In a true crisis, the closest open hospital is usually the right choice, and we will tell you so. But Norfolk families regularly travel to CARE when local emergency rooms are full or booked, or when a case calls for advanced imaging and treatment that are not readily available at the moment. A phone call first helps us guide you.
Getting here from Norfolk
CARE is on John Tyler Highway at the corner of Route 199 and Route 5, in front of Food Lion and next to Bruster's. From downtown, Ghent or the neighborhoods around Old Dominion University, the drive is roughly 50 minutes by Interstate 64 and the harbor crossings, and traffic can add time. Get directions from Norfolk in Google Maps.
In a true emergency, the closest open hospital is usually the right choice. Call (757) 703-0199 before you leave and our team will help you decide whether the drive makes sense, and be ready for your pet if you come.
For Norfolk veterinarians: referring a patient
Many Norfolk-area cases come to CARE as referrals for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, hemoperfusion and advanced imaging. Refer a case whichever way is fastest for your team:
- Email: refer@care199.com
- Phone: (757) 703-0199
- Fax: (757) 703-1199
- Online: the referral form
Cases referring practices often send us:
- Weekend and after-hours emergencies, and overflow when your schedule is full
- Toxin cases that may need hemoperfusion
- Wounds, swelling and inflammation suited to hyperbaric oxygen therapy
- CT and ultrasound, run and read on site
- Swallowed objects that may be retrieved by endoscopy instead of surgery
- Patients who need hospitalization and ICU monitoring
We send detailed reports and updates back to you, and referring clinics can get automatic patient status updates through our Instinct EMR portal on Shareville. Email refer@care199.com to set up your clinic's login. More on our Referring Veterinarians page.
Emergency guides for Norfolk pet owners
- Pet poisoning: what to do first and how we treat it
- Dog ate ibuprofen: why any amount is worth a call
- Snake bites: copperheads live in the wooded yards and trails pets explore
- Swallowed objects: endoscopy or surgery
- Cat can't pee: urinary blockage is an emergency
- Paying for emergency care: estimates, financing and pet insurance
When CARE is closed: Tuesday to Thursday
We are closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday unless a holiday falls on one of those days. Call your Norfolk veterinarian first. For an emergency Tuesday to Thursday, we recommend The COVE in Suffolk or VEST in Virginia Beach, both on the South Hampton Roads side of the water. For a poisoning, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center answers around the clock at (888) 426-4435 (a consultation fee applies). See our weekend hours for details.