24 Hour Pet Hospital: Vet Care & Contact

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Apple Valley, Minnesota · 24 Hour Emergency Vet Guide · Updated September 2026

24 Hour Pet Hospital emergency vet contact, map, walk-in process, triage, payment, records, and pet-owner checklist

24 Hour Pet Hospital is a broad emergency-vet search term. For this guide, the official facility matched to the top U.S. result is South Metro Animal Emergency Care, a 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital at 14690 Pennock Avenue, Apple Valley, MN 55124.

The hospital lists emergency care around the clock, 365 days a year, including holidays. This page gives pet owners the practical steps missing from most directory listings: when to call, when to drive, what to bring, how triage works, what services are available, payment expectations, poison-control preparation, referral records, and end-of-life support.

Call Emergency Vet: 952-953-3737 Official Website Emergency Care Details Payment Options
Pet emergency warning: If your pet has trouble breathing, blue or pale gums, collapse, repeated seizures, severe bleeding, suspected poisoning, bloat signs, heatstroke, major trauma, inability to urinate, sudden eye injury, or extreme pain, call 952-953-3737 and seek emergency veterinary care immediately.
Official facility used South Metro Animal Emergency Care

Emergency veterinary hospital in Apple Valley serving the Twin Cities South Metro area.

Address 14690 Pennock Avenue

Apple Valley, MN 55124. Use this for GPS, emergency arrival, referral transfer, and records routing.

Emergency phone 952-953-3737

Call on the way if safe so the team can prepare for your pet’s arrival.

Hours 24/7/365

Open 24 hours, 365 days a year, including holidays.

Email sme@lakefieldvet.com

Email is not monitored 24/7. Do not use email for emergencies.

Emergency exam fee $229 listed

The official payment page says this is the only price quoted before an exam; treatment estimates follow.

Start here: what to do before going to a 24-hour pet hospital

Emergency visits move faster when you call first, bring the right information, and avoid unsafe home treatments.

Situation Best action Bring or prepare
Pet cannot breathe normally Call and go now. Do not wait for a regular appointment. Carrier or blanket support, medication list, toxin exposure details if any, and fastest route.
Possible poisoning or medication ingestion Call the emergency hospital and a poison hotline if instructed. Package, bottle, plant sample, amount eaten, time eaten, pet weight, and case number if you get one.
Bleeding, wound, bite, or trauma Apply steady pressure with clean cloth if safe, then go to emergency care. Do not clean deep wounds aggressively. Bring vaccination details and incident timeline.
Vomiting or diarrhea with blood Call for emergency guidance, especially if repeated, bloody, or combined with weakness. Photos, stool sample if safe, diet changes, medications, and toxin or foreign-body risk.
Urinary blockage concern Treat inability to urinate as urgent, especially in male cats. Last urination time, litter-box behavior, crying, vomiting, appetite, and medications.
Urgent but stable problem Call before leaving; staff may advise timing and what to expect. Symptoms, duration, photos, medication list, regular vet contact, and recent test results.
Phone script: “Hi, I’m on my way or deciding if I should come in. My pet is a __, age __, weight __. Symptoms started at __. Breathing is __. Gums are __. Medications are __. Possible toxin or trauma is __. What should I do right now?”

24 Hour Pet Hospital contact information and hours

Use phone for emergencies. Email and website forms are not emergency routes.

Contact item Current detail Use it for
Facility name South Metro Animal Emergency Care Emergency vet care, referral transfer, records, payment, and end-of-life support.
Address 14690 Pennock Avenue, Apple Valley, MN 55124 GPS, emergency arrival, rideshare, regular-vet transfer, and records routing.
Phone 952-953-3737 Emergency arrival, triage guidance, hospitalized pet updates, referral coordination, and payment questions.
Email sme@lakefieldvet.com Records and non-emergency communication when directed. Not monitored 24/7.
Hours Open 24 hours, 365 days, including holidays After-hours, weekends, overnight emergencies, and holiday emergencies.
Online bill pay Linked from official site Use only after confirming the bill and payment destination are correct.
Phone-number consistency note: The official site repeatedly displays 952-953-3737 as the primary phone number. Because emergency sites can update contact routing, confirm on the live official page before saving it long term.

Google map, address, and safe emergency arrival

Use the map for directions only. Call while someone else drives if possible, especially for breathing trouble, toxins, seizures, or trauma.

