http://www.pet-emergency.com.au/

Pet Emergency, Brisbane (2025)

15/11/2023

Amongst the hustle and bustle of our day to day, we have been working on something very exciting!

Together with the team from For the Love of Pets, Queensland Veterinary Specialists and Pet Emergency take to the big screen to show you behind the scenes of the amazing work we do, alongside our brave patients and committed owners.

Tune in this Friday at 7.30pm on Channel 9 or 9 Now to hear all about Bruno’s story 🐶

For the Love of Pets

| Starts 7:30pm Friday 17th November on and 9Now

03/11/2023

Meet Sabre!

Sabre is a 12 week old Pug that presented to our Stafford hospital after ingesting a toxic amount of Nurofen.

Sabre's owner arrived home and saw the left-over pieces of tablet on the floor and knew Sabre had been up to mischief! Nurofen, along with many other human medicines, can be extremely toxic to dogs. With side effects ranging from gastric ulceration, kidney failure, seizures and in some cases, can be lethal. In Sabre's case he ingested enough tablets to cause sever kidney failure. Luckily for Sabre, his owners rushed him into Pet Emergency where he was promptly treated.

Vomiting was induced to remove any residue of the medication from the stomach. He was then given intravenous fluids to help his kidneys maintain appropriate blood flow which ibuprofen (Nurofen) toxicity inhibits. Sabre was also given activated charcoal which helps bind any residual toxin left in the stomach and prevents further absorption into the bloodstream. Sabre was then given some medications to help support the stomach and prevent gastric ulceration. Luckily with the prompt treatment provided, Sabre's kidney enzymes have remained at a normal level, and he has been discharged home.

Sabre has learnt so much during his stay with Pet Emergency he would now like to remind all his furry friends out there that although it is tempting to "treat yourself' to some human medications it is in fact not actually a good idea!

01/10/2023

Swipe for some spooktacular ways to keep your furry friends safe this Halloween season 👽 we always hope you don't need to come and visit us, but we will be here for you if you do 🎃

02/09/2023

A reminder to keep your pets safe and secure during the firework displays this evening for Brisbane's Riverfire festival.

20/07/2023

Dear clients and referring vets,

Please be aware that Pet Emergency and Queensland Veterinary Specialists North Lakes (53 Flinders Parade, North Lakes) will be closed for the day on Friday, 21 July from 9am until 6pm for hospital maintenance.

If your pet requires veterinary care, please note that our Stafford hospital is still open and available to see your pets.

North Lakes will re-open from 6pm on the 21st July. Thank you for your understanding.

30/04/2023

Our North Lakes and Stafford hospitals are both open 24/7 over the long weekend should you need us.

24/02/2023

Charlie and Missy recently presented to our North Lakes hospital after ingesting a toxic amount of dark chocolate. Their parents suspect Missy jumped up on a desk to share the delicious snack between her and her brother! Luckily, their parents noticed immediately and rushed the both of them down to our emergency department to induce vomiting.

Chocolate ingestion in any dog can be extremely dangerous. Possible side effects from include vomiting and diarrhoea, and in severe toxicity we can see elevated heart rates, tremors/shaking and in severe cases seizures and death! If you find your dog has eaten chocolate, please call and speak to the team 24/7.

Luckily for Charlie and Missy, they were discharged home with ongoing decontamination after bringing a large volume of chocolate up! 🍫

03/02/2023

SEQ is currently experiencing some hot weather. Please ensure your pets are kept cool with access to water and shade at home and avoid exercise during the day time. Signs of heat stress can include difficulty breathing, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhoea and collapse. Please call one of our hospitals if you have any concerns.

Stafford | 3359 5333
North Lakes | 3384 2222

24/01/2023

Sadie was recently hospitalised after getting a little too close to a cane toad. Sadie presented for seizures following her encounter. Sadly, shortly after presentation, Sadie went into cardiac arrest. Our emergency team quickly rushed into action, performing CPR (including defibrillation) on Sadie. It was touch and go for the first few hours, but fortunately Sadie pulled through! After spending a couple of extra nights in hospital, she was discharged home to her family this week.

Please keep an eye out for cane toads in your yards. Clinical signs include drooling, bright red gums, vomiting, difficulty walking and disorientation. Severe cases can progress to collapse, seizures and death. If you suspect your dog has been in contact with a toad, you may use a damp cloth to wipe their gums before seeking veterinary attention. Never use a hose pipe to wash their gums due to the risk of aspiration.

