Mass Veterinary Referral Hospital: Vet Care & Contact

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Woburn, Massachusetts · 24/7 Emergency & Specialty Veterinary Guide · Updated September 2026

Mass Veterinary Referral Hospital contact, emergency intake, specialty services, referrals, map, and patient help

Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital, commonly called Mass Vet or MVRH, is a 24-hour emergency, critical-care, and specialty veterinary hospital at 20 Cabot Road, Woburn, MA 01801. The main hospital phone number is 781-932-5802.

This guide is built for pet owners who need more than a directory listing. It covers when to call, when to go now, how ER triage works, how specialty appointments and referrals work, what to bring, how hospitalized-pet updates work, what services are listed, and which official links to use.

Call 781-932-5802 Emergencies & Appointments Client Registration Client Portal
Emergency warning: If your pet has breathing trouble, collapse, repeated seizures, severe bleeding, suspected poisoning, traumatic injury, pale gums, severe abdominal swelling, inability to urinate, heatstroke signs, or extreme pain, call 781-932-5802 and go to the nearest open emergency veterinary hospital. Do not wait for an online reply.
Hospital address 20 Cabot Road

Woburn, MA 01801. Use this address for GPS, emergency transport, specialist appointments, and referral paperwork.

Main phone 781-932-5802

Use for emergency arrival questions, specialty appointment scheduling, referrals, hospitalized-pet updates, and general hospital questions.

Main hours Open 24 hours

The hospital lists 24-hour operation every day, including emergency and critical-care availability.

Hospital type Emergency & Specialty Vet

Mass Vet is described as a Level 1 24-hour emergency, critical-care, and specialty veterinary hospital.

Patients served Dogs & Cats

The hospital’s about page describes care for dogs and cats entrusted to its emergency and specialty teams.

Best first step Call Before Arrival

Walk-ins are welcome for emergencies, but calling ahead helps the hospital prepare and provide next-step instructions.

Start here: choose the right route for your pet

Mass Vet is not the same as a routine wellness clinic. Use this decision table before driving, booking online, or asking your primary veterinarian for a referral.

Your situation Best action What to prepare
Life-threatening emergency Call 781-932-5802 and go to the emergency hospital now. Safe transport, medication list, recent records, toxin packaging, and a symptom timeline if available.
Urgent but not clearly critical Call first. The hospital states non-critical ER capacity can be limited during high-volume periods. Symptoms, start time, appetite, vomiting/diarrhea details, breathing status, pain level, and your regular vet’s information.
Specialty consult Ask your primary veterinarian to send a referral, then call Mass Vet to schedule the initial visit. Referral form, exam notes, lab results, imaging reports, medication list, and insurance details.
Outpatient ultrasound Use your primary veterinarian. Mass Vet states stable patients need a referral and records before scheduling. Recent exam, records and bloodwork from the past year, and the reason for imaging.
Hospitalized pet Designate one family contact for updates and keep your preferred phone number available. Questions for the doctor, financial contact details, medication history, and discharge-planning needs.
Payment or financing concern Ask the client care team about estimates, CareCredit, Scratchpay, and receipts for pet insurance. ID, insurance policy details, financing application access, and your treatment-budget questions.

Mass Veterinary Referral Hospital contact information and 24-hour hours

Use the official contact details below for emergency calls, specialist visits, records, and referral coordination.

Contact item Current detail Use it for
Hospital name Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital Emergency intake, specialty referrals, discharge paperwork, pet insurance claims, and specialist follow-up.
Common names Mass Vet, MVRH, Mass Veterinary Referral Hospital Useful when searching maps, sending records, or asking your primary veterinarian for a referral.
Address 20 Cabot Road, Woburn, MA 01801 Emergency driving directions, rideshare, specialty appointment planning, and records transfer.
Phone 781-932-5802 Emergency instructions, appointments, hospitalized-pet questions, referral coordination, and general information.
Main hours Open 24 hours, every day Emergency and critical-care access. Specialty department scheduling may vary by service.
Day Main hospital hours Planning note
Monday Open 24 hours Emergency care is listed 24 hours; call for specialty department scheduling.
Tuesday Open 24 hours Bring records and referral documents for scheduled specialty care.
Wednesday Open 24 hours Call ahead for non-critical concerns because ER triage prioritizes critical patients.
Thursday Open 24 hours Ask if your pet should be seen through ER, specialty, primary vet, or urgent care.
Friday Open 24 hours Weekend ER volume can be higher; bring a clear symptom timeline.
Saturday Open 24 hours Emergency access is listed, but wait time depends on patient severity.
Sunday Open 24 hours Use for urgent emergencies when your primary veterinarian is closed.