South Metro Animal Emergency Care
14690 Pennock Avenue
Apple Valley, MN 55124
Emergency phone: 952-953-3737

Use the embedded Google map for route planning. In a life-threatening pet emergency, do not delay care while comparing reviews, prices, or routine appointment availability.

Dogs

Use a secure leash, towel, blanket, or board support if the dog cannot walk. Avoid muzzling if the dog is vomiting or struggling to breathe.

Cats

Use a secure carrier. If the cat is weak, painful, or breathing poorly, keep handling minimal and call on the way.

Small pets

Use a secure carrier with warmth when appropriate. Bring diet, cage setup notes, medication, and symptom timeline.

Bring these items

Medication bottles, vaccine records, recent lab work, X-rays, discharge papers, toxin packaging, insurance details, and your regular veterinarian’s contact information.

Walk-in emergency process: what happens when you arrive

Emergency hospitals use triage. The most unstable pets are seen first, so stable pets may wait while critical cases receive immediate care.

Call if it is safe. Call 952-953-3737 before or while traveling so the team can prepare, especially for toxins, breathing trouble, seizures, trauma, heatstroke, or collapse.
Check in with the client service team. Provide owner information, pet name, species, age, symptoms, medication list, and your regular veterinarian’s contact details.
Triage comes first. A trained veterinary professional evaluates urgency. Life-threatening problems can move ahead of stable cases.
Doctor exam and recommendations follow. After the veterinarian examines your pet, the team explains diagnostic and treatment recommendations.
Review the estimate before care continues. The official payment page says a certified veterinary technician reviews options and gets consent before proceeding with diagnostics or procedures.
Ask about records and follow-up. Before leaving, ask when your regular veterinarian will receive records and what warning signs require immediate return.
Walk-in does not mean first-come, first-served: Emergency hospitals prioritize by medical urgency. A pet with breathing trouble, collapse, shock, or uncontrolled bleeding may be taken back before a stable pet that arrived earlier.

Emergency signs that should not wait for a regular veterinarian

Use this section for fast decision-making. When uncertain, call the emergency hospital and describe the symptoms.

Emergency sign Why it matters What to do now
Trouble breathing or blue/pale gums Breathing and oxygen problems can become life-threatening quickly. Go to emergency care immediately and call on the way.
Collapse, seizures, or inability to stand May indicate neurologic, toxin, heart, metabolic, or shock-related problems. Transport safely and keep a timeline of seizure or collapse events.
Severe vomiting or diarrhea, especially with blood Can lead to dehydration, shock, toxin concern, obstruction, or severe infection. Bring photos or samples if safe. Do not give human medicine without instruction.
Bloated or painful abdomen Bloat/GDV can be rapidly fatal in dogs and needs emergency evaluation. Go now. Do not wait to see if it improves.
Toxin, medication, or foreign-object ingestion Timing affects treatment choices, decontamination options, and prognosis. Bring packaging and call poison control if directed. Do not induce vomiting unless instructed.
Not urinating or straining repeatedly Urinary blockage is especially dangerous in male cats and can become fatal. Seek emergency care immediately.
Sudden eye injury, swelling, or blindness Some eye problems need urgent treatment to reduce pain and protect vision. Prevent rubbing and seek emergency or urgent veterinary care.
Hit by car, fall, bite wound, or major trauma Internal injuries may not be visible immediately. Transport with minimal movement and call the hospital on the way.

Emergency services available at this 24-hour pet hospital

South Metro Animal Emergency Care’s emergency page lists the facility areas and treatment methods used for critically ill and seriously injured pets.

Emergency care area Officially listed capability Pet owner note
Exam and triage 4 exam rooms plus central triage and treatment areas. Critical pets may move directly to treatment while history is gathered from the owner.
Laboratory support In-house laboratory, CBC, blood chemistry, electrolytes, blood gas, coagulation, urinalysis, ELISA technology, and fecal analysis. Ask which tests are urgent now and which can be done later with your regular veterinarian.
Imaging Radiology services, ultrasound, and board-certified radiologist interpretation availability. Bring prior X-rays if you have them, especially for trauma, lameness, or chronic conditions.
ICU and monitoring Intensive care ward, ECG analysis and monitoring, blood pressure monitoring, anesthesia and advanced patient monitoring. Ask how updates will be provided if your pet is hospitalized.
Surgery Surgical suite for procedures from laceration repairs to GDV, foreign body removals, and C-section deliveries. Request a written estimate that separates exam, diagnostics, surgery, hospitalization, medicines, and rechecks.
Isolation Isolation ward for contagious conditions. Call before entering if your pet has coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, parvo risk, or unknown vaccine history.
Oxygen therapy Three Snyder Oxygen Units accommodating pets up to 150 pounds. Pets with breathing trouble should be handled calmly and transported without unnecessary stress.
Transfusions and fluid support Plasma transfusions, whole blood and PRBC transfusions, IV fluid delivery and monitoring, enteral feeding support, urinary catheter care, thermal support, and pain management. Ask what monitoring is needed and what signs would change the treatment plan.

