Where To Get Emergency Vet Services In Central Oregon

Let's face it - sometimes we don't think about these kinds of things until it's too late. I've found in my experience that emergencies never seem to happen during 'regular business hours'. So what to do if you are out hiking late on a Saturday afternoon at Smith Rock and your dog gets bit by a rattlesnake and you haven't gotten your dog anti-venom shots?

Or what if you step outside to say goodnight to your friends who are leaving at 11:00 p.m. after a nice dinner and cards - and your dog who happens to have his cloaking device on slips out the door beside you unaware, runs into the road just in time to get hit by a passing car?

Unfortunately, life is full of things that just happen - both on a human and a canine level. The important thing I've found is to try and be as prepared as you can be. We are never altogether prepared but at least if you know where emergency vet services are available in Central Oregon, you have a chance to get your pet the best care as quickly as possible.

Of course this will vary from pet to pet - and most vets nowadays service a wide range of animals such as dogs, cats, birds, reptiles and rodents such as ferrets - even llamas and alpacas. And if you live in Central Oregon, most vets also have experience with cattle, pigs and horses.

I am a dog person and thus I tend to always use dogs as an example. However, most of this information relates to all animals but for simplicity, I will keep it to dogs!

Situations classified as needing emergency attention:

• Bleeding
• Injury or trauma
  
• Allergic reaction
• Known or suspected poisoning
• Pet having trouble urinating
• Loss of ability to move or get up
• Bites - from snake bites to llama bites to dog bites
  
• Burns - caustic or fire
• Inability to breathe properly
• Pain and discomfort anywhere
• Bloat (most common in horses or dogs) - This a medical condition that requires immediate and urgent care because if not treated, the stomach can twist irreparably causing the pet to die a very slow and agonizing death
• Birthing that isn't progressing naturally is a medical emergency and may require a cesarean section to aid in delivery. Failure to get proper medical attention for the animal may result in uterine hemorrhage and death

I believe in being safe rather than sorry so if in doubt, calling a vet would always be the wisest choice. I have had to take several of my dogs in as emergencies and several times those dogs did not survive. In those cases, however, it was a case of the dogs being too old and the damage too severe.

Some emergencies with my own pets:

• One of my dogs got bloat and it was the second time. She was almost 14 and the vet felt she could not survive the surgery.
• An old dog at about age 17 just collapsed and couldn't move - he apparently had a stroke. We wrapped him in a blanket and carried him to the vet. Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do to save him at that point.
  
• After spaying one of our dogs, she developed a raging infection after the surgery. She became listless and lethargic and by the time we got her to the vet, she had spiked a super high fever. Fortunately, they got it down and she survived.
• One of our dogs jumped the fence into the path of an oncoming car and was luckily not killed - but her leg was severely broken. We got her to emergency services and they were able to splint her leg until we could have the vet fix it the next day
  
• We had a dog with a cone on her head because she had a hot spot and would not leave it alone. She somehow hit one of our other dogs with the cone in the eye. This caused the eye to be so scratched that the inside protective lid came down over the eye and we had no idea what was wrong. It looked grotesque and we thought it had damaged his eye permanently. We took him to emergency and they were able to fix the temporary lid and give medicines to soothe the scratched eye.
• One of our dogs was in a fight and the other dog bit his leg so badly that the tendon was exposed. He couldn't even put weight on it. Emergency vet services sewed him up and got him back to normal.
• Another older dog woke up one day and just couldn't stand and walk straight. She could walk but would fall back down. We thought she had had a stroke but it turned out she had vertigo and a neurological condition which was temporary - both treatable conditions.

That said, I always try and call my vet and ask what I should do. Usually vets have an answering service and if they are not available, most often there is an on-call vet that can answer the burning question - 'Should I bring my dog in right now somewhere or should I wait until morning?' By listening to the symptoms or circumstances, they can give you some idea of what the problem could be - although bear in mind over-the-phone diagnosis is not always possible.

If you don't have a vet available that you can call after hours, or for instance if you are traveling, look under veterinary clinics and try to find one that advertises availability 24 hours a day.

There are several instances where taking your pet in right away is not a true emergency but still you might not know how to proceed. Only you and your vet and/or emergency vet clinic can decide that question. They rarely get upset with people for calling and asking so I would always call and ask. Such cases as these might occur:

• My dogs were sprayed by a skunk. Almost immediately, one of them seemed to react - he just became 'sick' and lethargic. He was sprayed in the face and the vet thought probably it was a reaction to a close range shot to the face. He did tell us what to do to clean them up and what would make him more comfortable - also what signs to watch for. The dog was fine after a day or so and we didn't have to make a trip in to the vet.
  
• Porcupine quills - It rather depends on how badly they were 'sprayed' with quills and where - and if you know that you can safely remove them. It can be questionable whether it's an emergency. It again depends on where the quills ended up. Waiting in some cases can be hazardous in the event that the pet bothers the quills or any get into eyes, mouth or ears. There are recommended ways of removing the quills but make sure you know what you're doing or have a professional do it. Parts of the quill can remain lodged which can lead to infection. Again, calling in might save you and your pet grief down the road.
  

In both these cases, you have to decide if treatment can wait until morning or even if it is needed at all. Is it mandatory that you get the animal treatment right away or if you can handle it yourself?  I've found that that's what vets are there for - advice and treatment!

Check out the video on what signs to look for to determine if your pet needs emergency treatment.

