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
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