Diagnostics, ICU, surgery, and estimate questions

Emergency diagnostics can feel overwhelming. These questions help owners understand which steps are urgent and why.

Ask before approving diagnostics

“Which test is most urgent, what will it rule in or out, what happens if we wait, and how will the result change treatment tonight?”

Ask before hospitalization

“How often will my pet be monitored, when will I receive updates, what are the warning signs, and when would transfer or specialist involvement be needed?”

Ask before surgery

“What is the goal, what are the main risks, what is included in the estimate, what could change during surgery, and what is recovery like?”

Ask before discharge

“What medicines start tonight, what should I stop, when should my regular vet recheck, and which symptoms mean I should return immediately?”

After-hours hospitalization and transfer from a regular veterinarian

South Metro Animal Emergency Care provides after-hours hospitalization and observation for clinics that do not have staff on-site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

End-of-day transfer
Some pets may transfer from a regular veterinary clinic to SMAEC for overnight observation or care.
Morning return
The official emergency page describes patients being returned to their primary veterinarian in the morning in these transfer situations.
Status changes
If significant changes occur in status or treatment needs, SMAEC says it will notify the client and, if requested, the referring veterinarian.
Owner question
Ask who is responsible for morning pickup, which records travel with the pet, who approves added treatment overnight, and how cost estimates are handled.
Transfer planning: Do not transport an unstable pet yourself unless the veterinarian says it is safe. Ask whether oxygen, warming, monitoring, or professional transport is needed.

Emergency vet payment, exam fee, estimates, CareCredit, Scratchpay, and insurance

Emergency veterinary care can be expensive because diagnostics, intensive monitoring, surgery, oxygen, transfusions, and hospitalization may be needed quickly.

Payment item Officially listed detail How to use it
Payment timing Payment is expected at the time of service. Prepare a card, cash, or financing option before arrival when possible.
Accepted direct payments Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and cash are listed. The official payment page says American Express is not accepted.
Third-party financing CareCredit and Scratchpay are listed. Apply before or during the visit if a large estimate is expected, but approval is not guaranteed.
Pet insurance Most plans require owner payment upfront, then reimbursement after claim filing. Ask for itemized invoice, doctor notes, diagnosis, and discharge summary for your claim.
Emergency exam fee $229 listed as the emergency exam fee. The page says this is the only price quoted before the pet is examined.
Treatment estimate After the veterinarian’s exam, an estimate is prepared for recommended diagnostics and treatment. Ask what is urgent, optional, staged, or likely to change based on results.
Estimate script: “Can you show the minimum stabilization plan, the recommended plan, and what changes if test results show a worse condition?”

Poison control, toxins, and what to bring after ingestion

The client education page recommends poison hotlines for suspected toxin, chemical, or medication exposure and notes that a one-time fee may apply through the hotline.

Poison resource Listed phone What to prepare
Pet Poison Helpline 800-213-6680 Pet species, weight, toxin name, package, amount, time ingested, symptoms, and case number.
ASPCA Poison Control Center 888-426-4435 Medication bottle, plant photo, product label, ingredients, estimated dose, and timeline.
Emergency hospital 952-953-3737 Tell the emergency team if you already have a poison-control case number.
Do not induce vomiting unless instructed: Some toxins, sharp objects, breathing problems, seizures, and certain species make vomiting unsafe. Call for professional guidance first.

Referrals, medical records, regular-vet coordination, and discharge paperwork

Emergency care works best when the emergency hospital and the primary veterinarian share records quickly.

Record situation Best route What should be sent
Regular vet refers a case Doctor-to-doctor call to the on-duty SMAEC doctor, then client instructions, then records sent to the hospital. Radiographs, lab results, notes, medication list, diagnosis, and reason for transfer.
Owner self-refers emergency Call the hospital and bring available records or photos on your phone. Regular veterinarian name, recent tests, prescriptions, vaccine history, and previous diagnosis.
After emergency discharge Ask when records will be sent to your regular veterinarian. Discharge summary, medications, diagnostic results, X-rays, follow-up instructions, and recheck timeline.
Pet insurance claim Request itemized invoice and medical notes before filing the claim. Diagnosis, procedure names, medications, lab and imaging charges, doctor notes, and proof of payment.
Referral email: The official site lists sme@lakefieldvet.com for records, but it also warns that email is not monitored 24/7. Emergencies should be handled by phone and immediate arrival guidance.

