If your pet has difficulty breathing, has collapsed, is having a seizure, is bleeding heavily or may have eaten poison, call a vet now. During opening hours, phone Keysborough Veterinary Practice on (03) 9798 7274 before travelling so the team can begin triage.
KeysiVet provides same-day urgent care but is not a 24-hour emergency vet and is not staffed overnight. If the clinic is closed and your pet is critically unwell, go to the nearest open 24-hour veterinary hospital. Do not wait for KeysiVet to reopen.
When should you seek emergency veterinary care?
Seek urgent help if your dog or cat has:
- difficulty breathing or blue, grey or very pale gums
- collapsed, become unresponsive or cannot stand
- a seizure, particularly a prolonged or repeated seizure
- uncontrolled bleeding or a serious wound
- been hit by a vehicle or suffered a major fall
- a swollen abdomen with repeated unproductive retching
- repeated vomiting or diarrhoea with weakness
- difficulty passing urine or repeated straining with little or no urine
- eaten a poison, medicine, bait, chocolate or a foreign object
- severe pain, sudden paralysis or rapidly worsening symptoms
This list is not exhaustive. If you are unsure, call. A receptionist or nurse can gather the essential details and tell you the safest next step.
What urgent care does KeysiVet provide?
The clinic provides urgent pet care during its published opening hours. The team can assess many cases involving vomiting, diarrhoea, sudden pain, limping, injuries, recent poison ingestion and swallowed objects.
Facilities at the Chapel Rd clinic include intravenous fluids, X-ray, urgent bloodwork and FAST ultrasound scans. Two vets, Dr Nicole Hillier and Dr Emma Bakker, hold postgraduate memberships in emergency and critical care.
Your pet’s condition determines whether treatment can safely happen at KeysiVet. A very severe case or an animal likely to need continuous overnight monitoring may be directed straight to a 24-hour hospital.
What should you do before arriving?
Call (03) 9798 7274 first when possible. Be ready to explain:
- What happened and when
- your pet’s current symptoms
- whether breathing and consciousness are normal
- anything your pet may have eaten, including the packet or ingredient list
- your pet’s approximate weight
- any medicines or existing health conditions
Do not give human medicine or try to make your pet vomit unless a vet specifically tells you to. Keep the animal quiet and transport cats in a secure carrier. An injured dog may bite because of pain, even if normally gentle.
Is KeysiVet open now?
| Day | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 8:00 am to 8:00 pm |
| Tuesday | 8:00 am to 6:00 pm |
| Wednesday | 8:00 am to 8:00 pm |
| Thursday | 8:00 am to 6:00 pm |
| Friday | 8:00 am to 8:00 pm |
| Saturday | 9:00 am to 2:00 pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours can change on public holidays. Call before leaving if the website or phone message indicates amended hours.
What should you do after hours?
KeysiVet is not staffed overnight. For a critically unwell pet outside the hours above, contact the nearest open 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital and travel there without waiting for morning.
Stable patients treated overnight elsewhere can often return to their regular clinic the following morning when appropriate. Ask the emergency hospital to provide records and results so care can continue efficiently.
For suspected poisoning, the KeysiVet website also directs owners to the Animal Poisons Helpline Australia on 1300 869 738 for 24/7 advice. This call does not replace travelling to a vet when urgent treatment is recommended.
How does phone triage work?
Phone triage helps the clinic decide how quickly your pet needs to be seen and whether KeysiVet is the appropriate destination. It is not a diagnosis, and it does not replace an examination.
The team may ask about breathing, gum colour, consciousness, bleeding, pain, vomiting, urination and possible toxin exposure. They may also ask whether your pet can walk and how rapidly the condition has changed. Give short, direct answers and follow any transport instructions.
The advice can change as symptoms change. If you were initially told to monitor your pet, but it becomes weaker, develops breathing difficulty, collapses or shows another serious sign, call again or proceed to emergency care as directed.
During busy periods, stable patients may wait while more critical cases are treated first. This is the purpose of triage. Tell reception immediately if your pet deteriorates while waiting.