Pictured is Sadie, with Dr Clare and some of our amazing nurses (Rachel, Claire and Ash). 🐸🩺

16/01/2023

Meet Winnie! Winnie recently visited our North Lakes hospital after enjoying her chew toy a little too much, causing it to become stuck in her mouth! Winnie was sedated and the toy was quickly removed, before being discharged back home a short time later. 🐕

31/12/2022

Wishing you all a happy new year! Our hospitals are open 24/7 should you need us. Don't forget to keep your pets safe and secure during the fireworks displays. ⭐️🥂

24/12/2022

Merry Christmas! Should you find yourselves with a Pet Emergency, our hospitals are open 24/7. Please call ahead if possible. Your pet will be triaged on arrival. 🎄

North Lakes - 53 Flinders Parade - 3384 2233
Stafford - 45 Hayward Street - 3359 0777

13/12/2022

It's starting to feel very festive here at Pet Emergency. Pictured below is Cat, one of our lovely emergency nurses with her dog Mr Bennet trialling his new Christmas outfit. Are your pets joining in the festive fun? 🎅🎄

03/11/2022

TICK PARALYSIS – IMPORTANT READ

Queensland is experiencing a shortage of Tick Antiserum.
Tick Antiserum (TAS) is the ONLY available treatment for tick paralysis. At this stage TAS is in stock but in low supply. We don’t know when accessibility will return to normal, or if current supplies will be exhausted.

The good news? There’s a way to make sure that demand does not exceed supply, but we need your help!

Tick Paralysis can be PREVENTED with a number of good quality products available, such as Bravecto and Nexgard. See your regular veterinarian to ensure your pet is receiving an appropriate prophylactic regime. Remember these important points about preventatives:

· Make sure you are not overdue! These products must be given at an appropriate time interval (this varies per product).
· Missed a dose? Bravecto and Nexgard take up to 3 days to be effective against ticks – if a tick is already on your pet it will not be killed. Products such as Frontline spray work immediately, but not long term. A long acting products should be applied 3 days after
· Make sure your pet is given the right product for their species and weight. Beware that dog tick products can be toxic to cats

Even if your pet is on a preventative, check them DAILY for ticks. Removing a tick alone cannot prevent tick paralysis as the toxin is in the blood stream. Signs can develop many days after tick attachment (and removal!)

We are here for you and your pets 24/7 if you are worried your pet has a tick on them or may be affected by tick paralysis (signs include wobbliness, weakness, loss of appetite, vomiting, regurgitation, laboured or noisy breathing, or change in bark/meow). Many pets require supportive care in hospital in addition to TAS to help their recovery.

Prevention is better than cure – make sure your pet is up to date with prophylaxis today!

15/09/2022

Say hello to this beautiful teddy bear! Bear presented to us late one night for being restless and panting. He was admitted for chest x-rays, which identified a large pneumothorax (air leak between the lung and chest wall). Bear had a procedure to drain the air from his chest (thoracocentesis), but unfortunately it continued to leak. Bear was referred to the QVS Critical Care service for further care, where he had a CT scan of his chest and chest drains placed to allow for continuous suction of the air leak. The CT scan was suspicious for a pulmonary bulla (a ruptured air filled sac) and despite a few days with suction and supportive care, the leak did not resolve. Bear then underwent surgery which found the leak in a section of his lung that was subsequently removed. Bear spent a couple of days recovering in our ICU before heading back home. Bear’s lovely Mum kindly kept us updated on his progress and sent us a photo of him recently helping her in the garden.

30/08/2022

Introducing Lantern! Lantern is a young Border Collie puppy who was recently managed for tick paralysis. Lantern’s breathing became compromised shortly after presentation. This resulted in her undergoing 5 days of mechanical ventilation before she was able to breath comfortably by herself. Each day she slowly got her strength back and after a few extra days in hospital, she was able to head home to her friends. We saw Lantern for her revisit last week and are glad to see she is continuing well in her recovery at home. Is your dog or cat overdue for tick prevention? Make sure you apply an appropriate product today!

25/08/2022

Over the weekend some of our vets and nurses participated in Flynn's Walk at New Farm Park. Flynn's Walk is a charity which aims to promote awareness of the mental health challenges faced by veterinary and para-veterinary professionals in their line of work.

