

When you call, our staff will discuss your pet’s symptoms, answer general questions, and when necessary, provide directions to our clinic. Please be aware that we cannot diagnose the problem or give detailed medical advice over the phone. We also cannot make the final decision as to whether or when you should bring your pet in for treatment. However, if you feel your pet needs urgent care, our clinic is prepared to see you, including during extended night and weekend hours.

Triage for dog and cat-owners: what warrants a quick trip to the vet?

What to Do When You Think Your Pet Needs Urgent Care

When Your Pet Needs Urgent Care
  1. Remain calm and call us at 520-572-8300 to get directions to our hospital and instructions for transporting the pet (be sure the pet is calm and warm for the ride). Let us know your estimated arrival time so we can be prepared. If you have a regular veterinarian, be ready to provide his or her name so we can call for medical history before you arrive.
  2. Do not give any medications, especially aspirin, Tylenol or ibuprofen unless instructed. Doing so may ultimately make appropriate treatment of your pet more difficult.
  3. Bring any medications your pet takes and any medical records (vaccine records, test results, X-rays) you have available.
  4. If you think your pet has eaten something toxic (medication, food, plants, etc.), please bring the box or bottle showing ingredients or a sample of the plant if you have it.

What Happens When You Arrive

  1. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by a staff member and your pet will be “triaged”, which means evaluated for the seriousness of his or her problem. In some cases, we may ask if your pet can be taken immediately to the treatment area for evaluation and stabilization. There may also be times when you are asked to wait while another more seriously ill or wounded patient is treated first. We ask your patience and understanding, since it is our goal to provide quality and timely medical care for all the pets we see.
  2. After the veterinarian performs a complete physical examination of your pet, the veterinarian or certified veterinary technician will provide you with a written estimate of the diagnostic procedures, treatments and medications recommended for your pet, and their associated costs.
  3. The veterinarian will explain and discuss the recommendations with you, and then answer all of your questions, including those related to any alternative treatment plans. Once a treatment plan has been approved, your technician or client care specialist will guide you through the appropriate paperwork and monetary arrangements.
  4. At the end of your visit, you will receive an itemized list of the procedures completed for your pet, recommendations for follow-up care, and instructions for taking care of your pet at home. After an urgent care visit, Twin Peaks Veterinary Center will send your regular veterinarian a complete medical record detailing your visit with us.