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24-Hour Emergency Service

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We understand that it can be a stressful and scary time for most owners when their pet suffers an unexpected emergency when our clinic is not open. In order to help reduce some of that stress and improve access to care, we have teamed up with Smart.Vet for our emergency after-hours services. To access emergency after-hours care while are closed, call Smart.Vet at (807) 789-5148.

Outlined below are the steps required to access emergency services through Smart.Vet. All emergency cases are required to be triaged similar to the human emergency system.

  1. If our clinic is closed, and you are experiencing an emergency with your pet, please call Smart.Vet at 807-789-5148. You will speak directly to an Ontario Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) who will discuss your pets situation with you and ask you some basic questions. This step may take a few minutes to complete.
  2. If the RVT determines that your pet is suffering from a life threatening emergency and requires an in person examination right away, they will contact the appropriate veterinarian on-call and provide you with further instructions.
  3. If the RVT feels your pet’s condition may be able to be dealt with without an in-person emergency visit, they will assist you in setting up a virtual appointment with an Ontario based veterinarian. This means that the RVT does not feel your pet is currently suffering from an immediately life threatening condition.
  4. The RVT will aid you in setting up an account that meets the legal requirements for the provision of veterinary medicine in Ontario. Payment is accepted in the form of a Credit Card, Debit Card or e-transfer. This payment is required to proceed further though the triage process. This step may also take several minutes.
  5. You will now be in the scheduled queue for your virtual consultation. We understand that this wait can be stressful for owners. It is important to note that if your pet experiences a new symptom or change in condition during this wait you are able to contact the RVT again and your place in the queue may be reassessed. Otherwise please be patient and know that if your pet is waiting for a consultation that is a good thing! It means their emergency situation has not been deemed life threatening.
  6. During your virtual consultation, the veterinarian will further assess your pet. This may mean requesting a video or photos to aid in the process. This veterinarian may be able to prescribe certain medications for your pet which would allow you to avoid the unnecessary cost and travel time for an in person visit. Their records and treatment will be sent to us the next business day so that we can proceed with any follow up for further treatment required.
  7. At the end of your consultation, if the virtual veterinarian believes that your pet should be seen in clinic, they will arrange a transfer to the facility most suitable to your pet’s expected level of care and provide you with further instructions. When a transfer is facilitated Smart.Vet will provide a reduced consultation fee.

You may still call/utilize Smart.Vet even if you are not a client of Northwestern Veterinary Hospital. Non-clients should call 1-888-243-1411. If you are not a client of ours, Smart.Vet will reach out to other clinics in the region if your pet needs in-person care.

Please feel free to contact the clinic with any questions!

Learn more about Smart.Vet at www.smart.vet