When your pet needs attention right away, you can count on us.
Unexpected symptoms or minor injuries can be stressful, for you and your pet. Our urgent care team provides efficient, attentive support for same-day concerns, helping you get answers and next steps without unnecessary delay.
What is Veterinary Urgent Care?
Same-day care for urgent (but not emergency) needs
Urgent care bridges the gap between routine appointments and true emergencies. If your pet is uncomfortable or something seems “off,” we can assess symptoms, recommend appropriate testing when needed, and create a treatment plan focused on relief, safety, and follow-up care.
Common Urgent Care Cases We Treat
Help for pressing concerns,without the ER wait
Our experienced veterinary team regularly handles a wide range of urgent medical needs, including:
- Minor cuts, scrapes, and wounds
Ear infections and skin concerns
- Limping or mobility issues
- Vomiting and diarrhea
Breathing or respiratory concerns
- Urinary problems
- Allergic reactions
- Eye irritations
If your pet is showing symptoms not listed here, please give us a call. When it comes to your pet’s health, it’s always better to check in. We’re happy to guide you.
Our Diagnostic Capabilities
Fast, on-site testing to guide care
When a pet isn’t feeling well, having diagnostic tools available on-site can make a real difference. From digital X-rays to in-house lab work, we can often evaluate concerns during your visit—supporting quicker answers, more targeted treatment, and clearer next steps.
What to Expect During Your Visit
Clear communication and attentive care throughout
When you arrive, our team will evaluate your pet and prioritize care based on medical need. We’ll ask about symptoms and history, perform a thorough examination, and recommend any appropriate diagnostics. We’ll keep you informed along the way and talk through treatment options so you feel confident moving forward.
Professional Care in a Calm Environment
Supportive, low-stress care for pets and people
Even when things feel urgent, we focus on a steady, compassionate environment to help reduce stress. We’ll explain what we’re seeing, review recommendations, and answer your questions—so you understand your pet’s condition and the plan of care.
Follow-Up Care
Ongoing support during recovery
After addressing your pet’s immediate concern, we’ll send you home with clear instructions for care and monitoring. If follow-up is recommended, we’ll help you schedule the next visit to track progress and adjust the plan as needed. And if questions come up afterward, our team is here to help.
Call Now for Urgent Care in Charlotte
Same-day support when your pet needs to be seen
If your pet needs care today, contact Park Road Animal Hospital to request an urgent care visit. Calling ahead helps us prepare for your arrival and provide the most efficient care possible.
Frequently Asked Questions: Brachycephalic Airway Surgery: Stenotic Nares & Soft Palate Resection
Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) affects short-faced breeds — French and English Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston Terriers, Boxers, Shih Tzus, Pekingese, and, among cats, Persians and Himalayans. These dogs have the soft tissue of a longer-nosed ancestor packed into a shortened skull, and the excess tissue obstructs airflow.
A collection of anatomic abnormalities that together make breathing harder than it should be. Most affected dogs have more than one:
- Stenotic nares — nostrils that are narrowed or slit-like, restricting airflow at the very first point of entry
- Elongated soft palate — the soft palate extends past the tip of the epiglottis and flaps into the airway with each breath, the usual source of the snoring sound
- Everted laryngeal saccules — small pouches of tissue pulled into the larynx by chronic negative pressure, further narrowing the opening
- Hypoplastic trachea — an abnormally narrow windpipe
- Aberrant nasopharyngeal turbinates — excess nasal tissue obstructing the back of the nasal passage
- Laryngeal collapse — a late, progressive consequence in which the cartilage of the larynx loses rigidity and falls inward
The first two are the primary problems, and they are the ones we address surgically in general practice. The others are largely secondary — caused by years of increased breathing effort — which is why timing matters.
It is common in the breed, but common is not the same as normal or harmless. Noise means turbulent airflow, and turbulent airflow means the dog is working to breathe. That work is what causes the airway to deteriorate overtime.
Owners frequently tell us after surgery that they hadn’t realized how much their dog had been struggling until they saw them afterward — sleeping quietly, playing longer, tolerating a walk in warm weather.
- Loud snoring, snorting, or a raspy sound while awake
- Exercise intolerance — needing to stop and rest on walks
- Poor heat tolerance; panting that doesn’t settle
- Gagging, retching, regurgitation, vomiting, or frequent swallowing
- Sleeping with the head propped up, or with a toy in the mouth to keep the airway open
- Blue or grey gums, collapse, or fainting — an emergency
- Restless, noisy sleep and daytime tiredness
The gastrointestinal signs surprise many owners. The extreme negative pressure these dogs generate pulls stomach contents up the esophagus, and a majority of BOAS patients have some degree of reflux, esophagitis, or hiatal hernia. These signs often improve after airway surgery.
