Emergency

If You Have an Emergency, Click Here

To be prepared, please add 207-885-1290 to your cell and home phone directories.  We are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for emergency care.

The Maine Veterinary Referral Center is both specialty referral hospital and emergency hospital.  We provide 24-hour emergency care and serve all pet owners directly, without needing a referral.  Our goal is to stabilize, diagnose and treat your pet’s emergency needs.

*  24-hour veterinary and nursing staff prepared for all your pet’s life-threatening and critical care needs
*  Advanced diagnostic capabilities including MRI, CT and Digital Radiography
*  Physiological monitoring to track the patient’s condition, support the treatment plan and immediately identify new medical emergency needs
*  Blood and plasma transfusions
*  Emergency surgery
*  Advanced anesthetic monitoring capability
*  Experience in assessing pain and administering appropriate pain management

About Emergencies
We are always here for your emergency pet health care needs.  Emergency veterinary care gives your pet the best chance of a successful outcome and recovery.

If you are unsure if your pet has an emergency, we are available to help.  A phone call to our staff may help ease your mind or provide information to help you make a decision, call us 207-885-1290

Triage:  We treat the most critically ill or seriously injured patients first.  This is called “triage.”  Upon arrival at the MVRC all pets are triaged by our experienced medical staff.  Pets with emergencies are seen as they arrive at the MVRC and served based on the severity of the condition or injury.  If you’re pet has life threatening needs they will be seen immediately.  We have special procedures and equipment available which can significantly improve your pet’s survival and recovery in emergency situations.

When Your Pet Needs Emergency Medical Attention:

*  Cat with open mouth breathing
*  Blue, purple, or pale gums or tongue.
*  Trouble breathing / severe coughing
*  Severe bleeding ( or bleeding that doesn’t stop)
*  Ingestion of a foreign object
*  Lacerations
*  Signs of extreme discomfort
*  Acute lameness
*  Eye trauma, vision problems
*  Inability to move legs or weakness in limbs
*  Distended abdomen
*  Difficulty urinating / urinating blood
*  Severe vomiting, diarrhea or unproductive retching
*  Seizure or tremors
*  Unresponsive
*  Unusual and erratic behavior
*  Sudden collapse
*  Diabetic emergencies
*  Uncontrollable itching / hives / allergic reactions
*  Neonatal emergencies
*  Porcupine Quills
*  Suspect poisoning ( i.e. rat bait, antifreeze,
   medications…)
*  Labor that isn’t progressing

We Work with Your Pet’s Primary Veterinarian

The MVRC emergency doctors work in cooperation with your primary veterinarian.  Although the MVRC can play an important part in your pet’s health care, your relationship with your primary veterinarian has the greatest impact on maintaining a happy and healthy life for your pet.

Keeping Your Primary Veterinarian Important to Your Pet’s Recovery

To ensure continuity of care your primary veterinarian will be called the next morning by an emergency doctor.  Your veterinarian will be faxed your pet’s medical report and recommendations by the next business day.  Upon discharge from MVRC, you will be provided with a discharge letter, medications if needed and recommendations for you or your veterinarian’s follow-up care.  Suture removal and rechecks can be scheduled with your primary veterinarian.  Our Emergency Department staff is available 24 hours a day for questions and concerns about your pet’s health.

Emergency Specialty Care

If your pet is transferred from our Emergency Department to one of our specialists (after your consent and your veterinarian’s recommendation), you will be contacted to begin the referral process and most importantly to discuss the plan for your pet’s treatment and recovery.

Critical Care

Your primary veterinarian can also transfer a sick pet to us for over-night critical care needs.  Your primary veterinarian will be kept informed of your pet’s progress and care.

OPEN  24 hours, 7 days a week
1500 Technology Way
Enterprise Business Park
Scarborough, Maine 04047
Phone:  207-885-1290      Fax:  207-885-1293
Email:  MVRC@MaineVeterinaryReferralCenter.com