Emergency + Out of Hours

24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year

If your pet has an emergency during our normal opening hours, please call the practice and we will advise you what to do next.

When we are closed, you may need to take your pet to the dedicated night and emergency critical care clinic operated by our associated provider, Vets Now at Grove Lodge. They have some of the most up-to-date equipment and facilities in the South East to ensure your pet gets the very best care and attention.

Vets Now is the pet equivalent of an accident and emergency service, dedicated to providing pets with access to a vet out of hours.

They have some of the most up-to-date equipment and facilities in the South East to ensure your pet gets the very best care and attention.

Based at Grove Lodge Vets, 18 Upper Brighton Road, Worthing, BN14 9DL, their vets and vet nurses are specially trained to deal with pet emergencies.  Because they don’t work during the day, they’ll be up and ready to see your pet at the time you need them.

Vets Now has been providing dedicated out-of-hours emergency pet care across the UK for more than 15 years, and now responds to almost half-a-million pet emergencies every year.

We believe our partnership offers you and your pet the very best level of care, day and night.

Don’t forget that Vets Now is a pet emergency service. For routine cases such as vaccinations and topical treatments, please call us as you would normally, during our daytime opening hours.

In some circumstances, a pet ambulance or pet-friendly taxi service may be able to help.

Many clients have used the services of Southdown’s Pet Ambulance Ltd trading as Pets 2 Vets. As well as helping to transport your pet to the vet, whether it's an emergency or not, their ambulances can also help with transporting your pet to any other services and locations you use, such as kennels, dog groomer etc. They can be contacted on: 01903 933155 & https://www.pets2vets.uk. Take a look at a Pets2Vets article here

If you have questions, would like to arrange an appointment or simply get to know us a little better, please contact us.

FAQ's

How much does it cost to see the vet out-of-hours?

The initial consultation charge for out-of-hours is from £80 plus an Out of Hours fee of £240 inc VAT. This does not include treatment or medication. There is no charge for a telephone discussion/consultation.

The last thing you need in an emergency is to be concerned about money, which is one of the reasons we recommend investing in good pet insurance.

Is there someone with my pet overnight?

If during the day your pet has been seen by the Crossways team and is hospitalised with us at Storrington, a member of the nursing staff will be on-site at all times.

If your pet needs to be hospitalised overnight but is still well enough to travel, then we will ask you to help us transfer them to Vets Now based at Grove Lodge Vets, 18 Upper Brighton Road, Worthing, BN14 9DL where they will receive full nursing and veterinary care throughout the night.

How do I get hold of the vet in an out-of-hours emergency?

In an emergency situation, outside of normal working hours, please phone any of our surgeries. You will hear a recorded message that will give you the number to call to contact the on-call team.

On a weekday after 18:00 and through to 8:30am the following working day, you will be directed to contact the Vets Now team based at Grove Lodge Vets, 18 Upper Brighton Road, Worthing, BN14 9DL.

Crossways branches are open for you to ring directly for genuine veterinary emergencies between 8:30am and 18:00 during the week and between 8:30am and 12:00pm on Saturdays (except non-working days).

On Saturdays after 12:00pm and through to 8:30am on Monday morning, or the next working day, you will be directed to contact the Vets Now team based at Grove Lodge Vets, 18 Upper Brighton Road, Worthing, BN14 9DL.

On Bank Holidays from the close of business on the previous working day to 8:30am the next working day, you will be directed to contact the Vets Now team based at Grove Lodge Vets, 18 Upper Brighton Road, Worthing, BN14 9DL.

In the very unusual situation that you do not hear a recorded message or the number it gives you doesn’t work, please try calling one of the other branches to get through to their recorded message and double check that you’ve phoned the correct number. All three of the Crossways branches provide the same out-of-hours emergency number. Alternatively call Vets Now on 01903 95432.

Can the vet come out to see my animal at home?

In the vast majority of circumstances, it will be in your pet’s best interests to be seen at the vets. More importantly, the on-call team will have access to all the facilities, equipment and drugs your pet may need.

It is worth noting that legally, owners are responsible for transporting their animals to a veterinary practice, including in emergency situations. It’s a good idea to think about how you would do this and make contingency plans before an emergency arises. For example, you may want to take a look at the location of our Storrington practice and the location of the Vets Now practice (18 Upper Brighton Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN14 9DL- just off the A24 at the Warren roundabout) for when our vets are not available, if you haven’t been there before.

Is out-of-hours care available at the weekends?

The out-of- hours emergency service is available at all times – see ‘How do I get hold of the vet in an out-of-hours emergency?’

What should I expect when I phone the vet out-of-hours?

When you phone the on-call vet, they will discuss your pet’s condition with you over the phone, and advise whether you need to be seen urgently or whether there is something you could try at home first, or indeed whether it is something that could wait until normal consulting times. We do not make any charge for phone calls to the on-call vet, but please respect this and only call if it is an urgent situation.

There are a few reasons the vet may want to see your pet: firstly, there are facilities available such as ultrasound and x-ray that may be needed. Secondly, the hospitalisation facilities are at the Worthing site should your pet need to be admitted and hospitalised. Finally, the vet on call may have other patients in the hospital that need monitoring.

In some circumstances, a pet ambulance or pet-friendly taxi service may be able to help.

Crossways have previously worked with a local Animal Ambulance service run by Derek Spooner, which operates in the Findon and Worthing area and can be contacted on 01903 771145.