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Emergency Vets in Stroud & Stonehouse
How to contact us
If your pet needs emergency veterinary care, we've ensured there is always veterinary cover when you need it, either at our practice during opening hours, or at the emergency out-of-hours service at Wood Veterinary Hospital. Whether you're searching for an emergency vet at 2am or calling during the day with an urgent concern, you'll always find help at the end of the phone.
When is it an Emergency?
If your beloved pet suddenly falls ill, or is injured, you can’t always tell if it can wait or if it’s an emergency. As a general rule, contact us straight away if your pet is showing any of the following symptoms:
- Any difficulty breathing, including laboured, rapid or open-mouth breathing
- Collapse, loss of consciousness or sudden inability to stand
- Severe vomiting or diarrhoea
- Uncontrolled bleeding or a suspected fracture
- Seizures or prolonged disorientation
- Obvious pain, extreme distress or sudden changes in behaviour
- Suspected poisoning - common household dangers include chocolate, grapes, raisins, antifreeze and paracetamol, all of which are toxic to pets
- Road traffic accidents - even if your pet appears unhurt, as internal injuries can develop rapidly without obvious symptoms
- A visibly distended abdomen with retching but no vomiting
- Urinary blockage - particularly male cats straining to pass urine
- Eye injuries - always treat as urgent, as delay can cause permanent damage
If something feels wrong, trust your instincts. It's always better to call and be reassured, than wait until it’s too late.
Common Pet Emergencies & What to Do
Knowing what to do in the first few minutes can genuinely make a difference. In every case, the first thing to do is call us on 01453 762350.
My pet has eaten something dangerous
If you think your pet has swallowed something harmful, call us straight away, even if they seem completely fine. Many poisons act slowly, and waiting for symptoms to appear is not a safe approach.
The most common culprits we see in the Stroud area:
- Chocolate - particularly dark chocolate and cocoa powder. This can cause vomiting, restlessness, rapid breathing, muscle tremors and seizures in dogs.
- Grapes and raisins - even small amounts can trigger kidney failure in dogs.
- Antifreeze - both dogs and cats are attracted to its sweet taste. It causes rapid kidney failure and is one of the most dangerous substances your pet can encounter at home.
- Paracetamol and ibuprofen - never give your pet human pain medication. A single standard paracetamol tablet can be fatal to a cat, and ibuprofen is dangerous for both dogs and cats.
- Lilies - every part of the lily plant is toxic to cats, including the pollen and the water in the vase.
When you call, tell us what was eaten, roughly how much, and when. Bring the packaging with you if you can, it helps us identify the substance quickly and choose the right treatment.
One important point: do not try to make your pet vomit unless a vet has specifically told you to. Some substances cause more damage on the way back up.
My dog has a bloated or swollen abdomen or keeps retching without being sick
If your dog's abdomen looks visibly swollen or feels hard, and they are repeatedly trying to vomit without producing anything, this could be a sign of bloat. This is one of the most serious emergencies we see.
Bloat most commonly affects large, deep-chested breeds like Great Danes, German Shepherds, Standard Poodles and Boxers among others, but it can occur in any dog.
Signs to watch for:
- A distended, hard or visibly swollen abdomen
- Repeated unproductive retching, trying to vomit but bringing nothing up
- Restlessness and obvious distress
- Excessive drooling
- Difficulty breathing or a hunched posture
Don't offer them food or water and don't wait to see if it passes.
My pet has been in an accident
Road traffic accidents, falls from height, and attacks from other animals all count as emergencies, even when your pet appears uninjured. Internal bleeding is common after trauma and may not produce visible symptoms for some time.
While you get help:
Keep your pet as calm and still as possible. If you need to move them, support their full body length and use a blanket or flat board as a stretcher, don't carry them by the middle if a spinal injury is a possibility.
My pet is having a seizure
Witnessing a seizure for the first time is frightening. These steps will help keep your pet safe while it passes:
- Don't restrain them or try to hold them still
- Don't put your fingers near their mouth, they cannot swallow their tongue, and a seizing pet can bite involuntarily
- Clear the immediate area of anything they could knock into or fall from like furniture legs, stairs, sharp objects
- Time how long it lasts
Even a single seizure that resolves within a few minutes should still be followed up with a call to us, but it is not necessarily an immediate emergency. Call us straight away if the seizure lasts more than two minutes, or if your pet has several in quick succession without recovering between them, or if it is the first seizure they have ever had.
What to Expect When You Call
During opening hours:
We’re open 8.00 to 6.30, Monday to Friday and 8.00 to 12.30 on a Saturday.
During these hours, call 01453 762350 and our team will assess the situation and arrange for your pet to be seen straight away.
Out of Hours:
Outside our normal hours, when you call our number - 01453 762350 - you will be automatically diverted to the Emergency Veterinary Service run by our good friends at Wood Veterinary Hospital in Quedgeley. The team there is fully-equipped and ready when your pet needs them.
For out-of-hours vet care in Stroud and Stonehouse, our main number is always the right first step, you'll be automatically connected to the right service without needing to find a separate number in the middle of a crisis.
