Four ways VEG ER for Pets is revolutionizing emergency veterinary care

If you’ve ever frantically searched for emergency veterinary care in Toronto, you know how scary and stressful it can be: your pet is sick or injured, your regular vet is closed or doesn’t have any available appointments, and you desperately need to get your pet medical help. But when you finally get to an emergency clinic, your pet is whisked away behind closed doors, leaving you alone in the waiting room, wondering what’s happening in the back and how much it’s going to cost.

Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be like that anymore.

Meet VEG ER for Pets.

Now open in Etobicoke, with more GTA locations coming soon, VEG ER for Pets is a new full-service emergency veterinary hospital that’s reinventing the way pets and their parents receive care.

“We rebuilt the emergency model from the ground up,” says Dr. Annie Kwok, DVM, medical director at VEG ER for Pets in Etobicoke. “What really makes VEG different is how we involve pet parents throughout the entire experience. Families stay with their pets. We communicate openly. And treatment happens in front of the people who love the pet the most.”

Open 24/7, 365 days a year, including weekends and holidays, VEG ER for Pets prides itself on a game-changing approach to top-notch emergency veterinary care.

Call and speak to a doctor

Not sure if your pet’s situation is actually an emergency? At VEG ER for Pets, you can call in first and speak directly with a veterinarian. “Over the phone, we can help determine whether a pet should come in for emergency care,” Kwok explains. “While we can’t provide a full diagnosis or medical treatment plan over the phone, we can help guide pet parents through what they are seeing, explain whether the situation sounds urgent, and help them make the safest decision for their pet.” The hospital is staffed 24 hours a day, every day, so there’s always someone ready to take your call.

Comprehensive high-quality care

VEG ER for Pets treats all manner of furry, feathery and scaly pets, including dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, turtles, reptiles and birds. And whether your pet needs surgery, imaging, diagnostics or even hospitalization, VEG ER for Pets offers a comprehensive range of services—from emergency procedures to compassionate end-of-life care—using the latest technology and equipment. And that care begins as soon as you arrive. “At VEG, pet parents see a doctor right away for triage when they walk through our front doors,” Kwok explains.

Treatment together

Unlike other emergency veterinary hospitals, VEG ER for Pets allows pet parents to stay with their pets at all times. “Families are invited to stay [with] through every step of care, including treatments, procedures, surgeries and even overnight hospitalization,” says Kwok. She explains that this helps reduce fear and anxiety for the pets and ensures pet parents feel informed, included and supported.

“Emergency care should feel human, not cold, confusing or isolating,” Kwok says. “Keeping people and their pets together is one of the most compassionate things we can do.” She adds that the staff at VEG ER for Pets also collaborate with a pet’s primary-care veterinarian whenever possible, “Because we believe the best care happens when everyone is working together.”

Total transparency

VEG ER for Pets hospitals are open-concept—no waiting rooms, no “back rooms”—so treatment, including surgery, is always fully visible. “It creates trust, transparency and connection,” says Kwok. “Pet parents can see the care being provided, ask questions, participate in their pet’s care and better understand their pet’s condition.”

Treatment plans and pricing are also reviewed with pet parents every step of the way, so there are no surprises. “Emergency medicine can be an unexpected expense, and we understand how stressful that can be,” Kwok says. “We also offer financing options through different partners to support families during these difficult moments.”

For Kwok, the collaborative culture and end-to-end compassionate care at VEG ER for Pets set it apart from the proverbial pack. “I’ve been in the veterinary industry for more than 15 years, and there is truly no place like VEG ER for Pets,” she says. “We treat pets like people, and we treat people like human beings.”

To learn more about VEG ER for Pets and its services, visit veg.com.