Critical Care for Pets in Urgent Need
24/7 intensive veterinary care from a fully staffed emergency and critical care (ECC) team, right here at The Lighthouse Vets.
ADVANCED EMERGENCY & CRITICAL CARE
OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES INCLUDE:
At The Lighthouse 24/7 Veterinary Hospital, we provide comprehensive emergency and critical care services, including:
- 24/7 emergency examinations and triage
- Trauma and wound management
- Respiratory and cardiac stabilisation
- Pain control and supportive care
- Toxicity treatment and decontamination
- Emergency surgical procedures
- Treatment for gastrointestinal blockages
- Seizure and neurological crisis management
- In-house laboratory testing for rapid results
- Continuous critical care monitoring
What to Expect When You Arrive?
Immediate Triage
Upon arrival at Lighthouse, your pet will be assessed right away by our trained emergency team. This triage process helps us determine how urgent the situation is and ensures that critically ill or injured pets are seen without delay.
Stabilisation and Critical Care
If your pet is in a life-threatening condition, we begin stabilisation immediately. This may include oxygen therapy, IV fluids, pain management, wound care, temperature regulation, or cardiac/respiratory support.
Why Choose The Lighthouse Vets for Critical Care?
24/7 Critical Care Hospital
We are a fully operational ECC facility, with veterinary surgeons and nurses on-site all day and all night. Your pet will never be left unattended.
Dedicated ECC Team
Our clinicians and nurses have extensive training in emergency and critical care, with experience in stabilising and managing complex cases.
Advanced Medical Equipment
We use in-house diagnostics, digital imaging, multi-parameter monitoring, and intensive care equipment to make fast, accurate clinical decisions.
Collaborative Approach
We work closely with local referring vets to provide seamless care and detailed updates, returning your patient with full clinical notes.
Areas We Support
Hampshire Coverage
We regularly support pets and referring vets across Hampshire, including major towns such as Portsmouth, Southampton, Winchester, Fareham, and Petersfield. Our 24hr hospital is just a short journey away for urgent and complex cases.
West Sussex Accessibility
For pet owners in Chichester, Bosham, and Emsworth, expert emergency support is closer than you think. Located just off the A27, The Lighthouse provides a fast option for families across the West Sussex border. We pride ourselves on being a seamless extension of your local vet’s care, offering fast admission and constant communication when every minute matters.
Convenient for Surrounding Rural Regions
We understand that for those in more rural areas like Midhurst, South Harting or Alresford, finding 24-hour support can feel a world away. The Lighthouse is perfectly positioned to bridge that gap. Our location offers a straightforward route from the heart of the countryside to our front door,.
Critical Care Referrals for Vets
Your Partner in Critical Care At The Lighthouse, we understand the pressure of managing complex, unstable cases within a primary care setting. We offer a seamless extension of your own practice, providing 24/7 support for patients requiring intensive monitoring or emergency intervention.
We value the relationship you have with your clients. Our goal is to provide high-level stabilisation and intensive care before returning the patient to your trusted hands for ongoing management as soon as they are stable.
How we support your practice:
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Immediate Referrals: We accept emergency medical and surgical cases 24/7 with no prior subscription or fee required.
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Collaborative Approach: We provide rapid updates and shared clinical insights, ensuring you are kept in the loop throughout the patient’s stay.
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Outstanding Facilities: Access to a dedicated ICU, advanced mechanical ventilation, and on-site CT to support your diagnostic workup.
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One-Stop Pathway: From initial stabilisation to internal referral if required, we manage the entire emergency journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Lighthouse is located in Havant, Hampshire, at 3 Downley Road, Havant, PO9 2NJ. It is located in the same facilities as Optivet, a referral centre.
If you have any concerns about your pet, please call us immediately on 01243 765 247. While other contact options are available on our website, we kindly ask that these are only used for non-urgent matters, as the team on-site is unable to respond immediately.
From Monday to Saturday, between 8am and 8pm our consult fees are £130. For all other times (including Sunday and Bank Holidays), the consult fee is £200.
Our team will always do their very best to see you and your pet as quickly as possible. Sometimes we may be managing multiple emergencies at once, caring for very unwell inpatients or performing urgent surgeries which can mean a long wait. During this time, we will always strive to triage your pet and provide any necessary urgent care, such as pain relief, while you wait.
Yes, we are able to offer emergency surgery such as foreign body removal, exploratory laparotomies, caesareans, etc.
Yes, we provide a 24/7 critical care service for emergency cases and referring vets.
Life-threatening emergencies
- Difficulty breathing or choking
- Severe bleeding that won’t stop
- Collapse, fainting, or unconsciousness
- Seizures (especially repeated or prolonged)
- Poisoning or suspected toxin ingestion (e.g., chocolate, antifreeze, certain plants, medications)
- Trauma (hit by car, fall, fight wounds, burns)
- Inability to urinate (especially in male cats)
- Sudden bloated abdomen (possible gastric dilatation-volvulus in dogs)
- Extreme pain (crying, shaking, inability to move)
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Urgent but not always immediately life-threatening
- Persistent vomiting or diarrhea (especially if with blood)
- Refusal to eat or drink for more than 24 hours
- Difficulty giving birth (straining more than 30 minutes with no progress)
- Sudden limping or paralysis
- Eye injuries or sudden blindness
- Heatstroke signs (excessive panting, collapse, disorientation)
Yes, if your pet is experiencing severe pain, a significant decline in quality of life, or is suffering from a terminal illness, euthanasia may be the most compassionate option. We encourage you to have an open and honest conversation with our veterinary team, who will guide you through this decision with empathy and expertise. We will help you weigh all options and, most importantly, ensure that your pet is treated with the utmost care and respect throughout the process.
Although we are a 24/7 emergency veterinary hospital and always aim to provide immediate care and treatment, we kindly ask that you call ahead with your estimated arrival time whenever possible. This allows our team to triage your pet’s condition, prepare appropriately for their arrival, and provide you with an estimated wait time if one is expected (as we may be managing multiple emergencies at once).
- Keep your pet calm and secure. Speak gently, move slowly, and avoid unnecessary handling.
- Use a secure carrier or box lined with a blanket or towel for cats, rabbits, and small mammals . Gently place your pet inside — guiding their back end in first can make the process easier and less stressful. Partially covering the carrier with a towel can help them feel safe and more comfortable during the journey.
- For dogs, use a leash or, if unable to walk, gently lift them onto a blanket, board, or makeshift stretcher to carry them.
- Keep warm. Cover your pet with a blanket, especially if they are in shock, collapsed, or very unwell. Using calming sprays (e.g. Pet Remedy) in the blanket/ towels can sometimes help keeping your pet calm.
- Control bleeding or wounds if possible. Apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth or bandage.
- Drive carefully and safely. Avoid sudden movements or loud noises that might stress your pet further.
- If your pet is in severe pain, struggling to breathe, having seizures, or you feel unsafe handling them, please let us know immediately—we can guide you on the safest way to bring them in.