Once you've determined that your pet does need emergency treatment, here are some options. I like to have a knowledge base before things happen so hopefully these facilities will be of use in determining who you can call.

These are clinics in different cities of Central Oregon but a nice geographical spread. Use your best judgment on who you could call and then who you could get your pet to quickly if it's an emergency.

The Animal Emergency Center is located in Bend Oregon off Highway 97. This clinic offers specialized equipment to help diagnose your pet's illness or injury. Some of the things that might be required are available at the clinic such as:

• Blood work
• X-rays
• Monitoring in the form of blood pressure, temperature or EKG

They can also provide these services:

• Cesarean section
  
• Anti-venom for snake bite
• Wound or laceration repair
• Removal of foreign body - including in the stomach
• Stabilization of broken bones
• Treatment for trauma from being hit by a car
• Infection
• Bleeding internally

FEES

Fee for examination is $95. You will be provided with a written estimate of the total cost of care in terms of tests or procedures. The Animal Emergency Center takes Visa, Mastercard, check, cash or CareCredit (a credit card program for paying vet bills over time but as needed).

HOURS OF OPERATION

Animal Emergency Center is open Weekdays 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 24 hours per day on weekends and holidays.

PHONE: 541.385.9110

Redmond Veterinary Clinic has been in business serving Central Oregon since 1942. The library of useful information that they have on-line is impressive and you can learn much in the way of preventative medicine for your pets as well as learn helpful hints for common maladies - or just read up on pet care in general.

Though cats and dogs are the usual pets we think of, Redmond Veterinary Clinic has expertise with dogs and cats as well as horses, cattle, llamas and alpacas.

There is a vet on call 24 hours per day 7 days per week at Redmond Veterinary Clinic and if you call the number listed below, you will get in touch with a vet and be instructed on how to proceed.

Redmond Veterinary Clinic offers a full plate of services for emergency pet care and they have the facilities to perform x-rays, run tests, perform surgery and administer necessary fluids and medicines.

PAYMENT METHODS

You can pay for services at Redmond Veterinary Clinic several ways: Standard credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard, American Express. You can also pay by check or with cash.

You can also pay by EasiPay which is a service through Redmond Veterinary Clinic where the bill is divided into 3 monthly payments after a deposit is made. You would be required to pay the deposit before taking the pet home and then you are billed for 3 equal monthly bills to pay off the rest with a 1.5% service charge.

Also available is CareCredit which is an on-demand credit card - you use it when you need it and then pay it off.

They also have several health insurance plans for the interested pet owner.

HOURS OF OPERATION

Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday 8:00 to noon
Sunday - closed
24-hour emergency care

PHONE: 541.548.1048

Prineville Veterinary Clinic has been our vet for the past 6+ years since moving here to Central Oregon. If you are looking for emergency vet services and you are in the Prineville area, this is who you want to call.

This veterinary clinic is top of the line when it comes to knowledge base and care. When one of our malamutes became strangely sick 6 years ago, our vet was able to diagnose him with Addison's disease where everyone else was stumped. A disease that should have killed him after a year or two ended up staying in remission and gave him 5 more good years of quality life.

Prineville Veterinary Clinic is equipped to do surgery and x-rays. They can also set broken bones and are fully prepared with anti-venom as well. They offer a variety of prevention programs and such programs as shown on the sign - dental health discounts, wellness exam discounts and even senior discounts.

Prineville Vet Clinic believes that pets are more like family members - or at least that seems to be the feeling in this part of the country. They treat each animal to the best of their ability and with compassion. However, they also know when to tell you that there is nothing more that can be done and when it's time to think about euthanasia.

Check their website for fabulous information on all kinds of pet problems, weight reduction suggestions, and general maintenance for pets. There is so much information there that it may keep you busy for a while.

Prineville Veterinary Clinic also offers boarding and pet sitting during the day.

I have a friend whose golden retriever got into something and was showing all the signs and symptoms of poisoning. Our vet met her at the clinic and the dog received excellent care and was as good as new by the next day.

METHOD OF PAYMENT

Credit cards are accepted, as are checks or cash. You can also use CareCredit at Prineville Vet Clinic when the unexpected bill happens.

HOURS OF OPERATION

Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday

For emergencies, simply call the clinic's number and someone will meet you at the clinic or advise you on what to do.

PHONE: 541-447.2179

In short, there are several options depending on what part of Central Oregon you are in since the region encompasses about a 45-minute radius either way from Bend. Sometimes, time is of the essence and if you have the information available, you'll probably be in a better position to get emergency care according to where you are in Central Oregon.

I have not tried this particular service, but there is also a mobile service in Central Oregon called Home Comfort Veterinary Services. This is a mobile vet service and is owned by Dr. Rex Urich. Check out their website for more information.  They advertise home visits for all veterinary services such as exams and shots - but also provide euthanasia services in the pet's home.  This can be a very comforting service when faced with this terrible decision and affords the pet comfort most of all.  Phone: 541.848.3773

Sometimes planning ahead and knowing what your plan of action will be is also a good idea. Much as with children, we cannot always foresee what our pets will get into or what will happen.  The old saying is true - an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Knowing where you will be able to seek help is a good idea and I like to think having the information at hand will help me save time and get help for my pet if needed.

We all hate to think of needing emergency vet care, but sometimes it just happens. These vet clinics though are experts at emergency care and understanding what needs to be done and also what can be done.