Earlier is better. The primary abnormalities are present from birth; the secondary ones — everted saccules, laryngeal collapse — develop from years of increased effort and are far harder to fix. Correcting nares and palate before that damage accumulates gives the best long-term result.
For dogs with clear signs, we often recommend surgery at the time of spay or neuter, around 6 to 12 months of age, so it can be done under one anesthetic. Stenotic nares alone can be corrected even earlier if the dog is significantly affected.
That said, older dogs benefit too. We simply set expectations based on what the airway exam shows at the time.
A conscious exam tells us about the nostrils, the noise, and the effort. The palate, larynx, and saccules can only be assessed under light anesthesia, so the definitive airway exam is performed at the start of the procedure — we look at the palate relative to the epiglottis, check for everted saccules, and grade laryngeal function and collapse. Chest radiographs let us evaluate the tracheal diameter, the heart, and the lungs.
We discuss with you in advance what we may find and what we would recommend doing about each finding.
A wedge of tissue is removed from the side of each nostril and the edges are sutured, permanently widening the opening. Variations include vertical, horizontal, and lateral wedge techniques, and an alar fold resection or ala-vestibuloplasty for dogs whose obstruction extends deeper into the nasal vestibule.
It is quick, well tolerated, and often produces a dramatic improvement on its own — the nostrils are the narrowest point in many of these dogs. There is a small amount of bleeding at the time and mild swelling for a few days. Cosmetically the nose looks slightly more open; most owners consider it an improvement.
Also called staphylectomy. The excess length of the soft palate is trimmed back so that it just touches the tip of the epiglottis rather than overhanging into the airway, and the cut edge is closed or sealed. It can be performed with scissors and sutures, a CO2 laser, or a bipolar sealing device — all are effective, and the sealing techniques tend to produce less bleeding and swelling.
Some patients also benefit from a folded flap palatoplasty, which reduces the thickness of the palate as well as the length. If everted laryngeal saccules are present and obstructive, they are removed at the same time.
The main one is swelling of the airway during recovery, at exactly the moment the breathing tube comes out. This is why brachycephalic patients are recovered with particular care: pre-oxygenation before induction, rapid intubation, anti-inflammatory medication, keeping the tube in as long as the patient tolerates it, and close observation afterward. Occasionally a patient needs to be re-intubated, and very rarely a temporary tracheostomy.
Other risks include bleeding, regurgitation and aspiration pneumonia, and — if the palate is trimmed too short — nasal reflux of food or water, which is why the resection is measured against the epiglottis rather than estimated.
Overall, planned surgery in a young dog carries meaningfully lower risk than emergency airway management in an older dog in a crisis. Complication rates rise with age, with obesity, and with the presence of laryngeal collapse.
Most patients are monitored in hospital through the day of surgery and often overnight, because the first 12 to 24 hours are the critical window for airway swelling. Expect some noisy breathing, coughing, and a slightly gaggy swallow for a few days — the tissues are inflamed.
At home, for roughly two weeks: soft or blended food and water offered in small amounts, a harness instead of a neck collar (permanently, ideally), strict rest with no running or excitement, cool and calm surroundings, and medication as dispensed. No cone is usually needed for the palate, though it may be for the nostrils.
Call us right away if you see
Call us for laboured breathing, blue or pale gums, coughing with fever or lethargy, or an inability to keep water down.
It improves it, often substantially, but it does not turn a brachycephalic dog into a long-nosed one. The published outcomes are good: the large majority of dogs breathe more easily, exercise better, tolerate heat better, and have fewer gastrointestinal signs after nares and palate surgery.
The strongest predictors of a good outcome are being young at the time of surgery and having no laryngeal collapse. Dogs with advanced laryngeal collapse improve less and may need referral to a surgical specialist for additional procedures.
Lifelong management still matters: keeping the dog lean, using a harness, avoiding heat and humidity, avoiding over-exertion, and managing any reflux. Weight is the single most modifiable factor — even a small amount of excess weight measurably worsens BOAS.
It requires more planning, and with that planning it is managed safely every day. These patients are prone to airway obstruction when sedated, to reflux, and to swelling at extubation. Our approach includes preoxygenation, a rapid and secure intubation, medication to reduce reflux where indicated, careful positioning, temperature control, delayed extubation, and continuous observation during recovery until the airway is stable.
