Urgent Care Services

It can be difficult to remain calm when your beloved pet is in distress. Fortunately, Dalton Veterinary Practice is now offering pet owners the opportunity to provide their furry friends with the urgent care they need, when they need it. We are excited to provide Urgent Care services by appointment to our clients and the Dalton community.

We take care of any issues that fall between the typical veterinary visit and an emergency hospital during the following times:

Monday-Tuesday: 8am-5pm

Wednesday-Friday: 8am-8pm

When your pet is experiencing an urgent situation, we understand that time may be of the essence. Please call our hospital directly at (706) 281-4770 to make an appointment to be triaged.

Once triaged, our team will advise if:

1. Urgent care is appropriate for the current medical needs, if emergency care is required – we will assist you on finding the closest emergency location.
2. Provide a time to arrive for your visit. At this time, we will send the required history paperwork to be completed prior to your arrival.

Urgent Care Vs. Emergency Care

We can handle:

• Abscesses
• Coughing
• Ear Infections
• Fever
• Hives/Swelling Reaction
• Limping
• Skin Allergies
• Superficial Cuts/Wounds
• Minor Vomiting and Diarrhea

Emergency hospitals triage pets based on their symptoms or condition severity. Any patient needing treatment but not in a life-threatening condition may be asked to wait.

An urgent care situation involves issues that need medical attention but are not life threatening. These patients might be uncomfortable, but they are stable and can be seen at regular appointments.

Veterinarians at emergency hospitals use the patient severity triage systems to interpret your pet’s condition. This index includes the following levels:

Green: Stable: minor cuts, prolonged low appetite, limping, fever, and mild injuries are non-urgent conditions that can be treated after the first three levels. The patient is uncomfortable but stable, experiencing diarrhea, low appetite, ear infection, or skin irritation.

Yellow: Urgent: These patients are what are referred to as stable sick. Examples of urgent care include sudden illness, severe cuts, vomiting, trouble walking, allergic reactions or difficulty urinating.

Red: Emergent: these traumas are not life-threatening but are time sensitive, including a venomous snake bite, heat stroke or exhibiting a severe physical trauma or cardiac arrest.

If you need assistance triaging your pet’s condition, please reach out to us by phone at (706) 281-4770. Typically, Green, and Yellow triage can receive urgent care treatment. Pets in the Red category may need
to be taken or transferred to the emergency room. Serious trauma and difficult birth patients should continue to an emergency center.

Contact Dalton Veterinary Practice

At Dalton Veterinary Practice, we provide urgent care by appointment. Please call us at (706) 281-4770 if your pet is experiencing urgent symptoms.