Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine contact, 24/7 locations, ER visit steps, referrals, records, payment, and specialty care help
Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine is a 24-hour emergency and specialty veterinary hospital group with two Southern Connecticut locations: North Haven and Guilford. Walk-in emergencies are welcome, while specialty services are generally appointment-based.
This guide is built for pet owners who need practical action steps, not just a generic listing. It covers phone numbers, maps, emergency triage, referral records, specialty departments, hospitalization expectations, rVetLink, billing, CareCredit, pet insurance, and what to prepare before arriving.
North Haven, CT 06473. Phone: 203-865-0878. Listed as open 24/7/365.
Guilford, CT 06437. Phone: 203-533-6444. Listed as open 24/7/365.
Emergency and urgent-care patients are triaged by medical severity, not by arrival order.
Specialists are available by appointment. ER patients may be referred to specialty follow-up when appropriate.
Central focuses on emergency and specialty care, and shares records with your family veterinarian for continuity.
Payment is due at discharge, and a deposit is required for hospitalized patients or procedures.
Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine locations, phone numbers, and hours
Central has two official locations. Do not publish only one address, because pet owners may need the closest emergency hospital or the location requested by their referring veterinarian.
| Location | Official details | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| North Haven | 4 Devine Street, North Haven, CT 06473 · 203-865-0878 · Open 24/7/365 | Emergency visits, referral transfers, specialty appointments, diagnostics, hospitalization, and record coordination. |
| Guilford | 535 Boston Post Road, Guilford, CT 06437 · 203-533-6444 · Open 24/7/365 | Emergency visits, shoreline access, referral transfers, specialty appointments, and follow-up coordination. |
| Emergency status | Always open, including holidays | Call ahead when possible, but do not delay severe emergency care. |
| Specialty status | Specialists by appointment only | Use your family veterinarian referral, Central’s specialty department, or ER follow-up recommendation. |
| Main service area | Southern Connecticut and surrounding New England | Helpful for pet owners from New Haven, shoreline towns, central Connecticut, and referring hospitals. |
Google maps for North Haven and Guilford
Use these maps for route planning. For emergency care, call the location while someone else drives if safe, or go directly if symptoms are severe and time-sensitive.
Safe arrival for dogs
Use a secure leash or crate. Injured dogs may bite from pain or fear, so handle carefully and ask the team for help if your dog cannot walk safely.
Safe arrival for cats
Use a latched carrier. If your cat is struggling to breathe, collapsed, or unable to urinate, call ahead and tell the team the exact symptom before arrival.
Bring these items
Bring medications, toxin packaging, vaccine records, recent lab work, prior imaging, discharge notes, insurance information, and your primary veterinarian’s contact details.
Update during wait
If your pet’s breathing, gum color, pain, bleeding, alertness, or seizure activity changes while waiting, tell the liaison immediately so triage can reassess.
Start here: choose the right action for your pet
Central is not a routine wellness clinic page. It is mainly an emergency and specialty-care hospital, so the correct next step depends on urgency, referral status, and location.
| Your need | Best action | Prepare before calling or arriving |
|---|---|---|
| Life-threatening emergency | Call the nearest Central location and go now, or go directly if every minute matters. | Medication list, toxin packaging, recent records, safe carrier/leash, and payment method. |
| Stable urgent issue | Call North Haven or Guilford before driving so the team can advise and prepare. | Symptoms, start time, appetite, vomiting/diarrhea, urination, breathing status, and photos or videos. |
| Specialty appointment | Ask your primary veterinarian to refer the case, send records, and confirm which department is needed. | Exam notes, test results, imaging, medications, diagnosis, and reason for referral. |
| Emergency transfer from your vet | Your primary veterinarian should call ahead and submit records before arrival when possible. | Treatment already given, lab values, X-rays, ultrasound, medications, fluids, and current stability. |
| Hospitalized pet update | Follow the communication plan given by the Central care team. | Questions about treatment, monitoring, estimate, discharge timing, medications, and follow-up care. |
| Payment or insurance | Ask for an estimate, deposit amount, discharge balance, CareCredit, and claim paperwork. | Pet insurance policy, Trupanion details if applicable, payment card, and claim email or app. |
| Records or rVetLink | Use Central’s records workflow or your referring veterinarian’s rVetLink access. | Pet name, owner name, visit date, Central location, primary vet contact, and requested records. |
Official online actions for Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine
Use these official pages for live actions and verification. For emergency symptoms, call or go in instead of waiting on a website task.
