When your pet suddenly becomes sick or injured, it can be difficult to know whether to schedule an appointment, call a veterinarian immediately, or go directly to an emergency veterinary hospital.
Loving Care Veterinary Hospital is here to help you make the safest next decision.
During our regular office hours, call us at 973-728-2273. Our team can ask a few important questions and help determine whether your pet may be seen at Loving Care Veterinary Hospital or should be taken directly to an emergency facility.
If your pet is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, do not wait for an email response, online appointment request, or callback. Proceed to the nearest open emergency veterinary hospital.
Go directly to an emergency veterinary hospital if your pet is experiencing any of the following:
Do not delay emergency treatment while waiting to see whether your pet improves.
Some emergencies are obvious. Others may begin with subtle changes in breathing, movement, behavior, appetite, or energy.
You know your pet’s normal habits better than anyone. A sudden or significant change deserves attention—particularly if the condition is worsening or your pet appears frightened, painful, weak, or unable to get comfortable.
When you are uncertain, it is always appropriate to call a veterinary professional for guidance.
Seek Immediate Emergency Care
Emergency veterinary hospitals are equipped to provide continuous monitoring, advanced critical care, emergency surgery, oxygen support, blood products, and other services that may be needed during a life-threatening situation.
Your pet should be taken directly to an emergency facility when:
Call LCVH Promptly
Other illnesses and injuries may not appear immediately life-threatening but should still be evaluated as soon as possible.
Call Loving Care Veterinary Hospital during office hours if your pet has:
Cats can become seriously ill after prolonged periods without eating. Urinary difficulty—particularly repeated straining by a male cat without producing urine—may be an emergency and should never be ignored.
Call 973-728-2273 so our team can help determine the appropriate next step.
01
Pay close attention to your pet’s breathing, gum color, ability to stand, level of awareness, and signs of pain or distress.
If your pet is having trouble breathing, has collapsed, is bleeding heavily, or appears critically ill, go directly to an emergency veterinary hospital.
02
During office hours, call Loving Care Veterinary Hospital at 973-728-2273.
Calling first allows our team to gather important information, prepare for your arrival, or direct you to an emergency facility that is better equipped for your pet’s immediate needs.
03
Keep your pet as quiet and still as possible. Use a secure carrier for cats and small animals. A blanket, towel, board, or other flat surface may help support a larger injured pet.
Even gentle pets may bite when frightened or in pain. Keep your face and hands away from your pet’s mouth. Do not muzzle a pet that is vomiting or having difficulty breathing.
The safest first aid is usually limited to protecting your pet from additional injury and transporting them for professional care.
While preparing to leave:
Do Not:
Pets can be poisoned by medications, foods, plants, household chemicals, pesticides, rodenticides, automotive products, recreational substances, and many other materials.
If you believe your pet has eaten, inhaled, or come into contact with something potentially toxic:
Call Immediately
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
A consultation fee may apply.
Be prepared to provide:
Do not induce vomiting or give your pet anything by mouth unless you are specifically instructed to do so.
Whenever possible, call before bringing in a sick or injured pet. Depending on your pet’s condition, the care required, and appointment availability, our team may arrange an evaluation at Loving Care Veterinary Hospital or direct you to an emergency veterinary facility.
1485 Union Valley Road
West Milford, NJ 07480
973-728-2273
Regular Office Hours
| Day | Time |
|---|---|
|
Monday |
8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. |
|
Tuesday |
8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. |
|
Wednesday |
8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. |
|
Thursday |
8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. |
|
Friday |
8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
|
Saturday |
8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. |
|
Sunday |
Closed |
Holiday hours may vary. Please call to confirm availability.
Loving Care Veterinary Hospital is not a 24-hour emergency hospital.
If your pet becomes seriously ill or injured after our regular office hours, do not wait for the hospital to reopen. Contact the nearest open emergency veterinary hospital and proceed there as directed.
Emergency hospital availability, wait times, and patient capacity can change. Call the emergency facility before leaving whenever doing so will not delay lifesaving care.
Preferred Emergency Hospital
790 Route 3 Clifton, NJ 07012
975 Bloomfield Ave. West Caldwell, NJ 07006
1 Papermill Dr. Whippany, NJ 07981
When Loving Care Veterinary Hospital is open, our team can help you determine the most appropriate next step based on the symptoms you describe and the type of care your pet may require.
When appropriate, our hospital’s diagnostic capabilities may support the evaluation of sick and injured pets through:
If your pet requires critical care, overnight monitoring, emergency surgery, or specialized treatment beyond what can safely be provided at our hospital, we will recommend referral to an appropriate emergency or specialty facility.
During regular office hours, call us at 973-728-2273. Based on your pet’s symptoms and the level of care required, our team can advise whether your pet may be evaluated at LCVH or should go directly to an emergency veterinary hospital.
Yes. Calling first allows our team to understand what is happening and provide appropriate arrival instructions. However, do not delay care for a pet experiencing severe breathing difficulty, collapse, major trauma, or another life-threatening emergency.
Do not use an online contact form, email, or appointment request for an emergency. These communication channels may not be monitored immediately. Call the hospital or proceed to an emergency veterinary facility.
Call a veterinary professional. It is better to ask than to delay treatment for a potentially serious condition. If your pet’s symptoms are severe, worsening rapidly, or occurring after hours, contact an emergency hospital.
No—not unless a veterinarian or animal poison specialist specifically instructs you to do so. Inducing vomiting can be dangerous with certain substances or medical conditions.
That depends on the symptoms. Breathing difficulty, collapse, uncontrolled bleeding, inability to urinate, poisoning, serious trauma, prolonged seizures, extreme pain, and rapidly worsening conditions should not wait.
A temporary improvement does not always mean the danger has passed. Contact a veterinarian and describe exactly what occurred, how long it lasted, and how your pet is behaving now.
You do not have to make a difficult decision alone.
During Loving Care Veterinary Hospital’s regular office hours, call our team for urgent guidance. If your pet is experiencing a life-threatening condition or needs care after hours, proceed to an appropriate emergency veterinary hospital.
For non-urgent concerns, request an appointment with Loving Care Veterinary Hospital.
Loving Care Veterinary Hospital provides emergency and urgent pet care guidance for families in West Milford, Hewitt, Upper Greenwood Lake, Ringwood, Newfoundland, Wanaque, Highland Lakes, Vernon, Stockholm, McAfee, Oak Ridge, Greenwood Lake, Warwick, and surrounding communities throughout northern New Jersey and nearby New York.
