SUNSET STRIP VETERINARY CLINIC

Information On Services Provided Outside of Regular Business Hours

Updated Emergency Services Procedure

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Dear Valued Clients, 

As a client of our clinic, we would like to inform you of important changes we are making in the way we handle after-hours medical emergencies. After careful consideration and in response to the quickly changing demands of the veterinary work environment, the availability of local emergency veterinary care outside of regular business hours will be altered. These changes will become effective on November 15th, 2023. 

We understand how stressful it can be when your pet suffers an unexpected emergency outside of regular office hours. This letter will provide guidance on how you should seek medical care if an emergency arises. If your pet does require in-person care after regular hours, it will now be necessary to travel outside of the Grey Bruce area.

Below are the steps required to access emergency medical care. Emergency cases are triaged similar to the human emergency system.

1) If you have concerns and believe your pet is suffering from an urgent or emergency condition, please contact our clinic at 519-371-2030. 

2) If our clinic is not open at the time, please follow the instructions on the message and you will be directed to an emergency triage service. Alternately, you can call 1(888) 243-1411 directly. You will speak to an Ontario Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) who will then discuss your pet’s situation with you and ask you some basic questions. This step may take a few minutes to complete. 

3) The RVT will help determine if your pet is suffering from a life-threatening emergency and requires an in-person examination. They will arrange a transfer to the facility most suitable to your pets expected level of care, and provide you with further instructions.

4) If the RVT feels your pet's condition can be addressed without an in-person emergency visit, they will begin a virtual appointment with an Ontario based veterinarian.  Payment is accepted in the form of a Credit Card, Debit Card or e transfer. This payment is required to proceed further though the triage process. This step may also take several minutes. 

5) During your virtual consultation, the veterinarian will further assess your pet. This may mean requesting a video or photos to aid in the process. This veterinarian will be able to prescribe medications for your pet which would allow you to avoid the unnecessary cost and travel time for an in person visit. Their records and treatment will be sent to us the next business day so that we can proceed with any follow up for further treatment required. 

6) At the end of your consultation, if the virtual veterinarian believes that your pet should be seen in-clinic, they will arrange a transfer to the facility most suitable to your pets expected level of care and provide you with further instructions. 

As the demands for veterinary medical care evolve, these changes allow us to continue to provide care for our patients during regular business hours. We continue to encourage owners to seek timely care during regular hours for urgent, chronic or changing medical conditions whenever possible, as this avoids the need to travel outside the area for the treatment of such conditions. We appreciate your understanding and continued trust in our veterinary clinic. Thank you for allowing us to care for your beloved pets. We look forward to serving you during our regular hours and to continue to provide them with the best care possible. 

Below is a list of emergency and 24 hour clinics that are typically used in Ontario. SmartVet will typically refer to these clinics. We recommend that you save their contact information and familiarize yourself with their locations in advance. 

Huronia Veterinary Emergency Clinic 

705 722 0377 

391 Dunlop St W, Barrie, ON, L4N 1C3 

Campus Estates Animal Hospital 

519 837 1212 

1460 Gordon St, Guelph, ON, N1L 1C8 

Mississauga Oakville Veterinary Emergency Hospital 

905 829 9444 

2285 Bristol Cir, Oakville, ON, L6H 6P8 

404 Veterinary Emergency and Referral Hospital 

905 953 1933 

510 Harry Walker Pkwy S, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 0B3 

Veterinary Emergency, Urgent Care and Referral Clinic of York Region 

905 953 5351 

1210 Journey’s End Cir, Newmarket, ON L3Y 8Z6 

Veterinary Emergency Clinic of Toronto 

416 920 2002 

920 Yonge St Suite 117, Toronto, ON, M4W 3C7 

Toronto Animal Health Partners 

416 380 7400 

1 Scarsdale Rd, North York, ON M3B 2R2 

Vaughan – Richmond Hill Veterinary Emergency Clinic 

905 884 1832 

10303 Yonge St, Richmond Hill, ON L4C 3B9 

Sincerely, 

Your Veterinary Teams at Sunset Strip Veterinary Clinic, Port Elgin Veterinary Clinic, Southampton Pet Hospital, Owen Sound Veterinary Clinic, North Heritage Animal Hospital, Wiarton Animal Hospital, and Sauble Beach Pet Hospital