Emergency Services

Unfortunately, you may be faced with an emergency situation at some point in your pet's life. Rushville-Mt Sterling Veterinary Clinics provide 24 hour/7 days a week emergency veterinary care for all species.  After hours emergency fees will apply in addition to normal call fees.

CALL: 217-773-3366 or 217-322-6590

Both numbers will connect you with an answering service that will then direct your call to the veterinarian on-call.

What constitutes an emergency?

In general:

• Any problem that persists longer than 24 hours.
• Any problem that worsens over several hours.
• Any systemic problems such as lethargy, loss of appetite, weakness, or fever.
• Body temperature less than100F or over 104F.

 

Small Animal: 

Gastrointestinal problems:

• Frequent bouts of vomiting or diarrhea resulting in loss of large volumes of fluid.
• Inability to drink or keep water down.
• Blood or black material (digested blood) in the vomit or stool.
• More than 3 to 4 episodes of vomiting or diarrhea in a puppy or dog older than 8 years.
• Vomiting following suspected ingestion of foreign material (toys, garbage, rocks, etc.).
• Suspected poisoning.

 

Bleeding:

• Bleeding from nose, mouth or anus.
• Bleeding accompanied by bruising of the skin, especially on the abdomen.
• Bleeding that cannot be stopped by applying pressure, or excessive blood loss.
• Weakness, difficulty breathing, or reluctance to move after a bleeding episode.

 

Lameness:

• Obvious fracture of a limb.
• Nonweight-bearing lameness that persists for more than 12 hours.
• Paralysis of one or more limbs.

 

Other Emergencies:

• Trauma.
• Venemous snakebite.
• A male cat that has not been observed urinating in 24 hours, is not eating, appears lethargic or depressed and is painful in the rear.

 

 

Equine:

What constitutes an emergency:

IMMEDIATE....CALL US RIGHT AWAY:

• Colic - your horse is rolling and won't get up, or gets up and goes right down again.
• Choke - your horse is gagging, extending his neck, and may have food particles coming from his nostrils
• Dystocia - your mare is having difficulty foaling
• Severe Bleeding

URGENT...CALL US THAT DAY

• a squinting painful eye
• colic - your horse is depressed and not eating
• fever - temperature over 102 F
•  laceration
• non-weight bearing lameness or laminitis
• retained placenta - should be expelled within 3 hours of giving birth