Urgent Care Services

Rainier Veterinary Hospital is now able to offer Urgent Care services to our clients. Urgent care appointments are for pets with urgent, yet non-life-threatening conditions, that need to be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Moving forward, Rainier Veterinary Hospital will hold urgent care appointment slots on our schedule Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. This provides our medical team with the needed availabilities to respond quickly to your pet’s timely medical conditions. Please note that urgent care has limited availability and still requires an appointment. Our team will be able to triage and address your timely requests by phone at 206.324.4144 if you feel you and your pet need an urgent care appointment as they are presented.

What is Urgent Care?

Urgent care is offered for those conditions that, as stated above, are not life-threatening yet should be addressed in a timely manner for the pet patient. These issues could include limping or pain management, minor lacerations or wounds, a potential abscess, vomiting, urinary tract infections, allergic reactions, diarrhea, etc. If you have any questions on your pet’s care or what is considered an urgent care situation, please do give us a call directly at 206.324.4144 so we can assess your pet’s needs and respond accordingly.

The overarching rule is that if your pet is experiencing a life-threatening crisis that requires immediate hospital attention, they need emergency care. Examples of needing immediate emergency care include collapse or loss of consciousness, not breathing, cardiac arrest, severe trauma, etc. Again, urgent care should be sought for issues that need same day medical attention but are not considered necessarily life-threatening.

Important Information

• Do not give your pet ANY medication or supplement without first checking with your veterinarian. Some common human medications and supplements can be toxic, even in small doses, to your pet.
• Please be careful handling your pet if they have been injured. Even the most gentle pet may bite or scratch when hurt. We recommend always transporting cats in a carrier or box. Dogs may be transported using a large bedspread, blanket, or plywood as a stretcher.
• The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has supplementary information on pet first aid, as well as a downloadable guide of helpful tips.