The goal of the emergency service of the Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center is to provide the highest level of emergency medical and surgical care available 24-hour care in conjunction with consistent and effective communication with the client and referring veterinarian.
We accept emergency referrals or walk-in patients at any time. We also provide after-hours, weekend and holiday emergency services for veterinary practices throughout the Greater Philadelphia area.
Appointments are not needed for our emergency service however it is advised that the client or their referring veterinarian call ahead so we will be prepared for the patient’s arrival.
VSEC’s emergency service is staffed by a team of emergency veterinarians. This team is led by four board-certified veterinary emergency and critical care specialists who is a Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care (ACVECC).
Only Diplomates of the ACVECC have completed a 3-year residency in emergency and critical care and passed a series of national qualifying examinations. No other veterinarians have received as much rigorous and complete training and testing in the field of veterinary emergency and critical care.
Services Offered:
- 24-hour staffing by doctors and nurses for your pet's emergency care
- Initial testing and stabilization of any medical or surgical patient
- Blood typing, cross-matching, blood and plasma transfusions for anemia and bleeding disorders
- Oxygen therapy and respiratory support for patients with respiratory distress
- Full-service, in-house stat laboratory including blood gas analysis
- Emergency surgery available at all times for emergency cases like GDV, hemoabdomen, C section and foreign body obstruction
Please keep in mind that patients are seen based on the severity of the illness or injury.
When you come to the VSEC emergency service, a triage nurse will take your pet's vital signs and a brief history.
After an evaluation, a doctor will discuss a diagnostic and treatment plan with you. The doctor may recommend that your pet be treated and discharged or advise hospitalization for ongoing care. An estimate will be provided for the cost of the care.
While you complete the admission paperwork for your pet, tests and treatments will begin as soon as possible to aid your pet. A doctor will contact you later that same day with the results of the testing and treatment.
In addition, your primary veterinarian will be updated on your pet’s status and treatment. Decisions for your pet's care can be made in conjunction with input from your primary veterinarian. Stable pets requiring ongoing care after initial treatment are encouraged to be transferred back to their primary veterinarian.
If the pet is in an unstable condition, we can provide continued hospitalization at VSEC in our Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The emergency department can also facilitate your pet seeing a specialist at VSEC on an emergency basis. VSEC specialists in emergency and critical care, internal medicine, surgery, cardiology, radiology, oncology, dermatology, ophthalmology and acupuncture can provide same day, weekend and holiday consultations for critical cases.
VSEC’s Emergency Doctors:
- Laura W. Tseng, DVM, DACVECC
- Melissa A. Java, VMD, DACVECC
- Garret E. Pachtinger, VMD, DACVECC
- Rebecca S. Syring, DVM, DACVECC
- Laura E. Babcock, DVM
- Doug P, Nieh, DVM
- Karen L. Palazzini, DVM
- Julia L. Shih, VMD
- Tracy K. Schlicksup, DVM
- Laura K. Schmitt, VMD
Testimonial
What you do is so much more than a job, and of course it’s the way you do it – with excellent care, incredible compassion and more patience then I’d ever thought possible. Thanks for everything.
Diana, Newtown, PA
