Do I need a referral to come to SKVH urgent care?

No referral is required to seek urgent care. Families may contact Stittsville Kanata Veterinary Hospital directly for same-day urgent veterinary care when availability permits.

Will SKVH send records back to my regular veterinarian?

Yes. Upon request, visit summaries and diagnostics can be shared with a pet's regular veterinarian to ensure continuity of care.

Can SKVH treat injuries from dog fights?

Stable bite wounds, lacerations, punctures, and soft-tissue injuries are commonly treated in urgent care. Severe trauma or instability may require emergency hospital care.

Urgent Care vs Emergency Vet

Q: Is urgent care faster than going to a 24-hour emergency hospital?

Emergency hospitals use a priority-based triage system, meaning the most critical patients are seen first. Stable but uncomfortable pets may wait several hours. Urgent care appointments at Stittsville Kanata Veterinary Hospital are scheduled, allowing pets to be seen at a confirmed appointment time when availability permits.

Q: Can I come to SKVH instead of going to an emergency hospital?

If a pet is stable but unwell, such as vomiting, diarrhea, limping, ear pain, urinary discomfort, or minor wounds, urgent care may be appropriate. If a pet is experiencing breathing difficulty, collapse, severe trauma, or uncontrolled bleeding, emergency care is required.

Not Every Sick Pet Needs a 6-Hour ER Wait

Serving families in Ottawa, Kanata, and Stittsville, SKVH provides scheduled urgent veterinary care designed to bridge the gap between wellness visits and full emergency hospitals.

If your pet is stable but unwell, you may not need a 24-hour emergency hospital.

At Stittsville Kanata Veterinary Hospital, urgent-care visits are scheduled — not triaged behind critical trauma cases.

WHEN URGENT CARE IS OFTEN APPROPRIATE

Urgent care is typically appropriate for pets who are:

• Vomiting (but alert)

• Diarrhea

• Straining to urinate but still producing urine

• Frequent urination

• Blood in urine (stable)

• Limping

• Sudden back pain but walking

• Ear infections

• Eye redness or squinting

• Skin infections or hot spots

• Lacerations or cuts (not severe bleeding)

• Bite wounds / dog fights (stable, no shock signs)

• Broken nails

• Mild allergic reactions (facial swelling but breathing normal)

• Abscesses

• Sudden lethargy but responsive

• Minor burns

• Foreign body concerns (not actively choking)

These pets are uncomfortable — but not collapsing or unstable.

Live Estimated Urgent-Care Wait Times

We provide live estimated urgent-care wait times, updated throughout the day, so pet owners can plan ahead and avoid prolonged or uncertain waits.

Appointments available today.
At SKVH, your pet is seen directly by a veterinarian at a scheduled time — without hours-long ER queues after nurse triage.

Starting Sunday at 8 am.

X-rays, bloodwork, urine analysis, hospitalization, surgeries, procedures & more.

Call Urgent Care Direct Line to see if we can see your pet

GO DIRECTLY TO EMERGENCY IF:

• Difficulty breathing

• Continuous seizures

• Collapse/unconsciousness

• Severe trauma (hit by car, high fall)

• Uncontrolled bleeding

• Pale gums with weakness

• Severe abdominal distension

• Suspected toxin ingestion with severe symptoms

For these cases — do not delay.

Emergency hospitals prioritize the sickest patients first — as they should.

That means stable but uncomfortable pets may wait hours.

Before committing to a multi-hour emergency wait:

Check our Live Urgent Care Tracker

Call our Urgent-Care Direct Line

If emergency stabilization is required, we will tell you immediately.

Costs and Expectations

If your pet needs urgent medical assessment during clinic hours, please contact us.

Call or text to book an urgent visit.

343-463-8787

Veterinary exam room at Stittsville Kanata Veterinary Hospital used for urgent medical assessment.

Urgent Care FAQs

Is urgent care faster than going to a 24-hour emergency hospital?

In many stable cases — yes.

Emergency hospitals operate on a triage system, meaning the most critical patients are treated first. Stable but uncomfortable pets may wait several hours.

At Stittsville Kanata Veterinary Hospital, urgent-care visits are scheduled. If we have availability, your pet is seen at a confirmed appointment time rather than waiting behind higher-acuity emergencies.

If your pet requires emergency stabilization, we will advise you immediately.

Can I come to SKVH instead of going to an emergency hospital?

If your pet is stable but unwell — vomiting, diarrhea, limping, ear pain, urinary discomfort, lacerations, bite wounds — urgent care is often appropriate.

If your pet is struggling to breathe, collapsing, having continuous seizures, or severely bleeding, emergency care is required.

If you’re unsure, call us first. We help determine the safest level of care.

What if my regular veterinarian cannot see my pet today?

Many primary care clinics book days in advance and may not accommodate same-day acute issues.

Urgent care at SKVH is specifically designed for pets who need to be seen within 24 hours but are not in immediate life-threatening distress.

We regularly help families when:

Their clinic is fully booked
Their clinic is closed
They were advised to go to emergency but prefer to explore urgent options first

If emergency care is required, we will redirect appropriately.

Is urgent care less expensive than emergency?

Costs depend on the condition and required diagnostics.

Emergency hospitals operate 24/7 with ICU staffing and advanced stabilization capacity, which reflects in their fee structure.

Urgent care is structured for stable same-day medical problems during clinic hours. Many families find this appropriate for non-critical issues.

If advanced emergency-level stabilization is needed, that level of care is essential.

How do I know if my pet is “urgent” or “emergency”?

A simple way to think about it:

Emergency = life-threatening instability

Urgent = painful or unwell, but stable

If your pet:

• Is breathing normally

• Is conscious

• Is responsive

• Is not actively bleeding severely

Urgent care may be appropriate.

If there is any doubt, call us.

We will advise honestly — and quickly.

Routine wellness exams, preventive vaccinations, and ongoing care for stable pets are provided through scheduled General Wellness appointments.