Emergency Care at Bridger Veterinary Specialists & Emergency
When you arrive at BVS for care, your pet will be triaged and seen based on the level of the severity of their condition and not necessarily in the order of arrival. If you are experiencing a longer wait than others, it is because your pet has a less serious condition. Please refer to the chart below for common conditions and their priority for care.
Level 3 - Critical Emergency
- Respiratory Distress
- Collapse/Can’t get up
- Straining to urinate-blood in urine in MALE cat
- Active seizure/cluster seizure
- Trauma (hit by car, animal attack, severe injury)
- Profuse bleeding
- Persistent non-productive wretching
- Trouble during active labor
- Toxin ingestion
- Overheated
Level 2 - Urgent
- Persistent/severe vomiting
- Appetite loss for more than 24 hours
- Known foreign body ingestion causing illness
- Aggressive coughing w/out distress
- Multiple seizures within a 24 hour period, but not actively seizing
- Diarrhea paired with vomiting or loss of appetite
- Allergic reactions (facial swelling, hives)
- Small wounds or lacerations
Level 1- Non-Urgent or Semi Urgent
- Itching/Scratching
- Chronic weight loss
- Chronic illness/diseases
- Hair loss
- Red eyes/skin/ears
- A single seizure with a full recovery
- Vomiting (2 or fewer episodes)
- Acute diarrhea without vomiting
- Straining to defecate
- Blood in urine/straining to urinate in a dog or FEMALE cat
- Broken nails
Reasons you may be waiting to be seen:
- Critical patients are being treated that require immediate care
- We have hospitalized patients that require care
- Your pet is stable and is being seen for a less serious injury or illness
- Patients that require care have arrived before you and have already been waiting
We understand that an unexpected visit to the veterinarian can be a stressful experience. We want to assist you and your pet in a timely and efficient manner. We have a team that is caring, compassionate and hardworking. They provide exceptional patient care and want the very best for you and your pet. We ask that during this stressful time that you continue to treat our team with kindness and respect.