Google map, directions, and arrival checklist

Plan your route to 20 Cabot Road in Woburn and keep your pet safely contained during transport.

Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital
20 Cabot Road
Woburn, MA 01801
Main: 781-932-5802

Use this map for directions only. Call the hospital if your pet is unstable, painful, contagious, unable to walk, or needs help getting safely from the vehicle to the hospital.

Dogs

Use a secure leash, harness, or crate. If your dog is painful, weak, bleeding, or reactive, call ahead and ask whether staff can assist with safe entry.

Cats

Use a latched carrier. Label the carrier with your name and phone number, especially for a specialty appointment or hospital admission.

Emergency transport

Do not delay critical care to collect paperwork. Bring records if quickly available, but prioritize arrival when symptoms are life-threatening.

Specialty appointment

Bring your referral, medication list, test results, imaging notes, insurance details, and written questions for the specialist.

Emergency care and triage: what happens first

Emergency hospitals do not see every patient in arrival order. Pets are prioritized by medical severity, so stable pets may wait while critical patients are treated first.

Call if possible, but do not delay critical care. Call 781-932-5802 if time permits. Say your pet’s species, age, symptoms, breathing status, pain level, toxin risk, seizure history, and estimated arrival time.
Complete registration when instructed. A team member may ask you to complete the client registration form before or during arrival. Use the phone number you can answer immediately.
Expect triage first. A trained team member will assess the pet’s condition and prioritize care based on medical need. Stabilization comes before a full diagnostic plan.
Discuss exam findings and costs. After the initial assessment, the doctor can review likely next steps, diagnostic options, treatment choices, and estimated costs.
Plan for discharge or hospitalization. Some pets go home with instructions and medication. Others need oxygen, monitoring, surgery, advanced imaging, ICU care, dialysis support, or specialty follow-up.
Go now or call immediately Often needs urgent veterinary advice May be safer for primary vet or urgent care
Difficulty breathing, collapse, repeated seizures, suspected poisoning, trauma, pale gums, uncontrolled bleeding, heatstroke, bloat signs, trouble urinating, severe pain. Vomiting or diarrhea with lethargy, painful limping, wounds, eye injury, worsening cough, medication mistake, sudden weakness, or rapid behavior change. Minor torn nail with little bleeding, stable small scrape, fleas, ticks, new lump without hives, or mild signs that your primary veterinarian says can wait.
Toxin exposure: Bring or photograph packaging, ingredients, dose strength, and the amount missing. Poison-control consultation may involve a fee, but it can help the emergency doctor treat faster.

Specialty appointments: how initial visits usually work

Specialty appointments are normally different from ER walk-ins. Your primary veterinarian typically sends referral details so the right specialty department can review the case.

Referral source
Patients are normally referred by a family veterinarian. The referral should describe the pet’s problem and identify the appropriate specialty department.
Scheduling
For an initial specialty appointment, call 781-932-5802 after referral coordination or follow the hospital’s appointment instructions.
Check-in
Upon arrival, check in with client care specialists. A technician may collect the pet’s history, vitals, and case details before the specialist exam.
Bring with you
Medication list, dose schedule, diet, allergies, insurance details, lab results, imaging reports, discharge papers from any ER visit, and your written questions.
Specialist question script: “My primary veterinarian referred my pet for __. Have you received the referral form, records, imaging, and lab results? Is there anything my pet should avoid eating or taking before the appointment?”

Referral portal and veterinary team coordination

Mass Vet has an online referral workflow for veterinary teams. This matters because missing records can delay scheduling, imaging, surgery planning, or specialist review.