Contact and locations
- Choose North Haven or Guilford.
- Confirm the correct phone number and map route.
- Call ahead for emergency arrival when possible.
What is an emergency?
- Review urgent symptoms such as labored breathing, poisoning, collapse, seizures, straining to urinate, bloat signs, and trauma.
- Use the page for education only.
- Do not delay emergency care if your pet is unstable.
Emergency referral guidance
- Referring veterinarians should call before transfer.
- Send test results, imaging, treatments, and exam findings before arrival.
- Tell the owner what to expect in ER triage.
When your pet is a patient
- Review assessment, diagnostics, estimate, treatment plan, hospitalization, and discharge steps.
- Prepare questions before speaking with the doctor.
- Schedule follow-up care after discharge.
Payments
- Review payment due at discharge.
- Ask about deposits for hospitalization or procedures.
- Check CareCredit and insurance support before authorizing care.
Online patient records
- Use rVetLink for online patient records when appropriate.
- Referring veterinarians can access records and reports.
- Ask Central or your family vet if you need a copy for insurance or follow-up.
Emergency visit process: what happens after you arrive
Emergency hospitals see the sickest patients first. A pet that looks stable may wait while a critical patient receives immediate care.
| Emergency sign | Why it matters | What to bring |
|---|---|---|
| Labored or rapid breathing | Can signal respiratory disease, heart disease, poisoning, metabolic crisis, or shock. | Medication list, videos, symptom start time, and exposure details. |
| Dry heaving with distended abdomen | Can be a bloat sign and may be life-threatening. | Timeline, last meal, breed/age, and any prior bloat history. |
| Straining to urinate | Urinary obstruction can become fatal, especially in cats. | Urination history, litter-box notes, medications, and prior urinary records. |
| Poisoning or foreign-object ingestion | Dose, time, and product determine treatment options. | Packaging, ingredient label, amount, time of exposure, and pet weight. |
| Seizure, collapse, trauma, bleeding, eye injury | These may need rapid stabilization, pain control, imaging, or specialty care. | Video if safe, medication list, trauma details, and primary vet records. |
Referral transfer, records, and primary veterinarian coordination
Central is a referral and emergency hospital. Good records reduce delays and help the ER or specialty team understand what has already been done.
| Referral step | Official guidance | Practical owner note |
|---|---|---|
| Call before transfer | Referring veterinarians are asked to call ahead and discuss the transfer with an ER doctor. | Ask your family vet which Central location is expecting you before you leave. |
| Referral liaison | Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., the referral liaison is listed at 203-867-5159. | Outside those hours, call the main location number to speak with the ER. |
| Submit all records | Central asks for all records before patient arrival, including test results, imaging, treatments administered, and exam findings. | Do not rely only on verbal history if X-rays, lab values, or medication details are important. |
| North Haven records | The referral page lists North Haven records email as records@centralpetvet.com. | Include pet name, owner name, referring hospital, visit date, and reason for transfer. |
| Guilford records | The official page displays a Guilford records email line that should be verified by phone before use. | Call 203-533-6444 and confirm the current Guilford records email before sending sensitive records. |
| After Central care | Central says it shares records with the family veterinarian and notifies the primary vet when a pet is hospitalized or visits the hospital. | Ask whether your primary vet has received discharge notes, lab results, and imaging reports. |
Emergency and specialty services available through Central Hospital
The official site lists many specialty departments. Confirm the exact department, appointment type, and location before scheduling because emergency access and specialty appointments work differently.
