Emergency Veterinary Care
Daytime Emergency Care
Contact Colonial Park Animal Clinic
Call: (717) 540-7140
After-Hours Emergency Care
Emergency Veterinary Services and Referrals
Is your pet exhibiting symptoms or behaviors that are causing you concern? Contact our office right away to discuss scheduling, or the 24/7 emergency facilities listed on this page.
Our compassionate and experienced team at Colonial Park Animal Clinic offers veterinary care for pets in select emergency or urgent situations. Animals are our passion, and we take pride in providing quality medical care when it's needed most. If we are unable to offer immediate assistance, our knowledgeable staff will provide referral information to get your pet the medical attention they require.
Steps to Take In A Pet Emergency
Are you experiencing a veterinary emergency? Please follow the steps below.
- Call Ahead During Office Hours - Call us right away during regular business hours. If our team can accommodate your pet’s emergency, you will be offered an appointment time. If we are unable to provide immediate assistance, we will be happy to provide local emergency facility information.
- Outside Office Hours - Please call the resources listed on this page and explain in detail your pet’s current medical issue
- Remain Calm - Stay calm and be extra careful around your pet. Animals in pain often react negatively towards anyone attempting to help, and may scratch or bite.
- Bring Your Pet In For Care - Do not put yourself at risk! Take precautions when bringing your pet to any veterinary facility. Please be sure pets are secured safely in a carrier on a leash and handled with caution if potentially painful or injured.
Emergency FAQs
Read through our most frequently asked questions below to learn more about bringing your pet in for an emergency appointment at Colonial Park Animal Clinic.
- When is your clinic open?
Our veterinarians see emergency cases during our regular business hours:
- Monday:08:00 am - 07:00 pm
- Tuesday:08:00 am - 07:00 pm
- Wednesday:08:00 am - 07:00 pm
- Thursday:08:00 am - 07:00 pm
- Friday:08:00 am - 07:00 pm
- Saturday:Closed
- Sunday:Closed
- What types of animals do you treat?
Our emergency veterinarians are mostly experienced with cats, dogs and exotic pets such as birds, reptiles, and small mammals such as rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters.
- Do I need to call ahead?
Colonial Park Animal Clinic strives to provide the best medical care for your furry friend. If you are experiencing an emergency with your pet, please call us to see if we are able to accommodate a same day visit. Please note that we are not an emergency medical facility with round the clock care. We do our best to offer emergency care when we are able, and are happy to provide contact information for other capable facilities when we must refer patients out.
- What situations require emergency veterinary care?
These are examples of emergencies that will need immediate care:
- Your pet has ingested something poisonous (such as antifreeze, xylitol, chocolate, rodent poison, etc.)
- Choking, difficulty breathing, or continuous coughing/gagging
- Injuries to the eye(s)
- Refusal to drink for 24 hours or more
- Bleeding from nose, mouth, rectum, or blood in the urine
- Inability to urinate or pass feces, or pain associated with urinating or passing feces
- Severe vomiting or diarrhea; 2+ episodes in 24-hours
- Severe bleeding or bleeding that doesn't stop
- Heat stress or heatstroke
- Seizures and/or staggering
- Fractured bones or severe lameness
- Obvious signs of pain or extreme anxiety
- Unconsciousness
- How long will we have to wait to see the vet?
Our Harrisburg animal clinic is just like a human doctor's office—it can be unpredictable and you may have to wait.
We are unable to predict which cases we will see and when they will arrive. If possible, call ahead to find out whether we are able to provide emergency care for your dog or cat.
If we are unable to fit an emergency appointment into our vet's schedule we recommend that you visit the 24/7 animal emergency hospital listed above.
- What happens if my pet needs to stay in the hospital?
Some veterinary emergencies require supervised overnight care. If we are able to accommodate supervision for critical cases, patients will be transferred to our Palmyra location to be observed and treated. If we are unable to meet overnight needs, we will work with you and your preferred emergency facility to help the transfer go as smoothly as possible.