Referral item Why it matters Pet owner action
Referral form Identifies the specialty department and summarizes the medical reason for referral. Ask your primary vet to submit the referral before you call to schedule.
Medical notes Shows history, prior treatments, exam findings, response to medication, and current concerns. Request that complete notes be sent, not only vaccine records.
Lab results Specialists often need recent bloodwork, urine testing, culture results, or endocrine testing. Ask whether older lab results should also be included for comparison.
Imaging Radiographs, ultrasound reports, CT, MRI, and images help avoid duplicated testing when appropriate. Confirm whether actual images and written reports were sent.
Medication list Dose timing affects anesthesia, imaging, heart care, seizure care, oncology, and internal medicine plans. Bring medication bottles or a phone note with drug name, strength, dose, and last dose time.
Referral portal note: The official referral information says veterinary teams can submit patient referrals online and receive referral letters, diagnostic results, and radiograph results electronically or by fax.

Specialty and emergency services listed by Mass Vet

The hospital lists a broad set of emergency, specialty, imaging, surgery, dialysis, and support services. Service availability may depend on doctor schedules, case urgency, referral status, and patient stability.

Service area What it may cover Pet owner note
Emergency and critical care 24-hour emergency assessment, ICU care, oxygen support, transfusion medicine, CPR capability, sepsis care, toxicosis, trauma, severe GI emergencies, neurologic problems, kidney or liver disease, and urgent surgical support. Call when possible and expect triage based on severity, not arrival order.
Anesthesia and pain management Anesthetic planning, pain-control strategy, monitoring support, and case-specific perioperative planning. Ask how anesthesia risk will be assessed for senior pets or pets with heart, kidney, liver, or neurologic disease.
Cardiology Heart evaluation, echocardiogram-related care, ECG review, cardiac medications, and heart-disease follow-up. Ask if coughing, fainting, breathing changes, or exercise intolerance should be ER or cardiology.
Diagnostic imaging Digital radiography, ultrasound, CT, MRI, video scoping, and specialist image interpretation. Ask whether sedation, fasting, referral records, or previous images are required.
Internal medicine Complex medical conditions, chronic vomiting or diarrhea, endocrine concerns, immune disease, infectious disease, and organ-system evaluation. Bring a timeline of symptoms, diet, medications, lab trends, and prior response to treatment.
Neurology Seizures, spinal problems, trouble walking, neurologic deficits, advanced imaging, spinal tap, and related specialty care. The services page advises going straight to an emergency room if you believe your pet is having a neurological issue.
Oncology Cancer diagnosis, staging, treatment planning, family support, and coordination with other services. Bring biopsy reports, imaging, bloodwork, medication list, and questions about quality of life.
Ophthalmology Specialty eye care for dogs and cats, eye examinations, advanced eye diagnostics, and surgery planning when needed. Eye pain, sudden blindness, trauma, glaucoma concern, or severe redness may need urgent evaluation.
Surgery Specialty surgery, orthopedic surgery, joint replacement, minimally invasive surgery, neurosurgery support, and soft-tissue procedures. Ask about estimate ranges, anesthesia plan, hospitalization, post-op restrictions, and recheck schedule.
Dialysis and extracorporeal therapies Hemodialysis, therapeutic plasma exchange, kidney-support options, and critical-care coordination. Ask whether the case is ER-level and what records, toxin details, or lab values are most urgent.
Social work Support for families during difficult medical decisions, chronic illness, grief, and quality-of-life conversations. Ask for support if you are overwhelmed by prognosis, cost decisions, end-of-life choices, or grief.

Outpatient ultrasound: who qualifies and what does not qualify

Mass Vet’s outpatient ultrasound page provides unusually specific guidance. This section helps owners understand why some cases must go through ER, internal medicine, cardiology, or another route.

Potentially eligible

Stable patients referred by a primary veterinarian for abdominal, neck, or musculoskeletal ultrasound may qualify. A recent exam, referral, records, and bloodwork from the past year are expected before scheduling.

Not by verbal referral

The outpatient ultrasound page states verbal referrals from a client or referring veterinarian are not accepted. Records and referral documentation matter.

Cardiac ultrasound

If the concern is a heart ultrasound or echocardiogram, the case should be scheduled through cardiology rather than outpatient ultrasound.

ER-level warning signs

Fluid in the abdomen, anemia with clinical signs, jaundice, suspected obstruction, acute repeated vomiting, fever of unknown origin, or straining to urinate with little or no urine may require a different route.

When your pet is admitted to the hospital

Hospital admission can feel stressful. Mass Vet’s patient information explains how treatment plans, updates, confidentiality, discharge, and follow-up communication are generally handled.

