Emergency Veterinary Services
If your pet is exhibiting any symptoms or behaviors that concern you, contact our office right away, or the after-hours emergency pet hospital location closest to you.
The reliable and compassionate teams at Holland Veterinary Hospitals offer veterinary care for pets in most emergency situations. Animals are our passion, and we're dedicated to providing quality medical care when your pet needs it most.
Steps to Take In A Pet Emergency
If your pet is experiencing an emergency, follow the steps below.
- Call Ahead - During regular business hours, call us right away. After hours, call the emergency animal hospital closest to you to inform them that you're 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 as possible. Follow these instructions carefully.
- Stay 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 one of our Hattiesburg and Wiggins locations during office hours or the after-hours emergency vet.
Emergency FAQs
Read through our most frequently asked questions below to learn more about bringing your pet in for an emergency appointment at Holland Veterinary Hospitals.
- Do I need to call ahead?
Holland Veterinary Hospitals provides emergency and urgent veterinary care for pets during our regular clinic hours. Please call us first so we can ensure we can accommodate your emergency.
If we are unable to fit your pet into our schedule, we recommend that you visit the after-hours veterinary emergency care clinic nearest to you.
- When is your clinic open?
Our veterinarians see emergency cases during our regular business hours. See our locations for more information.
- What situations require emergency veterinary care?
The following situations are examples of emergencies that require immediate care:
- Severe bleeding or bleeding that doesn't stop
- Signs of pain or anxiety
- Choking, difficulty breathing, or continuous coughing/gagging
- Fractured bones or severe lameness
- Seizures and/or staggering
- Bleeding from the 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 (e.g. antifreeze, xylitol, chocolate, rodent poison, etc.)
- Heat stress or heatstroke
- Refusal to drink for 24 hours or more
- Unconsciousness
- How long will we have to wait to see the vet?
Our Hattiesburg and Wiggins animal hospital is just like a human doctor's office—it can be unpredictable and you may have to wait.
As we cannot predict what cases we'll see or how many patients will come in, we recommend calling 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 animal emergency services.
- What happens if my pet needs to stay in the hospital?
Some veterinary emergencies require intensive overnight care. If overnight care is needed, we will work with you to get your pet referred to a 24-hour facility.
- What types of animals do you treat?
Our emergency veterinarians are mostly experienced with cats and dogs but will see other animals in serious situations.