Cardiac and airway pre-screening is worth doing in these breeds before any elective procedure, including a routine spay or neuter or a dental.
After hours? If your pet has a surgical emergency when we are closed, go directly to your nearest 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital. During opening hours call us at (980) 981-4334.
Frequently Asked Questions: Vomiting & Diarrhea
Gastrointestinal upset is one of the most common reasons pets are seen, and the causes range from a raided trash can to an intestinal obstruction to kidney disease. These questions cover how to tell the difference and what we do about it.
Emergency — act now
Come in right away — or go to an emergency hospital if we are closed — for any of the following:
- Repeated unproductive retching or a distended, tight abdomen — this can be gastric dilatation-volvulus (bloat), which is fatal within hours
- Vomiting that persists more than a few hours with no ability to keep water down
- Blood in vomit, or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
- Black, tarry stool, or large amounts of fresh blood in stool
- Known or suspected ingestion of a foreign object, a toxin, or a medication
- Weakness, collapse, pale gums, or a painful abdomen
- Any vomiting or diarrhea in an unvaccinated puppy or kitten
- A very young, very old, small, diabetic, or otherwise chronically ill pet — these patients dehydrate and destabilize quickly
- Signs lasting more than 24 to 48 hours in an otherwise healthy adult
For a single episode in an otherwise bright, healthy adult with no red flags: withhold food for 6 to 12 hours (not longer, and not at all in puppies, kittens, or diabetics) while keeping small amounts of water available. Then offer a small bland meal — a prescription gastrointestinal diet if you have one, otherwise boiled skinless chicken or lean turkey with white rice — and feed small portions every few hours for two to three days before transitioning back to normal food over another two to three days.
Do not give over-the-counter human medications without asking us. Pepto-Bismol contains salicylate and is dangerous in cats; Imodium is unsafe in certain breeds and inappropriate when diarrhea is infectious; and NSAIDs made for people cause gastrointestinal ulceration and kidney injury in pets.
It matters a great deal, because they point to different parts of the body. Vomiting is an active process — retching, abdominal heaves, nausea beforehand — and the material comes from the stomach or upper intestine, often with bile. Regurgitation is passive: food comes back up with little effort, often undigested and tube-shaped, sometimes long after eating.
Regurgitation points to the esophagus — megaesophagus, esophagitis, a stricture, a vascular ring anomaly, or hiatal hernia, the last of which is common in brachycephalic dogs. It also carries a higher risk of aspiration pneumonia. A video of an episode on your phone is genuinely one of the most useful things you can bring to the appointment.
A long list, which is why the workup is individualized:
- Dietary indiscretion — garbage, table scraps, an abrupt diet change
- Intestinal parasites — roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, Giardia, coccidia
- Infections — parvovirus, panleukopenia, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Clostridium
- Foreign body obstruction
- Pancreatitis
- Toxins — chocolate, xylitol, grapes and raisins, lilies in cats, human medications, cleaning products, certain plants
- Systemic disease — kidney disease, liver disease, Addison’s disease, diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperthyroidism in cats
- Chronic enteropathy and inflammatory bowel disease
- Food allergy or intolerance
- Cancer, including intestinal lymphoma
- Motion sickness, anxiety, or medication side effects
Sometimes we can, and for a straightforward case of dietary indiscretion in a healthy pet that is a reasonable approach — symptomatic treatment with anti-nausea medication, fluids, and a bland diet. The reason we don’t do it reflexively is that anti-nausea medication is very effective at masking the signs of an obstruction. A dog with a sock in the intestine can look considerably better for a day on an anti-emetic while the intestinal wall continues to deteriorate. When the history, exam, or duration raises that possibility, we recommend imaging first.
- A fecal test for parasites, and a Giardia antigen test
- Bloodwork and electrolytes — organ function, hydration, inflammation, glucose
- Urinalysis, which is needed to interpret kidney values properly
- Abdominal radiographs, for obstruction, foreign material, or organ size
- Abdominal ultrasound, for intestinal wall detail, pancreas, lymph nodes, and free fluid
- Parvovirus or panleukopenia test in young patients
- Pancreatic lipase testing for suspected pancreatitis
- Thyroid testing in older cats, and cortisol testing where Addison’s disease is a consideration
- For chronic cases: B12 and folate, diet trial, and sometimes endoscopy with biopsy
We recommend tests in the order that will most efficiently rule out the things that would change treatment today.