Before admission
The medical team should explain your pet’s condition, treatment plan, feeding changes, medication changes, and an itemized treatment plan. Ask questions before signing or leaving.
Medical updates
The hospital says hospitalized-pet updates are normally provided twice daily: a morning call between 6:00 am and 11:00 am and an evening call between 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm.
One family contact
Designate one person for medical updates and ask that person to relay information to the rest of the family. This helps streamline communication.
Discharge timing
Be prepared to spend up to one hour during discharge so the team can review instructions, medications, home care, and recheck planning.
Helpful hospitalized-pet questions: “What changed since the last update? What are the next decision points? What signs would improve or worsen the plan? What is today’s estimate range? When should I expect the next call?”

Payment options, estimates, financing, and pet insurance

Emergency and specialty care can involve advanced diagnostics, hospitalization, surgery, intensive monitoring, and multiple departments. Ask for an estimate and keep receipts for insurance.

Estimate discussion

After assessment, ask the doctor or client care team to explain recommended next steps, likely cost range, what is urgent, what is optional, and what may change if your pet is hospitalized.

CareCredit

The hospital’s payment page describes CareCredit as a healthcare credit card option. Confirm current terms, qualifying purchase rules, interest timing, and approval status before relying on financing.

Scratchpay

The hospital also lists Scratchpay as a payment-plan option. Ask whether the expected care qualifies and whether the application should be completed before scheduled treatment.

Pet insurance

Pet insurance is usually reimbursement-based. Request itemized invoices, diagnosis details, medical notes, lab results, discharge instructions, and payment receipts for your claim.

Financing note: Third-party financing companies decide approvals, rates, terms, and credit limits. Hospital staff may help with forms and receipts, but they do not control the lender’s decision.

Medical records, client portal, discharge papers, and referral reports

Good records reduce repeat testing, speed specialist decisions, and help your primary veterinarian continue care after an ER or specialty visit.

Record need Best route What to include or request
Before ER arrival Ask your primary veterinarian to send digital records if time allows. Medical notes, lab work, imaging reports, current medications, allergies, and chronic conditions.
Before specialty appointment Use the referral process through your family veterinarian. Referral form, reason for referral, prior treatments, test results, and actual imaging files if available.
After discharge Review the discharge instructions before leaving. Medication schedule, feeding directions, activity restrictions, warning signs, recheck timing, and primary-vet follow-up.
Insurance claim Request itemized financial and medical documents. Invoice, diagnosis, procedures, medications, lab/imaging line items, doctor notes, and payment receipt.
Referral portal issue Veterinary teams can use the official referral portal FAQ and support route. Clinic login status, patient name, referral date, missing document type, and correct fax or email notification settings.

What top-ranking listings often miss

Map listings, review pages, and basic directories can confirm location, but they often miss the steps pet owners actually need during an emergency or referral.

Common listing detail Why it is not enough What this guide adds
Address and phone It does not tell owners whether to go through ER, specialty referral, primary vet, or outpatient imaging. Decision table, emergency triage steps, referral route, and outpatient ultrasound criteria.
Open 24 hours 24-hour access does not mean every stable, non-critical patient will be seen quickly. Triage explanation, non-critical capacity warning, and what to bring for urgent cases.
Services list A simple list does not explain when cardiology, neurology, surgery, imaging, ER, or internal medicine is the right route. Service table with practical owner notes and referral preparation.
Reviews Reviews cannot replace official information about admission, updates, discharge, referral records, or estimates. Hospitalized-pet update windows, one-family-contact guidance, discharge planning, and payment questions.
Emergency label It may not explain what symptoms should not wait or what poison information to bring. Emergency symptom table, toxin-exposure checklist, and first-aid-kit resource note.

Official source checklist for this guide

This source checklist helps users verify the official hospital pages behind the contact, ER, specialty, referral, patient, payment, and preparation details summarized here.

