Veterinary Emergency Referral Center

### Introduction / Overview

For pet owners in the Oklahoma City metro area, particularly those in Norman and surrounding communities, the **Veterinary Emergency Referral Center (VERC)** serves as a critical resource for urgent and after-hours veterinary needs. Located in Norman, OK, VERC operates with a focus on providing immediate medical assistance for pets—dogs, cats, and even exotic animals—when their primary care veterinarian is closed.

The facility is explicitly designed as an **Animal Emergency Center** and **Animal Emergency Referral** practice, offering advanced diagnostic, surgical, and critical care services that go beyond routine wellness checks. The very nature of emergency medicine requires staff to operate under extreme pressure, dealing with life-threatening situations and highly emotional clients. Testimonials from the community reflect this high-stakes environment, demonstrating a practice capable of delivering life-saving care with a deep level of compassion and professionalism, while also facing intense scrutiny regarding difficult outcomes, communication, and urgent procedural needs.

In a life-or-death situation, VERC is equipped with essential resources like in-house laboratory equipment, advanced imaging (radiography and ultrasound), and dedicated surgical services to provide rapid diagnosis and a range of immediate treatment options. They position themselves as a necessary extension of a pet's primary care, ensuring that urgent vet care is available when time is of the essence, particularly during evenings, weekends, and holidays when most clinics are closed.

### Location and Accessibility

The Veterinary Emergency Referral Center is centrally located to serve the Norman, Oklahoma community and pet owners traveling from farther distances for emergency care.

The physical address is: **2121 McKown Dr, Norman, OK 73072, USA**.

Accessibility is a key priority for a facility dedicated to serving emergency needs, ensuring that all clients can easily enter and navigate the premises during a stressful time. The center features excellent physical accessibility accommodations, including:

• **Wheelchair accessible entrance:** Making the facility easy to enter for clients assisting injured pets or those with mobility challenges.
• **Wheelchair accessible parking lot:** Offering designated and convenient parking spots close to the entrance.
• **Wheelchair accessible restroom:** Ensuring comfort and convenience for all clients.
• **Wheelchair accessible seating:** Providing inclusive waiting area options.

The practice is not strictly 24/7, which is an important consideration for pet owners. Their extended hours of operation are designed to cover the most common times for emergencies outside of regular business hours:

• **Saturday – Monday:** Open 24 hours (Full weekend coverage).
• **Tuesday – Friday:** Open 6:00 PM – 8:00 AM (Overnight and after-hours coverage).

Pet owners are advised to call ahead at (405) 360-7828 if a matter is urgent, though appointments are not required for emergency services.

### Services Offered

VERC specializes in comprehensive **Urgent Pet Care** and **Veterinary Emergency Referral** services, utilizing advanced equipment to provide immediate and critical support for a wide range of conditions. Their services cover both the initial diagnosis and stabilization through to necessary surgical intervention and extended recovery.

• **Emergency/After-hours Exam and Triage:** Immediate medical assessment and stabilization upon arrival, with a focus on life-threatening issues.
• **Advanced Diagnostics:** Utilizing state-of-the-art equipment for rapid and accurate diagnosis, including:
  • **Digital Radiography** (X-Rays).
  • **Ultrasound Diagnostics**.
  • **In-House Laboratory Testing** for blood chemistry, electrolytes, coagulation, and infectious diseases (e.g., SNAP tests).
  • **Ocular Diagnostics** such as Schirmer Tear Test.
• **Critical Care and Hospitalization:** Continuous monitoring and intensive care for sick or post-surgical pets, providing IV Fluids, Pain Relief, and continuous nursing support.
• **Emergency Surgical Services:** Immediate and urgent procedures for serious injuries or conditions, including:
  • **Emergency Surgery** (Soft Tissue, Splenectomy, etc.).
  • **Cesarean Section** for difficult birthing.
  • **Wound Repair** and soft tissue laceration repair.
• **Care for Diverse Species:** While specializing in **Dogs Cats**, the center also accepts **Exotic animals** (small mammals and pocket pets), though clients are asked to call ahead to confirm the doctor on duty can provide the necessary care.
• **Treatment Plan Development:** Creation of a tailored plan for immediate care, including Prescription Refills and coordination with the pet’s Primary Care Veterinarian for follow-up.

### Features / Highlights

The Veterinary Emergency Referral Center in Norman distinguishes itself through several features crucial to emergency and specialty veterinary medicine:

• **Dedicated Emergency Focus:** The entire operation is structured around providing **Immediate Medical** and **Urgent Vet Care**, filling a vital gap for pet owners outside of regular clinic hours, ensuring that a sick pet is never without options.
• **Advanced In-House Technology:** The presence of a sophisticated **In-House Laboratory, Radiography And Ultrasound** capabilities allows for rapid diagnostic results, which are essential for making critical, time-sensitive decisions in emergency situations.
• **Round-the-Clock Monitoring:** For animals requiring overnight care, the availability of continuous **Hospitalization** and **Critical Care** monitoring ensures that pets who are seriously ill or recovering from surgery are never left unattended.
• **Compassionate and Professional Care (as Reported):** Despite the high-stress environment, many clients report a high degree of **compassion and professionalism**, noting that the team went “above and beyond” and were “clearly invested in our dog’s well-being,” which is a powerful testimony for a stressful emergency setting.
• **Referral Network:** The name itself highlights their function as a **Veterinary Emergency Referral** center, indicating strong partnerships with primary care veterinarians who trust VERC to handle their clients’ after-hours critical needs.
• **Inclusive Amenities:** The center offers family-friendly and inclusive features like a **Gender-neutral restroom** and all listed accessibility features (entrance, parking, seating, restroom), demonstrating a commitment to welcoming all members of the Oklahoma pet-owning community during times of need.

### Contact Information

For pet owners in Oklahoma experiencing a pet emergency outside of standard business hours, the Veterinary Emergency Referral Center is available during its scheduled operating times. Please call ahead to alert the staff of your imminent arrival and the nature of the pet's emergency.

Address: **2121 McKown Dr, Norman, OK 73072, USA**
Phone: **(405) 360-7828**
Mobile Phone: **+1 405-360-7828**

### What is Worth Choosing

When an emergency strikes in the Oklahoma area, choosing the **Veterinary Emergency Referral Center** in Norman is often the most practical and necessary course of action, particularly when immediate, intensive, or advanced medical intervention is required after hours or on weekends. The facility's greatest strength lies in its specialization and commitment to emergency services, which means it is equipped and staffed specifically to handle the most severe and time-critical situations.

The availability of **Emergency Surgery**, **In-house laboratory**, and advanced imaging tools like **Radiography And Ultrasound** on-site allows for rapid decision-making—a critical factor when every minute counts in saving a pet’s life. Furthermore, for owners of less common pets, the willingness to treat **Exotic animals** provides a vital, specialized emergency option that is rare among general practices.

While the reviews indicate that the experience can be highly emotional and, in rare instances, challenging regarding communication and cost discussions—which is unfortunately common across all high-stress emergency services—the fact remains that the center has a track record of successfully managing critical cases and providing essential **Critical Care** when primary vets are unavailable. For Oklahoma pet families facing a health crisis with their dog, cat, or small exotic pet, VERC offers a high-level, dedicated emergency resource that can provide the necessary **Immediate Medical** attention when nowhere else can.

Veterinary Emergency Referral Center

2121 McKown Dr, Norman, OK 73072, USA