When your pet is unwell it can be hard to know whether to wait, book an appointment, or call immediately. In this short video, Dr Ebeneze from Takurua Vets explains how to assess your pet at home and recognise when a situation is an emergency.
00:00 Introduction – meet Dr Ebeneze
00:08 What on-call emergency care means
00:26 You do not need to be a registered client
00:44 What happens when you call us
01:04 How we avoid long wait times
01:25 What emergencies we can treat
01:46 Fully equipped emergency facilities
02:03 Calm, supportive care when you need it most
02:20 Final reassurance – call us anytime after hours
Hi, I’m Ebeneze, lead veterinarian at Takurua Vets in Christchurch, and I want to explain how our emergency care service works after hours.
We provide an on-call emergency veterinary service outside of normal clinic hours, so if something happens overnight or on the weekend, you can contact us directly and speak to a qualified veterinary professional.
You don’t need to be a registered client to use our emergency service. If your pet is unwell, you’re welcome to call us and we’ll focus on getting your pet the care they need.
When you phone, we’ll ask a few questions about what’s going on so we can assess how urgent the situation is and make sure we’re ready before you arrive. This allows us to allocate arrival times rather than having you sit in a waiting room for hours.
Our clinic is fully equipped to manage a wide range of emergencies, including trauma, poisoning and sudden illness, with on-site surgery and imaging such as X-rays and ultrasound available when needed.
We know emergencies are stressful, and our goal is to make the process calm, simple and supportive from the very first phone call. If you’re ever worried about your pet after hours, don’t hesitate to contact us - we’re here to help.
Talk to us if you are worried your pet may need urgent care
If your pet is suddenly unwell and you are unsure whether to wait, book, or call immediately, our team can help you work out the next step.
Learn how our emergency and after-hours service works when your pet needs urgent assessment.
Learn what happens when you bring your pet in for urgent assessment and how we approach the visit.
Learn more about one of the most common urgent scenarios where early advice matters.
Learn what to do if your pet may have eaten an object or harmful material that could cause obstruction or poisoning.
Read the companion guide for urgent signs, what to do while you call, and where to start with common emergency concerns.