Emergency veterinary team and doctor information

The official team pages list emergency veterinarians, veterinary technicians, technician assistants, client service representatives, leadership, and specialists.

Veterinarian listed Officially visible background or focus How pet owners can use this
Dr. Bryan Birch Veterinarian listed on the South Metro team page and University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine graduate. Ask the team which doctor is on duty and best suited for your pet’s emergency.
Dr. Steven Wenum Emergency field experience for more than 20 years; interests include emergency and critical care, surgery, and diagnostic imaging. Useful background for critical-care, surgery, and imaging-heavy cases when on duty.
Dr. Natasha Novik DVM from Ross University; internship in small animal medicine and surgery; interests include surgery, critical care, and wound management. Mention wounds, trauma, surgery questions, and language needs if relevant.
Dr. Steven Wasmoen University of Minnesota veterinary graduate with interest in critical care and endocrine disease. Share chronic endocrine history such as diabetes, thyroid, or adrenal issues when calling.
Dr. Erica Kenworthy Joined the team in 2023 and earned a DVM degree from St. Matthew’s University in 2022. Ask which doctor is currently managing the emergency floor and updates.
Dr. Austin Vaughn Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine graduate with a passion for emergency veterinary medicine. Useful context for emergency-focused care and urgent treatment discussions.
Dr. Jessica McGuigan DVM from the University of Minnesota; background in emergency, urgent care, and general practice; interests include trauma pain management, toxicology, endocrine emergencies, behavioral medicine, and low-stress handling. Mention toxin exposure, trauma pain, chronic disease, or handling-sensitive pets.
Dr. Alexis O’Connell Listed on an emergency-veterinarian page with small animal rotating internship and emergency-medicine experience. For any doctor request, confirm current schedule because emergency teams rotate.
Emergency team note: In a 24-hour hospital, doctor availability changes by shift. Do not delay care waiting for a preferred doctor if your pet has emergency symptoms.

End-of-life care and difficult emergency decisions

South Metro lists end-of-life care and 24/7 euthanasia services for pets in need, along with support resources for grieving owners.

When it may come up
Severe trauma, untreatable pain, advanced disease, respiratory distress, critical organ failure, or poor prognosis may lead to difficult decisions.
What to ask
Ask what treatment options exist, what comfort care can do, what signs suggest suffering, and what the realistic outcome may be.
Aftercare options
The official end-of-life page says cremation choices and home burial may be discussed so the pet is cared for according to the owner’s wishes.
Support
The page lists pet-loss hotlines and support groups. Ask the hospital for current resources if you need grief support.
Compassionate question: “Can you help me understand whether my pet is suffering, what comfort-focused care would look like, and what options I have tonight?”

Content gap audit: what low-value 24-hour pet hospital pages miss

Many pages targeting “24 hour pet hospital” only list a phone number and address. This guide adds the practical, emergency-specific details users actually need.

Common thin-page detail Why it is not enough Extra value added here
Phone and address only Owners still do not know whether to call first, walk in, email, or wait. Emergency phone script, walk-in triage process, map, arrival steps, and call-first guidance.
Open 24 hours Open status does not explain triage or why stable pets may wait. Triage explanation, emergency signs, arrival priorities, and realistic waiting expectations.
Services list A basic list does not show capabilities such as ICU, oxygen, transfusions, surgery, isolation, or diagnostics. Detailed emergency services table, diagnostics breakdown, ICU/monitoring notes, and estimate questions.
Generic “payment accepted” statement Owners need exam fee, estimate process, insurance flow, and financing context. Payment timing, accepted cards, no Amex note, CareCredit, Scratchpay, insurance reimbursement, and $229 emergency exam fee.
No poison-control preparation Toxin cases depend on timing, product details, and case numbers. Poison hotline numbers, what to bring, toxin packaging checklist, and no-home-vomiting warning.
No records or transfer instructions Emergency hospitals and regular vets need coordinated records. Doctor-to-doctor referral workflow, discharge-record checklist, and pet insurance documentation steps.
PDF/newsletter check: Search surfaced a South Metro client newsletter resource, but the actionable operational details for this article came from official emergency, contact, payment, client education, team, and end-of-life pages rather than a separate policy PDF.