Official page What it helps verify When to open it
Contact page Address, phone number, map location, and 24-hour daily operation. Open before calling, driving, or sending records.
Emergency and critical care page Level 1 emergency/critical-care description, emergency services, poison-control guidance, and first-aid-kit PDF link. Open for emergency symptoms, toxin exposure, or critical-care questions.
Emergencies and appointments page ER triage, registration, non-critical capacity warning, and appointment arrival process. Open before arriving for ER or a scheduled specialist appointment.
Services page Specialty services including emergency, cardiology, imaging, internal medicine, neurology, oncology, ophthalmology, surgery, dialysis, social work, and more. Open when deciding which specialty department fits your pet’s case.
Outpatient ultrasound page Referral requirement, stable-patient criteria, ultrasound region limits, records requirement, and disqualifying conditions. Open before requesting outpatient ultrasound through your primary veterinarian.
Submit referrals page Online referral submission and electronic or faxed referral-result communication for veterinary teams. Open if your primary veterinarian needs the referral portal route.
Referral portal FAQs Portal credentials, record uploads, patient chart PDFs, notifications, and document access details. Open for referring clinic portal problems or missing referral documents.
When your pet is a patient Specialty consult flow, admission expectations, update windows, confidentiality, discharge process, and follow-up planning. Open when your pet is admitted or scheduled for a specialist visit.
Payment options page CareCredit, Scratchpay, line-of-credit explanation, financing process, and estimate/receipt support. Open before scheduled treatment or during ER financial planning.
Emergency visit preparation blog What to bring, symptom timeline, toxin packaging, safe transport, triage, diagnostics, hospitalization, and aftercare expectations. Open before a non-immediate emergency visit or to prepare your household for future emergencies.
Independent guide notice: USHospitalGuides.com is not Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital, not an emergency service, not a veterinary provider, and not a government agency. Use official hospital pages and the hospital phone number for final decisions, appointments, referrals, pricing, records, and urgent instructions.

Important pet health and safety notice

This guide helps with contact, emergency preparation, referrals, records, location, payment questions, and visit planning. It does not diagnose your pet or replace veterinary care.

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

Mass Veterinary Referral Hospital FAQs

These questions focus on address, phone, 24-hour hours, ER arrival, specialty appointments, referrals, services, hospitalized-pet updates, payment, and records.

1. What is the address for Mass Veterinary Referral Hospital?
Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital is located at 20 Cabot Road, Woburn, MA 01801. Use this address for emergency transport, specialist appointments, referral documents, and GPS directions.
2. What is the phone number for Mass Veterinary Referral Hospital?
The main phone number is 781-932-5802. Use it for emergency arrival questions, specialty appointment scheduling, hospitalized-pet updates, referral coordination, and general hospital questions.
3. Is Mass Vet open 24 hours?
Yes. Mass Veterinary Referral Hospital lists its main hours as open 24 hours every day. Specialty department scheduling may vary, so call before a non-emergency visit.
4. Should I call before going to the emergency room?
Call 781-932-5802 if time permits, especially if you are unsure whether your pet’s symptoms are critical. Do not delay arrival for life-threatening symptoms such as breathing trouble, collapse, severe bleeding, seizures, or suspected poisoning.
5. Does Mass Vet see non-critical ER cases?
The hospital states that ER capacity can be limited during periods with many critical patients. If your pet is not in imminent danger, call first and ask whether Mass Vet, your primary veterinarian, an urgent-care vet, or another ER is the right route.
6. How do specialty appointments work at Mass Vet?
Specialty patients are normally referred by a family veterinarian. Your primary vet typically sends a referral form and records, then you can call 781-932-5802 to schedule the initial specialty visit.
7. What services does Mass Veterinary Referral Hospital offer?
Listed services include emergency and critical care, anesthesia and pain management, cardiology, diagnostic imaging, dialysis and extracorporeal therapies, internal medicine, nephrology and urology, neurology, oncology, ophthalmology, outpatient ultrasound, social work, and surgery.
8. What should I bring to an emergency vet visit?
Bring recent medical records if available, medication names and doses, a timeline of symptoms, toxin packaging or photos if ingestion is possible, insurance details, and a safe carrier, crate, or leash. Do not delay critical care to gather paperwork.
9. How are hospitalized-pet updates handled?
Mass Vet’s patient guidance says hospitalized-pet updates are normally provided twice daily, with a morning call between 6:00 am and 11:00 am and an evening call between 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm. The hospital asks families to designate one contact person for updates.
10. What payment or financing options are listed?
The hospital’s payment page describes CareCredit and Scratchpay as financing options. Ask for an estimate after assessment, confirm current terms, and request itemized receipts and medical notes if you plan to submit a pet insurance claim.