VETERINARY CARE SERVICES
Our veterinarians provide general wellness, plus surgical, dental, and specialty care during daytime business hours. We are also open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week* for emergencies. See our non-emergency service options below.
*Please call ahead to verify nighttime availability
24 Hr Emergency Veterinary Clinic & ER
Please call ahead due to occasional nighttime closures
Veterinary Care for Dogs and Cats
Annual Physical Exams, Checkups, Vaccines, and Preventive Wellness Care




Preventive Wellness Care
In addition to being Charlottesville’s only 24/7 emergency veterinary clinic, VETSS is your best bet for general veterinary wellness.
- 24-hour access to your pet’s important medical records in case of emergency
- 24-hour medication refills
- Annual wellness exam and vaccines when it is most convenient for you!
- Drop offs welcome without strict pick-up times, since we’re always open!
- Great pricing and services from seasoned veterinarians
- Save on Preventive Medicine: Flea, tick and heartworm medications are the lowest in the area (and most even lower than online pharmacies like PetMed Express)
Each animal is different, and we will tailor your pet’s wellness care to suit its lifestyle, health history, and special needs. Click the menus below to get an idea of the care to expect for your pet. Please don’t hesitate to call us for more information or to schedule a visit with one of our great veterinarians.
For Canines, or Dogs
Puppies
Your puppy will receive a series of vaccinations every 3 – 4 weeks until after 16 weeks of age. Your vet will begin heartworm, flea, and tick prevention on your puppy’s first visit. Your vet will perform an intestinal parasite screening to determine your puppy’s health, and give it any relevant vaccines. The doctor may also recommend deworming. Be sure to bring a fecal sample to your first visit!
Adult Dogs
Senior Dogs
For Felines, or Cats
Kitten
Mew! Mew! Every newborn kitten deserves a healthy start. Our patients receive a series of vaccines every 3 – 4 weeks until after 16 weeks of age. Our vets will perform an intestinal parasite screening. We may recommend additional vaccines and deworming if we find anything suspicious. Also, for outdoor kittens, we’ll start heartworm, flea, and tick prevention. Be sure to bring a fecal sample to your first visit.
Adult Cats
Senior Cats
Senior citizen cats need special care, and we recommend any felines over 10 years of age come in your checkups twice a year. In addition to the regular tests, vaccines, and care, our veterinarians will evaluate your cat’s organ functions to identify all age-related internal changes.


Veterinary Care for Exotics
Small Mammals
VETSS, Charlottesville cares for pocket pets, like gerbils, guinea pigs, rabbits, and hamsters! We recommend annual wellness visits just to make sure your pet isn’t hiding any serious symptoms. A typical visit may include:
- A physical examination for abnormal biological functions
- Dental check to make sure teeth aren’t overgrown
- Screening for parasites such as lice, mites, or fleas
To ensure your pocket pet is living its best life, contact us to schedule an appointment.
Ferrets
Ferrets are intelligent, energetic, and have special dietary needs. Our annual ferret wellness exams typically include:
- Physical exam
- Rabies vaccine
- Examination for adrenal disease – A common, but very dangerous condition for ferrets!
We also encourage ferret owners to spay or neuter their pets—not only will fixing your ferret prevent unplanned reproduction, but helps reduce body odor, calm its moods, and protect it from deadly hormonal diseases. Contact us to schedule an appointment.
Reptiles & Amphibians
We treat lizards, turtles, frogs, toads, and non-venomous snakes. We also can provide guidance and consultations to ensure your pet is receiving the right temperature balance, humidity, and lighting in their habitat and receiving their recommended dietary needs.
24 Hr Emergency Veterinary Clinic & ER
Please call ahead due to occasional nighttime closures
Surgical & Specialty Services
As a full-service emergency clinic, we provide just about every specialty procedure in the books. We also have an on-site pharmacy and in-house laboratory for your pet’s care needs.
Click the menus below to learn more about our special procedures.
Hospitalization and Critical Care
We are trained and equipped to perform essential critical care for emergency guests:
- Oxygen Therapy
- Fluid Therapy
- Blood Transfusion
- ECG & Cardiac Consultations
- Sevoflurane & Isoflurane Anesthesia
Many emergency patients require hospitalization for post-surgical recovery, or medical observation:
- Inpatient Critical Care & Monitoring
- Outpatient Medicine & Surgery
Pet Dentistry
Dental diseases can lead to infections of the heart, kidneys, and liver.
- The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates roughly 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have some form of dental disease by 3 years of age.
Our in-house veterinary team can perform dental exams, cleanings, and oral surgeries—including extractions. Contact us to schedule a dental appointment.
Dermatology
Cardiology
VETSS pet cardiac treatment and disease detection includes electrocardiograms, chest radiography (X-rays) and ultrasounds.
Pet Surgery
Our modern surgical suite is available to meet most of our patients’ surgical needs. We routinely perform spay and neuter procedures on cats, dogs, and several exotic companion animal species.
We also regularly perform:
- Growth/mass removals
- Foreign body removal
- Wound repair and stitches
- Ear infection treatments and hematoma surgeries
- Amputations
- Plus many others
We also provide free post-surgical incision checks for all surgeries. Contact us with your questions.
Digital Radiology (X-Ray)
Ultrasound Imaging
Ultrasound imaging is a non-invasive, pain-free procedure uses sound waves to examine a pet’s internal organs and structures. This helps us discover, diagnose, and treat complex conditions without radiation or side-effects to ensure maximum comfort for your pet.
Eye Care
VETSS performs tonometry to determine glaucoma risk in our guests. We refer severe eye problems to Dr. Michael Blair, who sees eye patients for non-surgical appointments twice a month at our practice.
For surgical appointments, Dr. Blair sees patients at his home practice, Animal Eye Care of Richmond
State-of-the-art equipment
As an emergency clinic, we are always updating our veterinary equipment. Our state-of-the-art array includes:
- Intravenous Infusion Pumps
- AutoSuture Surgical Staplers
- Blood Pressure Monitors
- Defibrillator
- Digital Radiology
- Pulse Oximeter
- Ultrasound
- Respiratory Ventilator
- Multiparameter Anesthetic Monitors
Visit Us or Talk to Our Team
Phone, email, hours, tours, directions and forms
Schedule Online with VETSS
Use our convenient appointment request form to book online