Small-intestinal diarrhea tends to produce large volumes, a normal or slightly increased frequency, sometimes weight loss and vomiting, and possibly melena — black, tarry stool from digested blood higher up.
Large-intestinal diarrhea produces small volumes with urgency and much greater frequency, often with mucus and streaks of fresh red blood (hematochezia), and straining. It is uncomfortable but frequently less concerning systemically than small-bowel disease.
A photo of the stool, unglamorous as it is, helps us more than a description. So does bringing a fresh sample to the appointment.
Veterinary-specific probiotics have reasonable evidence for shortening episodes of acute diarrhea and are safe. Human probiotics are formulated for different species of bacteria and are less useful.
Deworming is often appropriate as part of the workup, since parasites are common and fecal tests are not perfectly sensitive — a negative fecal does not entirely rule them out. We choose the dewormer based on what we are targeting; over-the-counter products often cover only roundworms.
Antibiotics, by contrast, are frequently not indicated. Most acute diarrhea is self-limiting, and unnecessary antibiotics disrupt the gut microbiome and can prolong recovery. We reserve them for specific indications.
Chronic signs — more than about three weeks — call for a systematic approach rather than repeated symptomatic treatment. Typically: rule out parasites and systemic disease with testing, then a strict diet trial using either a hydrolyzed protein or a true novel protein diet for six to eight weeks with absolutely nothing else by mouth, since a substantial share of chronic cases are diet-responsive.
If diet doesn’t resolve it, the next steps are B12 and folate levels, pancreatic function testing, ultrasound, and potentially endoscopic or surgical biopsy to distinguish inflammatory bowel disease from lymphoma and other causes. Many of these pets do very well once the right category is identified.
More worried than with an adult. Young animals have minimal reserves and can become dehydrated and hypoglycemic within hours. Parvovirus in puppies and panleukopenia in kittens are rapidly fatal without hospitalization, and both begin with lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea that may become bloody.
Any vomiting or diarrhea in an incompletely vaccinated puppy or kitten should be seen the same day.
Transition foods gradually over five to seven days. Keep trash, compost, and counters inaccessible. Skip table scraps, fatty foods, and bones — a single high-fat meal can trigger pancreatitis. Stay current on parasite prevention, most of which covers intestinal worms monthly. Store medications where they cannot be reached, and know which foods and plants are toxic before a holiday rather than during one.
Frequently Asked Questions: Vomiting & Diarrhea
Gastrointestinal upset is one of the most common reasons pets are seen, and the causes range from a raided trash can to an intestinal obstruction to kidney disease. These questions cover how to tell the difference and what we do about it.
Emergency — act now
Come in right away — or go to an emergency hospital if we are closed — for any of the following:
- Repeated unproductive retching or a distended, tight abdomen — this can be gastric dilatation-volvulus (bloat), which is fatal within hours
- Vomiting that persists more than a few hours with no ability to keep water down
- Blood in vomit, or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
- Black, tarry stool, or large amounts of fresh blood in stool
- Known or suspected ingestion of a foreign object, a toxin, or a medication
- Weakness, collapse, pale gums, or a painful abdomen
- Any vomiting or diarrhea in an unvaccinated puppy or kitten
- A very young, very old, small, diabetic, or otherwise chronically ill pet — these patients dehydrate and destabilize quickly
- Signs lasting more than 24 to 48 hours in an otherwise healthy adult
For a single episode in an otherwise bright, healthy adult with no red flags: withhold food for 6 to 12 hours (not longer, and not at all in puppies, kittens, or diabetics) while keeping small amounts of water available. Then offer a small bland meal — a prescription gastrointestinal diet if you have one, otherwise boiled skinless chicken or lean turkey with white rice — and feed small portions every few hours for two to three days before transitioning back to normal food over another two to three days.
Do not give over-the-counter human medications without asking us. Pepto-Bismol contains salicylate and is dangerous in cats; Imodium is unsafe in certain breeds and inappropriate when diarrhea is infectious; and NSAIDs made for people cause gastrointestinal ulceration and kidney injury in pets.
It matters a great deal, because they point to different parts of the body. Vomiting is an active process — retching, abdominal heaves, nausea beforehand — and the material comes from the stomach or upper intestine, often with bile. Regurgitation is passive: food comes back up with little effort, often undigested and tube-shaped, sometimes long after eating.
