Emergency and Critical Care Service

Small Animal:

Dogs, cats, zoo med species

Call 217-333-5300

1008 W. Hazelwood Dr., Urbana

Large Animal:

Horses and farm animals:

Call 217-333-2000

1102 W. Hazelwood Dr., Urbana

Emergency and critical care services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

All animal patients are evaluated to assess the urgency of their condition. Patients with the most critical condition are seen first. Patients with minor complaints will likely have a substantial wait time or may be advised to see their primary care veterinarian the following day.

Please note: Due to current staffing and demand, ER services are operating at Triage Tier Level 2. That means:

  • Patients suffering from a chronic illness will ONLY be seen if they are experiencing an acute phase.
  • Patients that need specialty care will be sent home to await an appointment with the specialty service if they are in a stable condition rather than transferred directly to that service.

Please help our team by being kind and as patient as possible. We know you are concerned for your animal, and we want to provide the best outcomes for you and your pet.

Looking for more information on Equine 
and Farm Animal care?

Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Service

Staff in our small animal emergency service have training and expertise in responding to health emergencies for dogs, cats, and companion animal zoo species. We offer state-of-the-art diagnostics and therapeutic options.

What is an emergency? 

If you think your animal is experiencing an emergency but aren’t sure, call us. We’re happy to help you assess whether your animal needs to be seen.

If you have a concern that is not life-threatening, but you want your dog or cat to be seen same-day and your primary veterinarian is not available, you can call the Urgent and Convenient Care service at 217-244-2555. Visit our Urgent and Convenient Care page for more details.

Common emergencies include:

  • Allergic reactions/hives
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Difficulty urinating/not producing urine
  • Difficulty walking or prolonged lameness
  • Collapse, seizures, not conscious
  • Ingestion of toxins or foreign objects
  • Persistent vomiting, diarrhea and/or decreased appetite
  • Punctures or bite wounds
  • Severe bleeding
  • Traumas, such as being hit by a car or falling
  • Unusual behavior/lethargy

Services and Capabilities

  • Highly trained team consisting of diplomates in emergency and critical care and specialty trained technicians
  • Continuous blood pressure monitoring, telemetry, and ECG
  • Continuous drug infusions, particularly for pain management
  • Defibrillators
  • Direct and indirect arterial blood pressure monitoring
  • Enteral and parenteral nutrition
  • On-site blood banking
  • Oxygen cages that are temperature and humidity controlled
  • Rapid response on-site laboratory services for blood gas analysis, electrolytes, lactate, glucose, ionized calcium and magnesium, and BUN and creatinine
  • State-of-the-art ventilation
  • We participate in clinical trials, collaborate with human and veterinary medical professionals, and remain active in professional organizations in order to offer cutting- edge treatment options to our patients

Emergency & Critical Care Doctors


Natalie Arruda Bergamaschi – DVM

Instructor

Meghan Fick – DVM, MS, DACVECC

Service Head, Emergency & Critical Care

Clinical Assistant Professor

Jenica Haraschak – MS, DVM, DACVECC

Clinical Assistant Professor, Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Erin Long – DVM, DACVECC

Lecturer

Emergency & Critical Care Residents & Interns


Yanshan Er – BVSc

Joseph Frame – DVM, MS

Danielle Martindale – DVM

Melanie Tarosky – DVM

Mara Vernier – DVM

Emergency Rotating Interns


Tim Brunner – DVM

Kay Chen – DVM

Amanda Day – DVM

Alyssa Ettinger – DVM

Jerome Joseph – DVM

Tori Matta – DVM

Claire Takeshita – DVM

Jessica Tallaksen – DVM

Sammie Von Rueden – DVM

Emergency & Critical Care Technicians


Laura Benoit – CVT

Francisco Cruz – CVT

Leeza Edersheim – CVT

Lena Fatheree – CVT

Nicole Fitzpatrick – CVT

Jessica Garrett – CVT, VTS (ECC)

Rachel Hawker – CVT

Joy Hinrichsen – CVT

Angela Hintz – CVT, VTS (ECC)

Allie Hogan – CVT

Denise Jayne – CVT

Alex Lore – CVT

Shelby McClure – CVT

Alysha McDaniel – CVT

Bryce McDuffie – CVT

Michala McStoots – CVT

Lisa Miller – CVT

Margaret Mineo – CVT

Cameron Otis – CVT

Megan Rader – CVT

Jill Sackville – CVT

Abby Schraeder – CVT

Lydia Smith – CVT

Morgan Sunderland – CVT

Mel Thornton – CVT

Adaline Totka – CVT

Jorie Traylor – CVT

Kayla VanWassenhove – CVT

Danielle Wright – CVT

IMC Veterinary Assistants


Malinda Reed

Kaitlyn Temples