Emergency Veterinary Services

Serving Northwest Bexar County & Surrounding Areas

Our facility is fully equipped to provide quality emergency and critical care for our patients. A complete in-house laboratory and radiology capability allows Angel of Mercy Animal Critical Care to institute appropriate medical and/or surgical treatment, while EKG monitoring and oxygen support are available to support critical patients.

Angel of Mercy Animal Critical Care will provide copies of the medical and/or surgical record to both you and your veterinarian, ensuring his/her optimum follow-up care of your pet after discharge from the emergency clinic. A complete and final diagnosis is often not possible with just one office visit. We therefore strongly recommend you schedule a recheck examination with your regular veterinarian the first working day following your visit to the emergency clinic.

Angel of Mercy Animal Critical Care is equipped to stabilize and maintain pets with cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, endocrine, urinary, traumatic, reproductive or gastrointestinal emergencies.

Pets will be seen based on emergency triage system

The doctor will examine patients according to the above triage system, which will be determined by our staff – level one being priority.

Level One – Resuscitation

The level-one or resuscitation category includes pets that arrive comatose or in respiratory and/or cardiac arrest. Immediate stabilization efforts are required. The owner must sign an emergency consent form.

Level Two – Emergent Care

Pets may have cardiovascular compromise, be in respiratory distress, have hypoglycemia or be in a postictal (just came out of a seizure) state or seizuring. Most patients with trauma, toxicosis or gastric dilatation-volvulus (bloat-distended abdomen) also fall into this category. The owner must sign an emergency consent form.

Level Three – Urgent Care

Level-three or urgent care status indicates that the pet is in obvious mild discomfort and shows clinical signs that concern the owner. The patient’s temperature, pulse and respiration (TPR) rates or pain-scale assessment (PSA) may or may not be within normal limits, but any abnormalities are not life-threatening. Patients with small open wounds, inflammation of the skin of the ear, lameness, injury to a foot or footpad and mild gastrointestinal disorders fall into this category. It is very important to identify the reason for the injury when obtaining a history, because this will help determine the acuity (clear) level assignment. Any abnormalities related to trauma may quickly warrant reclassifying the patient at a higher level.

Level Four – Nonurgent Care

This is not life-threatening, but the owner is anxious about a slight change in the pet’s behavior or appetite or clinical signs related to a chronic condition. There are obvious signs of stress or discomfort, but the pet appears normal during the initial assessment. Pets in this category may have internal or external parasites, dermatitis or food allergies.

Level Five – Convenient Care

This is at an owner’s personal or work schedule. These pets present no clinical signs. The owner may be concerned with ectoparasites or intestinal parasites, a small tumor, a chronic condition or mild dermatitis. Euthanasia can fall in this category. If the clinic is busy and the pet’s health will not be compromised, the owner can be referred to a day practice on the first business day or have a long wait.

Hospital Payment Policy

You will be presented with an estimated total fee for the recommended treatment/diagnostic plan at the time of your pet’s physical examination. Should you have any questions at that time, please don’t hesitate to ask. It is our policy to receive full payment at the time of treatment either by cash, MasterCard, Discover, Visa, American Express, or ScratchPay.  We also accept Care Credit as a payment option. Click for more information on Care Credit. Proper identification is required. Billing will not be permitted.