Why We Use the Out-of-Hours Emergency Veterinary Service
We've worked with the Emergency Veterinary Service for years and trust them to care for your pet as well as we would. This partnership genuinely works in your pet's favour, and we want to be transparent about why:
- Faster care: In a genuine emergency, every minute matters. Getting your pet to Quedgeley is typically quicker than waiting for us to travel back to the practice and open up.
- Safer treatment: Emergency vets working a dedicated night shift rest during the day. So they are alert and ready, all night long. Also, the Wood Veterinary team has access to our computer records, so they can access your medical notes if needed.
- Better value: Out-of-hours treatment costs more than a standard appointment - that's unavoidable. But the Emergency Veterinary Service covers many practices, so can spread those costs significantly.
Wood Veterinary Hospital is one of the most experienced emergency vets in the Gloucestershire area, and we believe they’re the leading out-of-hours vet in the area, serving practices right across the county.
Their dedicated emergency team handles everything from overnight monitoring to complex emergency surgery. Whatever your pet needs, they have the equipment, staff and expertise to deliver it.
Why Choose Bowbridge Vets?
Bowbridge Vets has been caring for the pets of Stroud and Stonehouse since 1967. Our team of RCVS-registered vets and Registered Veterinary Nurses brings decades of combined clinical experience to every appointment, from routine preventative care to complex primary care cases.
Most of our team have been with us for many decades, which means your pet is seen by people who know them, and who they know.
As an independent practice, we are not part of a corporate group. Every clinical decision is made by the vet in front of you, based entirely on what is right for your pet.
Our clients trust us with their pets year after year. That trust, built over more than half a century in this community, is something we work hard to preserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
What number should I call in an emergency?
Call us on 01453 762350 at any time. Whether you're in Stroud or Stonehouse, our team will arrange for your pet to be seen immediately. The same number covers the whole area. One call and we'll take it from there.
Where is the Emergency Veterinary Service?
The out of hours emergency veterinary service operates from Wood Veterinary Hospital in Quedgeley, Gloucester. If you wish, you can contact them directly on 01452 543990.
What counts as a veterinary emergency?
A veterinary emergency is any situation where waiting, even a few hours, could lead to serious harm or death. Some are obvious. Others are harder to judge, especially when you're worried. If you're not sure which side of the line you're on, call us.
Is there a 24-hour vet near Stroud?
Yes. Under the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct, every registered vet practice in the UK is required to make provision for 24-hour emergency cover. Bowbridge Vets does this through our partnership with the excellent Emergency Veterinary Service at Wood Veterinary Hospital in Quedgeley. They provide a trusted 24-hour vet service in the Stroud area around the clock.
Calling 01453 762350 at any time will either reach our team directly during opening hours, or divert automatically to the emergency service out of hours. You'll never be left without someone to speak to.
Is there an out-of-hours vet in Stonehouse?
Yes - the same service that covers Stroud also covers Stonehouse. Calling 01453 762350 connects you to emergency cover regardless of which part of the area you're in and no matter the time of day or night. There's no separate number and no separate process.
My pet has collapsed - what should I do right now?
Call us on 01453 762350 immediately. Collapse (where your pet falls and cannot get up) is always a veterinary emergency. It can be caused by internal bleeding, heart problems, low blood sugar, shock, poisoning or a number of other serious conditions.
While you reach for the phone, keep your pet as calm and still as possible. Don't move them more than necessary, unless they're in immediate danger - on a road, for example. If you do need to move them, support their full body length rather than lifting by the middle. Use a blanket or flat board as a stretcher if you have one to hand.
My dog has been hit by a car - should I go straight to the vet even if they seem okay?
Yes, always. Please don't wait to see how they are in the morning.
A dog that appears to walk away from a road traffic accident can still have serious internal injuries. Looking fine on the outside is not a reliable guide to what's happening inside.
Call us on 01453 762350 straight away and let us know it's been a road traffic accident. We will know to treat this as a priority.
Are emergency vet fees more expensive out of normal hours?
Emergency vet care does cost more than a standard daytime appointment, because the additional cost reflects the dedicated staffing, specialist equipment and 24-hour nursing that emergency services require to operate overnight, every day, in all weathers.
Our honest advice: take out pet insurance. A good policy will cover emergency consultations and treatment, meaning that if something happens in the middle of the night, you're not having to weigh up cost against care at the worst possible moment.
Can I take my pet to a vet without an appointment in an emergency?
If you're a Bowbridge patient and need an emergency vet in Stroud or Stonehouse, dial 01453 762350. We work on a triage basis, just like a human A&E, with the most serious cases being seen first. You won't be turned away because you didn't book ahead.
That said, calling before you set off is always worth doing if you possibly can. It gives the team time to prepare for your pet's arrival and means you can get first-aid guidance for the journey.
Do I need to be a registered patient to use emergency cover?
Yes. Our out-of-hours emergency service is provided for all our registered patients. If you're not yet registered with us, we'd encourage you to do so, it only takes a moment and means everything we need to know is in place before we need it.