Emergency & Referral Services
Part of Animal Health and Veterinary
What Are Emergency & Referral Services?
Emergency and referral veterinary services provide specialized care for complex, high-risk, or emergency cases that exceed the capabilities or equipment available for routine on-farm treatment. This includes veterinary teaching hospitals, specialty clinics, and emergency services that offer advanced diagnostics, surgery, and intensive care.
Why Specialty Services Matter
Some conditions require equipment, expertise, or facilities that aren't practical for field veterinarians to provide. Cesarean sections, displaced abomasum surgeries, fracture repair, and intensive care for valuable animals may justify referral to facilities with appropriate resources.
Key Benefits
- Advanced capabilities: Equipment and expertise not available on-farm
- 24/7 availability: Emergency coverage when your regular vet isn't available
- Intensive monitoring: Staff and facilities for critical cases
- Surgical expertise: Specialists for complex procedures
- Diagnostic imaging: Ultrasound, radiography, and advanced diagnostics
Common Referral Situations
Emergency Cases
Dystocia requiring cesarean section, traumatic injuries, acute abdominal emergencies, and other life-threatening conditions needing immediate intervention.
Complex Surgery
Left or right displaced abomasum, umbilical repairs, fracture stabilization, and other surgeries benefiting from hospital facilities.
Valuable Animals
High-genetic-merit animals where maximum treatment effort is justified by animal value.
Diagnostic Challenges
Cases where diagnosis remains unclear despite standard workup, benefiting from specialist evaluation and advanced testing.
Planning for Emergencies
- Know your options: Identify referral facilities before you need them
- Distance matters: Critically ill animals may not survive long transport
- Trailer readiness: Have transportation available for emergencies
- Insurance considerations: Understand coverage for emergency care
- Economic thresholds: Know when treatment costs exceed animal value
Do You Need Referral Service Access?
Consider establishing relationships with specialty services if:
- You have high-value animals worth significant treatment investment
- Your regular veterinarian has limited surgical capabilities
- Emergency coverage in your area is limited
- You want maximum treatment options available when needed
Referral services may be less critical if:
- Your herd veterinarian handles most emergencies effectively
- Economic thresholds generally favor euthanasia over intensive treatment
- Distance to referral facilities makes transport impractical
Cost Considerations
Emergency and specialty care is significantly more expensive than routine veterinary services. Expect costs of $500-5,000+ depending on the case. Weigh treatment costs against animal value, prognosis, and alternatives. Some operations carry mortality insurance on high-value animals to offset emergency care costs.