Regurgitation points to the esophagus — megaesophagus, esophagitis, a stricture, a vascular ring anomaly, or hiatal hernia, the last of which is common in brachycephalic dogs. It also carries a higher risk of aspiration pneumonia. A video of an episode on your phone is genuinely one of the most useful things you can bring to the appointment.
A long list, which is why the workup is individualized:
- Dietary indiscretion — garbage, table scraps, an abrupt diet change
- Intestinal parasites — roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, Giardia, coccidia
- Infections — parvovirus, panleukopenia, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Clostridium
- Foreign body obstruction
- Pancreatitis
- Toxins — chocolate, xylitol, grapes and raisins, lilies in cats, human medications, cleaning products, certain plants
- Systemic disease — kidney disease, liver disease, Addison’s disease, diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperthyroidism in cats
- Chronic enteropathy and inflammatory bowel disease
- Food allergy or intolerance
- Cancer, including intestinal lymphoma
- Motion sickness, anxiety, or medication side effects
Sometimes we can, and for a straightforward case of dietary indiscretion in a healthy pet that is a reasonable approach — symptomatic treatment with anti-nausea medication, fluids, and a bland diet. The reason we don’t do it reflexively is that anti-nausea medication is very effective at masking the signs of an obstruction. A dog with a sock in the intestine can look considerably better for a day on an anti-emetic while the intestinal wall continues to deteriorate. When the history, exam, or duration raises that possibility, we recommend imaging first.
- A fecal test for parasites, and a Giardia antigen test
- Bloodwork and electrolytes — organ function, hydration, inflammation, glucose
- Urinalysis, which is needed to interpret kidney values properly
- Abdominal radiographs, for obstruction, foreign material, or organ size
- Abdominal ultrasound, for intestinal wall detail, pancreas, lymph nodes, and free fluid
- Parvovirus or panleukopenia test in young patients
- Pancreatic lipase testing for suspected pancreatitis
- Thyroid testing in older cats, and cortisol testing where Addison’s disease is a consideration
- For chronic cases: B12 and folate, diet trial, and sometimes endoscopy with biopsy
We recommend tests in the order that will most efficiently rule out the things that would change treatment today.
Small-intestinal diarrhea tends to produce large volumes, a normal or slightly increased frequency, sometimes weight loss and vomiting, and possibly melena — black, tarry stool from digested blood higher up.
Large-intestinal diarrhea produces small volumes with urgency and much greater frequency, often with mucus and streaks of fresh red blood (hematochezia), and straining. It is uncomfortable but frequently less concerning systemically than small-bowel disease.
A photo of the stool, unglamorous as it is, helps us more than a description. So does bringing a fresh sample to the appointment.
Veterinary-specific probiotics have reasonable evidence for shortening episodes of acute diarrhea and are safe. Human probiotics are formulated for different species of bacteria and are less useful.
Deworming is often appropriate as part of the workup, since parasites are common and fecal tests are not perfectly sensitive — a negative fecal does not entirely rule them out. We choose the dewormer based on what we are targeting; over-the-counter products often cover only roundworms.
Antibiotics, by contrast, are frequently not indicated. Most acute diarrhea is self-limiting, and unnecessary antibiotics disrupt the gut microbiome and can prolong recovery. We reserve them for specific indications.
Chronic signs — more than about three weeks — call for a systematic approach rather than repeated symptomatic treatment. Typically: rule out parasites and systemic disease with testing, then a strict diet trial using either a hydrolyzed protein or a true novel protein diet for six to eight weeks with absolutely nothing else by mouth, since a substantial share of chronic cases are diet-responsive.
If diet doesn’t resolve it, the next steps are B12 and folate levels, pancreatic function testing, ultrasound, and potentially endoscopic or surgical biopsy to distinguish inflammatory bowel disease from lymphoma and other causes. Many of these pets do very well once the right category is identified.
More worried than with an adult. Young animals have minimal reserves and can become dehydrated and hypoglycemic within hours. Parvovirus in puppies and panleukopenia in kittens are rapidly fatal without hospitalization, and both begin with lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea that may become bloody.
Any vomiting or diarrhea in an incompletely vaccinated puppy or kitten should be seen the same day.
Transition foods gradually over five to seven days. Keep trash, compost, and counters inaccessible. Skip table scraps, fatty foods, and bones — a single high-fat meal can trigger pancreatitis. Stay current on parasite prevention, most of which covers intestinal worms monthly. Store medications where they cannot be reached, and know which foods and plants are toxic before a holiday rather than during one.
