Emergency Care for Dogs & Cats  at Bridger Veterinary Specialists & Emergency

Black outlined cross with a small cat paw print in the center on a white background

Refer a Patient

Black outlined phone handset with a medical cross icon, suggesting emergency or healthcare support

Call to Book
an Appointment

Bridger Veterinary Specialists & Emergency is open and staffed with a great team of emergency doctors, technicians, and support staff. Open 24/7, including holidays, our team is ready to provide the care that your pet needs.

What To Do When Your Pet Is Experiencing an Emergency

No appointment is needed for emergency or urgent care. When possible, please call us at (406) 548-4226ahead of your arrival,  so we can be ready for you when every second matters.

What To Expect: Understanding Triage


When you arrive at BVS for care, your pet will be triaged and seen based on the level of the severity of their condition and not necessarily in the order of arrival. 


If you experience a longer wait than others, it is because your pet has a less serious condition. Please refer to the chart below for common conditions and their priority for care.

Our staff triaging a new patient

Level 3:

Critical Emergency

  • Respiratory Distress
  • Collapse/Can’t get up
  • Straining to urinate-blood in urine in MALE cat
  • Active seizure/cluster seizure
  • Trauma (hit by car, animal attack, severe injury)
  • Profuse bleeding
  • Persistent non-productive wretching
  • Trouble during active labor
  • Toxin ingestion
  • Overheated
Black outlined paw-print alert icon with radiating lines on a pedestal
Warning triangle with exclamation mark icon

Level 2:

Urgent

  • Persistent/severe vomiting
  • Appetite loss for more than 24 hours
  • Known foreign body ingestion causing illness
  • Aggressive coughing w/out distress
  • Multiple seizures within a 24 hour period, but not actively seizing
  • Diarrhea paired with vomiting or loss of appetite
  • Allergic reactions (facial swelling, hives)
  • Small wounds or lacerations
Black warning triangle with an exclamation mark inside

Level 1:

Non-Urgent or Semi Urgent

  • Itching/Scratching
  • Chronic weight loss
  • Chronic illness/diseases
  • Hair loss
  • Red eyes/skin/ears
  • A single seizure with a full recovery
  • Vomiting (2 or fewer episodes)
  • Acute diarrhea without vomiting
  • Straining to defecate
  • Blood in urine/straining to urinate in a dog or FEMALE cat
  • Broken nails

We have a team that is caring, compassionate, and hardworking. They provide exceptional patient care, and want the very best for you and your pet. We ask that during this stressful time that you continue to treat our team with kindness and respect.

One of our staff holding a feline patient

You May 

Experience Wait Times

We understand that an unexpected visit to the veterinarian can be a stressful experience. We want to assist you and your pet in a timely and efficient manner. Reasons you may be waiting to be seen:

  • Critical patients are being treated that require immediate care
  • We have hospitalized patients that require care
  • Your pet is stable and is being seen for a less serious injury or illness
  • Patients that require care have arrived before you and have already been waiting

24/7

Emergency & Critical Care

Our team of emergency veterinarians, technicians, and support staff is ready to provide the care that your pet needs 24/7, including holidays. No appointment is needed for emergency or urgent care.


When possible, please call ahead at (406) 548-4226, so we can be ready for you when you arrive.

The Bridger Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Building