NCSU Emergency Services and Critical Care | Veterinary Hospital

NC State Vet Emergency & Critical Care truly saved my dog’s life when no other hospital would step up. After being turned away and let down elsewhere, we found hope here. I drove two hours each way every day for weeks to be with my girl, who was on the brink of death due to lack of proper treatment before coming to NC state. She was in kidney failure at 3 years old and no reason why, and this was one of the few places that offers dialysis for dogs. Dr. Novak and her incredible team worked around the clock, providing multiple rounds of dialysis and intensive kidney care. Their dedication, expertise, and genuine love for the animals in their care is something I will never forget. They treated my MJ like their own, and thanks to them, she pulled through. We will forever cherish the compassion, skill, and heart this team brought to our lives during such a hard time.

I called the emergency line to see if they could do anything for my dog. He was diagnosed with cancer, and it’s taken NC State about 3 weeks to fit him in. He’s declined a lot over the past few days, he can hardly walk, and is in a lot of pain. I called the emergency line for guidance and to see if they could see him, but the receptionist could not have been ruder in turning us away. She hung up so fast.

I had a very disappointing experience here. I spent over four hours in the ER and was charged $650, yet I never actually spoke with a veterinarian. I was referred to NC State by urgent care for a specific type of treatment, and I tried to explain this when checking in. Instead of confirming whether they could provide the care I needed, the vet tech rushed to take my cat before I could finish my explanation and Ruthie interrupted me to just give her the high-level. Over the next couple of hours, I was passed between vet tech and intern who didn’t address my concerns or clarify the services available. It wasn’t until 2.5 hours and $355 that I learned they did not even offer the treatment I came for—something that could have been identified at check-in if anyone had slowed down and listened Instead of interrupting me and grabbing the cat. This resulted in wasted time, stress, and a significant bill with no resolution for my pet. The communication was extremely poor, and I felt dismissed throughout the entire process. I will not be returning, and I would not recommend this clinic if you have any other options. You’re just going to get treated by internal they can learn on your animal and paying a premium $$$.

Visiting the NC State emergency vet is never a good thing but we are very grateful to them even though our situation was difficult. Ultimately, they were expecting us when we arrived and worked with us to quickly get our 80lb dog inside who had become totally paralyzed in the rear. Waiting to hear about our baby was understandably difficult but the staff/students truly did an impressive job of keeping us informed and being very pleasant/compassionate. They didn't jump straight to surgery or drastic measures before making sure they were really necessary. It took a reasonable amount of time and they kept good communication going with us. The incision along his back mended very well and we had no additional challenges as a result of the care received here. Yes, it was expensive (of course it would be). They recommended Carolina Ranch for his recovery and rehabilitation which has become the best discovery of all. If you're looking for a rehab program, boarding or grooming, you won't find any better!

My dog has a long list of health issues, and NCSU has saved his life more than once. I’m so grateful (typing this as I sit in the waiting room for yet another emergency appointment). It’s worth the 2.5 hour drive from home when concerns arise that our primary vet cannot treat.

I can't say enough good things. Excellent care, first of all, and on top of that everyone is beyond nice. It is an ER so expect to be triaged and expect that you may have to wait - possibly for several hours -- just like a human ER. There's easy parking, a coffee/cafe, free wifi, outlets, clean bathrooms, TV, comfortable waiting areas, pretty areas to take a walk, & lots of tissues for crying pet parents. I am so thankful for this clinic, for the fantastic staff and clinicians, and for the top notch care and kindness given to my cat.

This was the worst care I have ever received from an emergency animal service. Not only was the wait time 5 hours with no one there they did very little for the kitten I brought in. I felt so bad about the care I received that I followed up with my vet. The leg that had been injured (found in this condition) was infected and the little guy had ear mites. Nc state missed both of these things and provided no care instructions. My own vet was shocked about how little care they gave and that they missed so much. Nc state was supposed to follow up with several things but I received no communication except that I owed more money for the pain meds (the only meds I got). The kitten is most likely to loose his leg now.