24/7 Emergency
You can bring your pet to our emergency department at any time and no appointment is necessary.
Emergency 24/7 treatment for your dog, cat, bird, or exotic pet
If your beloved pet is ever in need of urgent medical attention, please call or bring them in so that our team of world-class vets and nurses can diagnose and treat them in our cutting-edge facilities.
You can bring your pet to our emergency department at any time and no appointment is necessary.
Our friendly, caring and highly experienced team of vets are here for you 24 hours, 7 days a week. Our veterinary emergency department is equipped to handle any and all emergencies and will make sure your pet receives the best care available in North Ryde, Western Sydney, Alexandria, Adelaide, and the Central Coast.
After arriving at SASH Emergency
Emergency care is prioritised by the urgency of the case, and does not operate on a first come first serve basis. Upon arrival, your pet will be triaged to assess the urgency of the case. Generally speaking, longer wait times is a good thing, as it means your pet is medically stable, which may not be the case for other patients.
Does my pet need emergency treatment?
Just like emergency departments in human hospitals, SASH Emergency can become extremely busy. The most urgent cases always take priority, meaning that less urgent cases may experience extended waiting periods. For families, a decision needs to be made about whether or not the pet needs to be treated, or if they are able to wait until their regular vet can see them the next day.
The following can help you decide if you wish to bring in your pet through to SASH Emergency.
The SASH Emergency difference
SASH Emergency is open 24/7, 365 days a year. Our Emergency departments are among the largest and most resourced in the areas in which they operate. This generally means shorter wait times and a faster response to urgent cases.
When you bring your pet to SASH Emergency, you can have peace of mind that they will receive the best possible care. Our Emergency Veterinarians and Nurses are highly experienced in providing urgent care, utilising facilities comparable to human hospitals.
In life-threatening situations, veterinarians that have specialised in critical care can make a difference. SASH is fortunate to have Australia’s largest team of Specialists in Critical Care that oversee each hospital’s bespoke and state-of-the-art ICU (intensive care unit), each built to support the Emergency department. Once your Emergency Veterinarian has determined that additional expertise or hospitalisation is required, your pet will have access to a higher level of care through a Specialist in Critical Care.
SASH Emergency Vets never work alone. Through SASH’s unique multidisciplinary ethos, SASH Emergency Veterinarians will collaborate or internally refer complex or highly specialised cases to the appropriate specialist department, many of which cannot be found in other Australian veterinary hospitals. Examples include:
- Neurology & Neurosurgery for the brain or spine
- Ophthalmology for emergencies related to eyes
- Oncology for cancer cases
- Surgery for emergency surgical procedures
- Internal Medicine for management of complex cases
- Diagnostic Imaging for advanced scans such as MRI or CT
- Avian & Exotics for a birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, reptiles, ferrets, etc
Please note that not every service is available at every SASH hospital. For more information, please call the numbers at the top of the page.
Our Emergency Vet Locations
(02) 8913 4000
When Should I Bring My Pet To Emergency?
Call if you are unsure, but some of the reasons you might bring your pet
to our 24 hour vet emergency department include:
- Changes to breathing (faster breathing, breathing harder, panting excessively)
- Snake bites
- Paralysis ticks
- Overheating
- Excessive coughing
- Vomiting or diarrhoea
- Straining to urinate or defecate
- Collapsing or severe weakness/fatigue
- Paralysis or inability to move normally
- Ingesting poisons such as: rat bait, snail or slug bait, antifreeze, human or pet prescription medication, chocolate, macadamia nuts, grapes, raisins or sultanas
- Trauma such as being hit by a car, falling off a balcony or dog or cat fights
- Vomiting blood
- Abdominal bloating
- Distress or drooling after eating a bone or other object
- Eating a fishhook or anything not meant to be ingested
- Any condition causing excessive pain
SASH 24/7 Emergency FAQs
No. Pets can be brought to the Emergency department at any time, without having to make an appointment. We encourage anyone who is concerned about a pet to contact us, or bring the pet to us, so we can diagnose and treat them immediately.
Just like human hospitals, the wait time at SASH Emergency is highly dependent on the case load at any given time, but priority will always be given to those requiring the most serious and urgent care. Patients will always be seen and triaged soon after arrival by our experienced nurses. SASH hospitals are among the biggest vet hospitals in their region of operation. This means that generally, wait times are shorter than other hospitals.
Pets brought to the Emergency department are promptly assessed by an experienced triage nurse. An Emergency Veterinarian will then consult with the owner and formulate a preliminary diagnosis and provide supportive treatment. If a patient requires ongoing care, we will admit the pet and collaborate with our colleagues in other departments at SASH, such as Surgery , Internal Medicine, and Critical Care , to ensure that we best meet the patient’s needs. Emergency care is the first crucial part of the patient’s journey to recovery. The collaborative approach at SASH ensures that every patient has the benefit of many different teams working closely together to restore their quality of life.
Although Emergency Vets are trained to deal with all sorts of emergencies across many species, they are not avian or exotic specialists. SASH has an Avian & Exotics department only at its North Ryde hospital.