24/7 care

Critical Care

At Madison Veterinary Specialists, we understand that pet emergencies can happen at any time. At times, these emergencies require a higher level of specialty care. For critically ill and injured patients, choosing a hospital with a critical care team can mean the difference between life and death. With state-of-the-art facilities and a compassionate team of experts, we offer comprehensive veterinary critical care services to ensure your pet receives the best possible treatment.

When would my pet need a criticalist?

These are some of the life-threatening illnesses or injuries that may need the expertise of a critical care team:

  • Severe trauma
  • Shock
  • Sepsis
  • Ingestion of poisons or intoxicants
  • Collapse, loss of consciousness, significant lethargy
  • Straining to urinate or unable to pass urine
  • Acute nonproductive retching or multiple episodes of vomiting
  • Acute bloat or abdominal swelling

Comprehensive Veterinary Critical Care Services

Our critical care vet team is equipped to handle all emergencies. Our services include:

  • Trauma Care: We provide immediate care for pets that have experienced trauma, such as accidents, falls, or fights.
  • ICU: Our intensive care unit is equipped with advanced laboratory, monitoring and life-support equipment to care for critically ill pets, 24/7.
  • Treatment: IV fluids, high-flow oxygen, pain management, mechanical ventilation, blood products for transfusions, and a full in-house pharmacy are just some of things we have available at MVS at all times.

Why Choose Madison Veterinary Specialists for Urgent Pet Care?

We are proud to be a certified through the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society (VECCS) as a Level II Certified Facility. This means we meet set guidelines published by VECCS that include but are not limited to:

  • Having 24-hour acute care with a medical staff that has the necessary training to provide emergent and critical patient care
  • Having blood products and emergency medications available for immediate use
  • Being capable of providing nutritional support through a feeding tube

To learn more about our VECCS Certification, you can click the logo below:

When your pet’s health is at risk, trust the dedicated team at Madison Veterinary Services to provide the urgent care they need. Contact us immediately at (608) 274-7772 for any pet emergencies, and rest assured that your pet is in good hands.

Dr. Finstad is a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical care. She attended the University of Wisconsin for veterinary medical school followed by a rotating internship at Tufts University and an ECC residency at The Ohio State University. During residency she became captivated by the kidney and extracorporeal therapy. She is currently a member of the inaugural class of the American College of Veterinary Nephrology and Urology, completed Hemodialysis Academy and a fellowship in Extracorporeal Therapy at OSU. She hopes to one day be considered a veterinary critical care nephrologist.

In her spare time, Dr. Finstad loves to spend time with her husband, Zach, and their Labrador Retriever, Samson.

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