Emergency Services

HVS EMERGENCY POLICY AND INFORMATION

The compassionate and capable team at HVS realizes that emergencies do happen; and they often happen at the most inconvenient or inopportune times.  Emergencies during regular business hours will be handled as timely as possible based on severity, availability and other pending emergencies.  All life-threatening emergencies will be given immediate priority and triaged/stabilized as quickly as possible.  Although we are a very well-equipped hospital with experienced and dedicated personnel, there are instances when the emergency may require care beyond our limitations; in these instances, we will recommend referral/transfer to a critical care facility in your area (see list below).

HVS’s after-hours emergency service is reserved for our existing and well-established clientele.  Please refer to the list of emergency facilities below if you are not an established client with HVS.  Existing clients with an after-hours emergency are asked to call the office at (928) 684-3070 and follow the prompt for the ‘after hours emergency’ which will transfer the call to the emergency phone.  Please leave a detailed message on the voice mail including your name, contact number and nature of the emergency; speak slowly and clearly.  If you have not heard back from a veterinarian within 15 minutes, please try your call again. After speaking with you, the veterinarian will determine if your pet needs to be seen as an emergency or if an appointment can be scheduled for the following business day. 

Dr. Ruisi and Dr. McKibbin are available for emergencies after hours as a courtesy to our clients and the local community; however, HVS is not a staffed, 24 hour emergency hospital.  There are often multiple emergencies at a time so please be patient, courteous and respectful of time while we work to ensure the animals are safe, stabilized and comfortable. We ask that you please call during regular business hours to schedule appointments for all chronic, ongoing and non-urgent matters. 

Additional fees do apply for all emergency services and payment is expected in full at the time services are rendered.  For your convenience, we do accept all major credit cards, Care Credit, checks and cash.  

1. Blue Pearl, Peoria 623-974-1520
2. Yavapai Emergency Animal Hospital, Prescott Valley 928-460-7282
3. Arizona Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Center, Peoria 602-491-1928
4. Chaparral Veterinary Medical Center (Equine Services),  Cave Creek 480-595-8600

USEFUL INFORMATION IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY

• Many emergencies are preventable with regular annual physical examinations and preventative care such as vaccinations and spaying/neutering
• When possible, it is always best to have an established relationship with a veterinarian BEFORE needing one for an emergency.  If you are traveling with your pets, we encourage you to schedule an appointment to establish a relationship with a veterinarian in the area so you know whom to contact should an emergency arise.  Keep this information available at all times.
• Please do not medicate prior to calling the veterinarian.  Certain medications may be contraindicated and should first be discussed to prevent additional harm.  Your veterinarian may also be able to make medical recommendations after speaking with you which may not be possible if you have already medicated.  Many medications can alter our physical examination findings which may be critical in reaching a diagnosis. Medications can also interfere with diagnostic tests/results. 
• If you have an equine emergency and have requested an out-call (farm call), please have the sick/injured horse out and ready for the arrival of the veterinarian.   All other pets/animals should be stalled and kept safely away from the working area.
• We encourage all horse owners to have access to a trailer; emergencies can often be seen sooner if they can be hauled into the clinic versus us traveling out to you. 
• When in doubt, call the veterinarian – in many emergencies time is a critical factor and waiting until the next day may be too late.

HASSAYAMPA VETERINARY SERVICES TRIAGE GUIDELINES