Official source checklist used for this guide

This section helps users verify the core information on official pages before acting.

Official source What it verifies When to open it
24 Hour Pet Hospital / About page Facility name, address, phone, 24/7/365 hours, emergency focus, AAHA accreditation mention, team links, and hospital tour link. Open before saving the contact or sharing the facility with another pet owner.
Official homepage Emergency care around the clock, at least one veterinarian and several technicians on site, mission, FAQs, and arrival guidance. Open when deciding whether to call or drive now.
Emergency care page Exam rooms, triage/treatment areas, lab, radiology, ICU, surgery, isolation, oxygen units, transfusions, fluids, pain management, and diagnostic tools. Open when you need to know whether the facility handles critical emergencies.
Contact / referral page Doctor-to-doctor referral call, client update step, and sending records to the hospital. Open if a regular veterinarian is transferring a case.
Payment options page Payment due at service, accepted payment methods, CareCredit, Scratchpay, insurance reimbursement, emergency exam fee, and estimate process. Open before approving diagnostics, surgery, hospitalization, or a large estimate.
Client education page Poison-control guidance, Pet Poison Helpline number, ASPCA Poison Control number, and case-number preparation. Open for toxin, chemical, plant, medication, or foreign-object ingestion preparation.
Veterinarians page Emergency veterinarian names and background details. Open to learn about the doctor team, but do not delay emergency care for doctor preference.
End-of-life care page 24/7 euthanasia services, aftercare choices, pet-loss hotlines, and support groups. Open for serious quality-of-life decisions or grief-support resources.
Independent guide notice: USHospitalGuides.com is not South Metro Animal Emergency Care, not a veterinary provider, not an emergency service, and not a government agency. Use official hospital pages and phone numbers for final emergency, payment, records, referral, and treatment decisions.

Important pet health and safety notice

This guide helps with contact, address, map, emergency arrival, triage, payment, records, poison-control preparation, and source navigation. It does not replace veterinary diagnosis or treatment.

Do not rely on online information for emergency triage. Breathing difficulty, poisoning, trauma, repeated seizures, urinary blockage, heatstroke, severe pain, sudden collapse, or suspected toxin exposure needs immediate veterinary help.

24 Hour Pet Hospital FAQs

These FAQs focus on emergency vet address, phone, hours, walk-ins, triage, services, payment, poison control, records, and end-of-life care.

1. Which facility is covered in this 24 Hour Pet Hospital guide?
This guide covers South Metro Animal Emergency Care in Apple Valley, Minnesota, because its official page matches the 24 Hour Pet Hospital search intent and lists 24-hour emergency veterinary care.
2. What is the address for this 24-hour pet hospital?
The address is 14690 Pennock Avenue, Apple Valley, MN 55124. Use this address for GPS, emergency arrival, and referral transfer planning.
3. What is the phone number for South Metro Animal Emergency Care?
The main emergency phone number displayed on the official site is 952-953-3737. Call before arrival when safe so the team can prepare.
4. Is this pet hospital open 24 hours?
Yes. The official site lists the hospital as open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including holidays.
5. Do I need an appointment for emergency pet care?
For emergencies, no routine appointment is needed. The official FAQ says the emergency team accepts walk-ins during emergency hours, and calling on the way can help them prepare for severe or time-sensitive cases.
6. What happens when I arrive at the emergency vet?
Your pet is evaluated through triage, similar to a human emergency room. Critical patients are prioritized first. After the exam, the team provides medical recommendations and a treatment estimate before diagnostics or procedures continue.
7. What emergency services are available?
The emergency-care page lists exam rooms, triage and treatment areas, an in-house laboratory, radiology, ICU, surgery, isolation, oxygen therapy, plasma and blood transfusions, IV fluids, feeding support, pain management, urinary catheter support, and diagnostic testing.
8. How much is the emergency exam fee?
The official payment page lists the emergency exam fee as $229. It says this is the only price quoted before the veterinarian examines the pet and prepares an estimate for recommended diagnostics and treatment.
9. What payment options are listed?
The payment page says payment is expected at the time of service and lists Visa, Mastercard, Discover, cash, CareCredit, and Scratchpay. It states that American Express is not accepted.
10. What should I bring to a 24-hour pet emergency hospital?
Bring medication bottles, vaccine records, recent lab results, X-rays, discharge notes, toxin packaging, pet insurance details, and your regular veterinarian’s contact information. For poison cases, bring the package or plant sample and any poison-control case number.