| Care area | What it helps with | What owners should ask |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency & Critical Care | Walk-in emergency evaluation, stabilization, urgent diagnostics, ICU-level monitoring, and critical-care support. | Which location should we come to, and what should we bring before arrival? |
| Anesthesiology | Anesthesia planning and monitoring for complex procedures or higher-risk patients. | Does my pet need pre-anesthetic testing, fasting, or special monitoring? |
| Behavior | Complex behavior cases that may need veterinary evaluation, medication planning, or specialty input. | Is this appointment referral-based, and what behavior history should I prepare? |
| Cardiology | Heart defects, age-related heart disease, congestive heart failure, rhythm problems, and high blood pressure. | Will my pet need an echocardiogram, ECG, blood pressure check, Holter monitor, or X-rays? |
| Internal Medicine | Complex medical cases, chronic disease, endocrine problems, gastrointestinal issues, respiratory concerns, and advanced diagnostics. | Which prior labs, imaging, medication trials, and specialist records should be sent first? |
| Radiology & Teleradiology | X-rays, ultrasound, CT, MRI, imaging interpretation, contrast studies, guided biopsies, and imaging consultation. | Is the imaging outpatient-only, part of a specialty consult, or part of emergency care? |
| Neurology | Seizures, weakness, paralysis, spinal pain, balance issues, and brain or spinal-cord concerns. | Does my pet need MRI, medication changes, hospitalization, or emergency evaluation first? |
| Ophthalmology | Eye injury, eye pain, vision changes, ulcers, glaucoma concern, and specialty eye evaluation. | Is the eye problem urgent enough for ER before specialty appointment? |
| Surgery | Soft-tissue and advanced surgical cases, emergency surgery consideration, and procedure planning. | What estimate, deposit, anesthesia plan, recovery restrictions, and recheck schedule apply? |
| Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation | Mobility, injury recovery, rehabilitation planning, pain support, and post-surgical recovery. | Should rehab start before or after imaging, surgery, or specialist diagnosis? |
| Hospice and grief resources | End-of-life planning, comfort-focused care, family support, and aftercare decisions. | What comfort, quality-of-life, cremation, memorial, and grief-support options are available? |
| Advanced therapies | The official department menu includes Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Iodine-131 Treatment, Oncology, and Interventional Radiology. | Is the service available at both locations, and does my pet need referral records first? |
What happens when your pet becomes a Central Hospital patient
Central’s patient information explains how assessment, diagnostics, estimates, hospitalization, updates, discharge, and follow-up work.
Doctors, specialists, technicians, and support team
Central’s official pages describe a large hospital team, including emergency doctors, board-certified specialists, certified technicians, specialized technicians, assistants, client liaisons, and administrators.
Doctor and specialist scale
The official homepage says Central’s medical staff includes more than 35 doctors, including board-certified specialists. The exact doctor schedule can change by department and location.
Technician support
Central describes certified and specialized veterinary technicians supporting emergency, ICU, imaging, surgery, specialty, and hospitalized patient care.
Primary vet collaboration
Central says it works with the family veterinarian and shares records to support ongoing care after ER, hospitalization, or specialty service.
How to choose a specialist
Do not pick only by department name. Ask whether your pet should be seen through ER first, through outpatient specialty consultation, or through your primary veterinarian’s referral.
Doctors and specialists
Open official doctor directory
- Review the doctor and specialist directory.
- Match the department to your pet’s problem.
- Call the location to confirm schedule and availability.
Support teams
- Use this to understand the broader hospital team.
- Ask a liaison how updates will be communicated.
- Confirm who to contact after discharge.
Payment, estimates, deposits, CareCredit, and pet insurance
Emergency and specialty veterinary care can be expensive because 24-hour staffing, advanced diagnostics, ICU equipment, and specialists may be involved.
| Money question | Official detail | Practical action |
|---|---|---|
| When is payment due? | Central says payment is due in full at discharge. | Ask for an updated estimate before discharge and confirm the final balance. |
| Is a deposit required? | A deposit is required for hospitalized patients or pets undergoing procedures. | Ask the exact deposit amount and what it covers before authorizing hospitalization or procedures. |
| What payment methods are accepted? | Central lists major credit cards, debit cards, personal checks, and cash. | Bring a payment method that can handle emergency or specialty-care costs. |
| Are in-house payment plans available? | Central says it is unable to offer in-house payment plans. | Ask about CareCredit before or during estimate discussion if cost is a concern. |
| Is CareCredit accepted? | Central says it accepts CareCredit and links separate North Haven and Guilford CareCredit routes. | Apply early if possible and confirm approval before relying on it for treatment. |
| Does Central accept pet insurance? | Central says it accepts and helps facilitate all pet insurance claims. Most plans reimburse owners after payment. | Tell the liaison your insurer, policy number, claim process, and whether preauthorization is needed. |
| Is Trupanion supported? | Central identifies itself as a Trupanion Certified Hospital as of January 2025. | Ask whether direct payment through Trupanion applies to your case and policy. |
rVetLink, online patient records, and post-visit communication
Central’s official rVetLink page points to online patient records and mobile app access for referring veterinarians. Pet owners should ask Central or their family veterinarian how they can receive copies.
