| 24-hour emergency hospital | After-hours emergency clinic | Urgent care | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours | Always open, including holidays | Nights, weekends and holidays, closed in daytime | Extended day and evening hours; closed overnight |
| Handles | Any emergency: trauma, surgery, intensive care, overnight hospitalization | Most emergencies; may transfer patients needing ongoing care in the morning | Minor injuries and illness in stable pets |
| Cost | Highest | High | Lower, between a regular visit and the ER |
When urgent care is a good fit
A small cut, an ear infection, mild vomiting or diarrhea in a pet that is otherwise bright and drinking, a broken nail, a minor allergic reaction without breathing trouble. Urgent care clinics can do exams, basic tests and outpatient treatment.
When it has to be the ER
Anything on our emergency signs list, and anything that might need surgery or overnight monitoring. Urgent care cannot keep a patient overnight, so a serious case will be referred on, costing time and a second exam fee.
How this directory treats them
We list only hospitals with a confirmed emergency service. Those open around the clock are marked Open 24/7; those with stated emergency hours are marked Limited emergency hours, with their schedule. Urgent care clinics and general practices are never listed as emergency hospitals. Where we show regular daytime clinics on a city page, they are clearly labeled as not emergency hospitals.
Reviewed November 2026. This page is general information, not veterinary advice for your pet.