What might happen at the urgent-care appointment?
The priority is assessing breathing, circulation, consciousness, pain and other immediate risks. Stabilisation may begin before a complete diagnosis is available. Depending on the problem, this can involve oxygen support, intravenous fluids, pain relief or other time-sensitive treatment.
Once your pet is stable enough, the vet will take a fuller history and examine them. KeysiVet can perform urgent bloodwork, X-rays, and FAST ultrasound scans in-house when clinically appropriate. A FAST scan is a focused ultrasound used to look quickly for concerns such as free fluid. It is not always the same as a complete scheduled ultrasound examination.
The vet should explain the recommended tests, what each one is intended to show and the immediate treatment priorities. In an emergency, the plan may change as new results arrive or the animal’s condition changes.
What should you expect to pay for urgent veterinary care?
KeysiVet does not publish a standard emergency fee online. Cost depends on the consultation, severity, diagnostic tests, medicine, procedures, monitoring and whether transfer to a 24-hour hospital is required.
Ask for an initial estimate when circumstances allow. The team may provide a staged plan that distinguishes immediate stabilisation from tests or treatment that follow. In a rapidly changing emergency, it may not be possible to predict every item at the beginning, so ask when the estimate will be updated.
If cost limits affect what you can approve, say so plainly. The vet can explain the purpose and priority of each option. Do not delay the first call because you are worried about the amount. Knowing the condition and available choices is the first step.
How can you prepare before an emergency happens?
Save the clinic number, (03) 9798 7274, in your phone. Also, identify the 24-hour veterinary hospitals you could reach after hours and check their current phone numbers and locations directly. Emergency arrangements and opening status can change, so confirm them before relying on an old saved listing.
Keep your pet’s medicine list, insurance details and important medical history accessible. Use a secure carrier for cats and have a suitable lead available for dogs. If your pet has a known condition, ask the regular vet what signs should trigger an urgent call.
Store medicines, poisons, bait and dangerous foods securely. Keep product packaging when exposure occurs because the ingredients and concentration can change the advice. Preparation cannot prevent every emergency, but it can remove avoidable delays when minutes matter.
When can a problem wait for a routine appointment?
A long-standing, mild concern in an otherwise comfortable pet may be suitable for a scheduled appointment. Examples might include a small, unchanged lump, mild intermittent itching or a routine preventive-care question. However, the same symptom can become urgent when paired with severe pain, breathing changes, weakness, bleeding or rapid deterioration.
If you cannot confidently tell whether the problem can wait, call the clinic. The purpose of the call is to choose the right level of care, not to prove that the situation is already an emergency.
Call KeysiVet for urgent care in Keysborough
Keysborough Veterinary Practice is at 4-8 Chapel Rd, Keysborough and has provided local veterinary care since 1988. For a vet emergency during opening hours, call (03) 9798 7274 before arriving.
For a non-critical problem that still needs prompt attention, read about same-day urgent pet care in Keysborough and call to ask about availability. If the clinic is closed and your pet is critically unwell, use an open 24-hour veterinary hospital.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Keysborough Veterinary Practice open 24 hours?
No. KeysiVet provides urgent veterinary care during its published opening hours but is not staffed overnight. Critically unwell animals may need treatment at an open 24-hour veterinary hospital.
What symptoms are a pet emergency?
Emergency warning signs include difficulty breathing, collapse, seizures, uncontrolled bleeding, severe pain, repeated vomiting, inability to pass urine, a swollen abdomen or suspected poisoning. Major injuries, such as being hit by a vehicle, also require immediate veterinary advice.
Should I call before taking my pet to KeysiVet?
Yes, call (03) 9798 7274 before travelling when possible. The team can begin phone triage, prepare for your arrival and advise whether your pet should attend KeysiVet or go directly to a 24-hour emergency hospital.
What should I do if my pet becomes critically unwell after hours?
Take your pet to the nearest open 24-hour veterinary hospital and call that hospital while travelling, if possible. Do not wait for KeysiVet to reopen when your pet is having difficulty breathing, has collapsed, is seizing or has another life-threatening symptom.
