Pet emergency

Emergency vet care in Fort McMurray

If your pet is having trouble breathing, has collapsed, or may have eaten something toxic, call our main line. Our team answers during open hours. When we are closed, current clients reach a registered veterinary technologist (RVT) who will help you decide what to do next.

Call (780) 715-9369
Mon to Fri, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

When we are open

Call us before you leave home so our team can be ready when you arrive. Emergencies are seen in order of medical urgency.

Call (780) 715-9369
Evenings, weekends and holidays

When we are closed

Current clients can call the same number any time. Through our partnership with Animal HealthLink, an RVT will answer, ask about your pet’s symptoms and help you decide what to do next.

  • They may ask for photos or videos of your pet.
  • If your pet is stable and comfortable, we will contact you the next day we are open to book an appointment.
  • If your pet needs care right away, the RVT will direct you to a suitable emergency service.

Available to current Wood Buffalo Small Animal Hospital clients.

Call (780) 715-9369
Other emergency options

Need in-person care after hours?

These services can help if your pet needs to be seen while we are closed,
or if you are not a current client of WBSAH.

Riverside Ambulatory Veterinary Care

Mobile and on-call service in Fort McMurray. On call after hours, 7 p.m. to 11 a.m. (check ravc.ca for current hours).

Riverside can assess your pet, give medication and do x-rays, bloodwork and ultrasound. They do not perform surgery and will refer you if your pet needs it.

Call 780-531-0664 Text Riverside

Pulse Veterinary Specialists and Emergency

Nearest 24-hour emergency hospital. 450 Ordze Rd #320, Sherwood Park, AB T8B 0C5. About 4 hours and 25 minutes from Fort McMurray.

Open 24 hours, every day. Call before you leave so their team can prepare and tell you whether your pet is safe to travel.

Call 780-570-9999 Get directions

Signs your pet needs care right away

If you are unsure, call us. It is always okay to ask.

  • Trouble breathing, or blue or pale gums
  • Collapse, weakness or not able to stand
  • Seizures
  • Bleeding that will not stop
  • Hit by a car, a fall or another injury
  • A swollen, hard belly or retching with nothing coming up
  • Straining to urinate, especially male cats
  • Repeated vomiting or diarrhea
  • Eye injuries or signs of severe pain
  • Heatstroke or hypothermia

If your pet ate something toxic

Call our main line at (780) 715-9369, open or closed. You can also call the Pet Poison Helpline at 1-855-764-7661 (a fee applies). Do not try to make your pet vomit unless a vet tells you to.

Common household toxins

  • Chocolate
  • Grapes and raisins
  • Xylitol (sugar-free gum, some peanut butters)
  • Antifreeze
  • Human medications
  • Cannabis edibles
  • Lilies (cats)
  • Rodent poison

On the way to the vet

Call ahead and bring the packaging or a photo of what your pet ate, with roughly how much and when. Keep your pet calm and still, use a blanket or board to carry an injured dog, and keep cats in a carrier.