In Australia, one veterinarian dies by su***de every 12 weeks - and vets are four times more likely to take their own life, when compared to the general population. Our amazing team of receptionists, ward attendants, nurses and veterinarians put their heart and soul into caring for your pets. Please show them you appreciate them as much as we do! For more information, visit https://www.flynnswalk.com.au/

21/08/2022

Meet Bruce! Bruce is a 13 year old Border Collie with a big story.

Bruce was presented to us for severe tick paralysis. Bruce had severely compromised breathing and was placed on a mechanical ventilator whilst his body worked to remove the tick paralysis toxin and his muscles started to recover. Bruce unfortunately developed pneumonia secondary to his regurgitation and required ventilation for 6 days. Bruce spent a total of 17 days in hospital before being discharged back home. We saw Bruce recently for a revisit and are thrilled to see him progressing in his recovery. Pictured is Bruce undergoing ventilation, celebrating his last day in hospital and more recently back at home enjoying some down time.

We have had a very early introduction to tick season with a large number of tick patients coming through our doors. A big thank you in particular to our ICU nursing team for all their hard work with our most critically ill patients.

Please remember to keep your pets up to date with tick prevention!

18/08/2022

Interested in a career with a 24/7 specialist referral and emergency veterinary hospital? We are currently taking applications for veterinarians to join our small animal rotating internship. Join us for our open day on Saturday 3rd September. Please see below for more information.

28/07/2022

Our North Lakes hospital will be closed from 6pm this evening until 6pm Friday 29th of July. Please contact our Stafford hospital for assistance on 3359 0777. We appreciate your patience at this time.

26/07/2022

Our North Lakes hospital will be closed from 6pm Thursday 28th of July until 6pm Friday 29th of July. Please contact our Stafford hospital for assistance on 3359 0777. We appreciate your patience at this time.

21/07/2022

We recently had the privilege of hosting Dr. Soren Boysen DVM, DACVECC for a workshop on veterinary point of care ultrasound, facilitated by VPOCUS Australia and Dr. Pamela Manning BVSc. Soren is a registered specialist in emergency and critical care from Canada and is at the forefront of new ultrasound techniques. Our emergency clinicians and critical care vets spent the afternoon learning about the finer techniques of abdominal, thoracic and focused cardiac ultrasound and are ready to put their new skills to use. Use of ultrasound in the emergency setting allows us to obtain a rapid diagnosis for unstable patients at the bedside with minimal stress.

14/07/2022

Paterson was recently treated with Pet Emergency and the QVS Critical Care Service after attempting to snack on a Ventolin inhaler!

Salbutamol toxicosis causes a rapidly fast heart rate (tachycardia) and electrolyte changes. Pat received supportive care and medication to slow his heart rate down following his presentation. Unfortunately the toxicity had caused further damage to his heart and he developed ventricular tachycardia (a very dangerous rhythm), requiring a longer stay in hospital and some other anti-arrhythmic medications.

Whilst in hospital, Pat celebrated his first birthday with us! Some extra treats and TLC were prescribed and he is back at home for some R&R!

08/07/2022

Peggy was a tiny patient of ours with a big story.

Her wonderful owners immediately knew that something was wrong when she began vomiting up small pieces of black rubber, and having blood in her diarrhoea. They brought her straight to Pet Emergency, where our emergency vets were suspicious of an intussusception on ultrasound. This is a condition where the intestines telescope into one another, effectively causing a blockage.

Peggy underwent an ultrasound, which confirmed the intussusception and also found small pieces of foreign material in Peggy’s stomach.

Peggy was taken to surgery that night. The surgery was successful and more pieces of black rubber were removed, and the intussusception was reduced.

Peggy recovered over the weekend with the Pet Emergency team, who of course fell in love with her sweet personality. She had a smooth recovery and was discharged home a few days later to her dedicated parents.

She just had her stitches out a few days ago and she is doing wonderfully. We wish Peggy all the best! Pictured is Peggy on presentation and a recent photo from her parents back at home.

03/07/2022

Watch out for toxic plants!

Did you know that Brunfelsia Australis (Yesterday Today Tomorrow), a common garden shrub, is extremely toxic to dogs?