For referring veterinarians
Use rVetLink to review online patient records, reports, and case information when access is available.
For pet owners
Ask whether discharge notes, imaging reports, lab results, and specialist instructions were sent to your primary veterinarian.
For insurance claims
Request itemized invoices, medical notes, diagnosis, treatment plan, medications, and proof of payment before submitting a claim.
For follow-up
Confirm whether follow-up is with Central, a specialty department, or your family veterinarian before leaving the hospital.
What low-value listings miss about Central Hospital
Many third-party pages only show name, phone, and a review score. This guide adds the information pet owners actually need during a stressful emergency or referral.
| Common thin listing detail | Why it is not enough | Helpful detail added here |
|---|---|---|
| One address only | Central has North Haven and Guilford locations, both with different phone numbers. | Both addresses, both phone numbers, and two Google maps. |
| “Open 24 hours” | Users need to know that walk-in emergencies are welcome but specialists are appointment-only. | Emergency versus specialty decision table and referral workflow. |
| Generic ER warning | Pet owners need triage expectations and what happens if the pet is unstable. | Triage, stabilization permission, diagnostics, estimates, ER exam, and specialty transfer notes. |
| Short service list | Specialty service pages need owner questions and referral preparation. | Department table with practical questions for cardiology, radiology, neurology, surgery, internal medicine, and more. |
| No payment context | Emergency decisions often involve deposits, estimates, insurance, and financing. | Payment due at discharge, deposit rule, accepted methods, CareCredit, and pet insurance workflow. |
| No records help | Referral and insurance cases need records, imaging, invoices, and discharge notes. | Referral records checklist, rVetLink notes, insurance documentation, and follow-up record transfer steps. |
Official source checklist used for this guide
Use these official links for verification and live actions. Third-party review pages can be useful for public feedback, but official pages should control emergency, location, payment, and records decisions.
| Official source | What it verifies | When to open it |
|---|---|---|
| Central Hospital homepage | 24-hour emergency and specialty care, two locations, doctors, specialists, state-of-the-art equipment, and primary-vet collaboration. | Open first for the main official entry point. |
| Contact and locations | North Haven and Guilford addresses, phone numbers, 24/7/365 status, walk-in emergency note, and location map links. | Open before driving, calling, or choosing a location. |
| What is an emergency? | Emergency symptoms, triage explanation, poisoning advice, urinary obstruction warning, bloat signs, eye injury, seizure, breathing, and wound guidance. | Open for education, but do not delay emergency care. |
| Emergency visit expectations | Call-ahead guidance, triage, wait-time explanation, diagnostics, estimates, emergency cost range, insurance help, and collaborative care. | Open before or after an ER visit to understand the process. |
| Emergency referral guidance | Referring-vet call-ahead process, referral liaison phone, record submission, unstable-patient handling, and ER-to-specialty expectations. | Open when your primary vet is transferring the case. |
| When your pet is a patient | Initial assessment, diagnostics, treatment recommendations, estimate, hospitalization, monitoring, discharge, and follow-up expectations. | Open if your pet is admitted or needs specialty treatment. |
| Payments | Payment due at discharge, deposit requirement, accepted payment methods, CareCredit, and pet insurance claim help. | Open before authorizing hospitalization, procedures, or specialty care. |
| Pet insurance | Insurance reimbursement explanation, insurance company examples, and Trupanion Certified Hospital note. | Open before submitting claims or asking about direct payment. |
| rVetLink records | Online patient records route and rVetLink app information for veterinary record access. | Open for online records and referring-veterinarian access. |
| Doctors and specialists | Official doctor and specialist directory entry point and department navigation. | Open before requesting a specific specialty department or doctor. |
Important pet health and safety notice
This guide helps with contact, locations, maps, emergency preparation, referral records, payments, and owner questions. It does not replace veterinary diagnosis or treatment.
Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine FAQs
These questions focus on the two 24/7 locations, phone numbers, emergency visits, specialty appointments, referrals, records, payments, insurance, rVetLink, and what to bring.