When Care Can’t Wait

Medical emergencies for a beloved pet can, and often do, happen outside of normal business hours. To best meet all your pet’s needs, we work to make sure you have access to the best 24/7 pet emergency care that Charlotte has to offer.

During regular business hours, St.Francis Hospital for Animals is available to help you with any emergency your pet experiences.

If possible, please call (704) 527-2030 in advance so we can prepare for your arrival.

For emergencies that occur when we are not available, we refer clients to the following nearby emergency pet facility:

Carolina Veterinary Specialists
2225 Township Road
Charlotte, NC 28273
(704) 504-9608

CARE (Charlotte Animal Referral and Emergency)
3726 Latrobe Drive
Charlotte, NC 28211
(704) 457- 2300

When to Seek Emergency Care for Your Dog or Cat

The easiest answer as to whether you should seek emergency care for your pet is when you feel his or her medical condition is serious and cannot wait. However, we offer the following general situations to help you determine if you need to seek emergency care for your pet:

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Abdominal swelling
  • Electric shock
  • Excessive vomiting or diarrhea
  • Bleeding
  • Exhibits symptoms of heat stroke
  • Seizures
  • Sudden onset of weakness
  • High or low temperature (more than 104 or less than 100 degrees)
  • Unable to urinate or defecate
Intensive Care

The intensive care services at St. Francis Hospital for Animals is provided for patients in life-threatening condition, who need continuous monitoring and support from equipment and medication to keep normal body functions going. Many patients needing intensive care are suffering from a sudden illness, serious medical condition, or trauma, but some require it following a major surgery when they are too unstable for care elsewhere.

In the intensive care unit of our hospital, your pet will receive almost constant monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and oxygen levels. Our experienced staff will also continually monitor pain levels and administer medication as needed.

Our understanding doctors and staff are aware that this can be a stressful time for you and your pet, so we want you to rest assured that your loved one is in good hands. The duration of time spent in intensive care depends on the condition of your pet as well as the nature of your pet’s illness. Usually, a short stay is expected as animals have amazing healing capabilities.

The compassionate and knowledgeable team at St. Francis Hospital for Animals makes sure that each patient is given constant loving attention to ensure that your pet will get well and return home to you as soon as possible. Our hospital provides intensive care services to pets living in Charlotte, Pineville, Matthews, and Indian Trail, North Carolina.