The plant contains multiple toxic alkaloids that cause sudden onset gastrointestinal and severe neurological signs (including agitation, generalized tremors and continuous seizure activity). In cases of large volume intoxication cardiac rhythm disturbance and death have also been recorded.

All parts of the plant are toxic, however, dogs tend to preferentially ingest the berries, which may be visible in their vomit or stools.

Pictured is Griff, an adorable schnauzer puppy who was treated by our emergency and critical care departments for Brunfelsia toxicosis. Griff rapidly developed vomiting and seizures following witnessed ingestion by his owners. He required decontamination in hospital which included having his stomach pumped, enemas and repeat doses of activated charcoal, as well as medication to control his nausea and seizures. Thankfully Griff is made of tough stuff and he is now recovering with his family at home.

His owners wanted us to share his story as a cautionary tale so that other pet parents could check their yard for this plant.

If you do happen to find one in your yard, we recommend you remove it or ensure your fur babies cannot access it.

24/06/2022

Meet Rosa! Rosa is a 2 year old Australian Cattle Dog who was recently hospitalised with the QVS Critical Care service after suspected ingestion of a tremorgenic mycotoxin. These toxins can be found in contaminated water and mouldy feed. Rosa presented through Pet Emergency after initial management with Nundah Village Veterinary Clinic for seizures and tremor activity. Due to the severity of her neurological signs, Rosa needed to be placed into an induced coma and underwent mechanical ventilation for 2 days. Unfortunately Rosa also developed aspiration pneumonia (likely from her seizure). Rosa was weaned from the ventilator and spent a few more days in hospital building up her muscle strength and appetite before being discharged back to her family. Stay out of trouble Rosa!

23/04/2022

Our emergency service is open 24/7 across the ANZAC Day long weekend should you need us.

15/04/2022

Wishing you all a safe and happy Easter. We are here 24/7 should you need us.

13/04/2022

We have seen a sharp rise in the number of dogs presenting for rat bait toxicity in the past week. Please remember that no rodenticide product is pet friendly and ensure you have your pet checked by your veterinarian if you have any concerns. 🐭🩸

07/03/2022

Meet Millie! Millie recently visited us after presenting for vomiting and diarrhoea. Millie is a curious Labrador puppy who is still working out what she should and shouldn't be eating! X-rays of her abdomen were taken for further investigation. It turns out Millie had unfortunately decided to eat a rock, which was later retrieved by our QVS Critical Care specialist Dr. Monique using endoscopy. Millie recovered from her gastroenteritis episode and was soon home after some supportive care and TLC in hospital 🐕🪨🩺

02/03/2022

Thank you for your patience and support during our big move. We are back to business as usual, open for all your pet’s needs 24/7.

27/02/2022

It's a big week for us! Our Stafford hospital will be open for emergencies until midnight tonight and then closed whilst we move to our new hospital at 45 Hayward Street, Stafford. We will reopen from 6am on Thursday 3rd March. Our North Lakes hospital will remain open as usual. Due to recent weather events, we may have reduced staffing so please phone ahead if you are planning on visiting and take care on the roads. Thank you for your patience at this time.

21/02/2022

We are very excited to be relocating from our Stafford Heights hospital to our new state of the art veterinary facility located at 45 Hayward Street, Stafford next week! We will be closed 1st & 2nd March and will reopen 3rd March. Our phones won't be down so you will still be able to contact us, and we can be of help redirecting your emergency needs and making your specialist appointments. Our North Lakes hospital will be open as usual during this time.

30/01/2022

Happy Monday! Storm visited our North Lakes hospital last week after her parents suspected she had swallowed her squeaker toy whole! Storm underwent an ultrasound which confirmed something suspicious sitting in her stomach. Endoscopy performed by the QVS Critical Care team identified the toy and fortunately it was as managed to remove in one piece. Storm recovered from her sleep and went home later that day. 🧸

24/12/2021

Pet Emergency would like to wish you all a happy and safe Christmas for 2021. We are open 24/7 throughout the Christmas and New Year period for all of your pet emergency needs.

In order to keep every one safe, please abide by the following:
- Only one person per pet to enter the building
- Please wash your hands at the sink by our door before entering and check in using the Check In QLD App.
- Masks must be worn inside the building, please be aware if you do not have a mask then phone consultations are available
- Perform social distancing at all times

Merry Christmas! 🐶🐱🩺