Meet the Emergency Vet Behind SDL’s Rescue Success StoriesFor the past few months, SDL’s Rescue has been handling several urgent kitten-rescue cases: kittens coming in from the wild, exposed to ha

For the past few months, SDL’s Rescue has been handling several urgent kitten-rescue cases: kittens coming in from the wild, exposed to harsh conditions, showing signs of ringworm, upper respiratory infections (URI), suspected poisoning, parasites, malnutrition and more. These little ones were in rough shape.

The team at VEG ER for Pets has stepped up again and again to provide emergency care, diagnostics, treatment and hospitalisation when timing was critical. Because when kittens are wild-found and sick, their window to recover is small. Having a reliable emergency partner has made a huge difference in how many of these kittens survive and go on to thrive.

Why VEG Is So Valuable

Here’s what makes VEG stand out in rescue work:

• 24/7 Walk-in Emergency Care: No appointment needed, day or night. This means when a kitten is found at midnight or on a weekend, rescue workers can go straight in rather than waiting until normal vet hours. VEG ER for Pets+2VEG ER for Pets+2

  
  

• Wide Species Coverage: Not just cats and dogs—VEG treats “tails to scales.” So if your rescue has feral kittens + maybe a bird or small mammal found nearby, the team is set up for a range of animals. VEG ER for Pets

  
  

• Sophisticated Diagnostics & Hospitalisation: VEG can perform in-house testing (bloodwork, x-rays, ultrasounds) and support overnight stays when needed. This means faster treatment and better monitoring of fragile rescue patients. VEG ER for Pets+1

  
  

• Geographic Access in the Bay Area: For rescues working around Vallejo, having a nearby hospital (such as the Pleasant Hill location) is helpful because time matters in emergency cases. The Pleasant Hill hospital is open 24/7 at 622 Contra Costa Blvd Suite A, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523.

Types of Animals They Help

VEG’s service list includes:

• Cats and kittens (wild, feral, domestic)

• Dogs of all sizes

• Small mammals / “pocket pets” (rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets)

• Birds (parrots, small exotic birds)

• Reptiles and other exotic species (snakes, lizards, turtles)Basically: if it fits through the door and is a pet (or a rescue under care), they treat it. VEG ER for Pets

When Should You Take Your Pet (or Rescue Animal) to VEG?

Here are warning signs that you should go immediately (or call ahead) to an emergency vet like VEG:

• Difficulty breathing, heavy panting or gasping, blue/pale gums

• Repeated vomiting or diarrhea, especially with lethargy or dehydration

• Suspected poisoning or toxin ingestion (e.g., found in an abandoned lot, exposed to unknown chemical)

• Visible trauma or injury (limping, stumbling, obvious wound)

• Straining to urinate or not urinating (especially male cats)

• For rescued kittens: unwilling to eat or nurse, very low energy, crusty skin/lesions (ringworm), nasal/eye discharge (URI), maybe parasites or malnutrition

  
  

If you spot one or more of these, it’s best not to wait—go straight to an emergency vet.

How This Has Played Out for SDL’s Rescue

Here are a few examples (anonymised) of how VEG has helped our rescue:

• A kitten with ringworm (circular crusty patches on skin) plus a secondary skin infection was hospitalised at VEG, treated with systemic and topical therapy, then returned to foster care and is now ready for adoption.

• A kitten found sneezing, with nasal discharge and dehydration (URI case) was admitted overnight, received fluids + antibiotics, then went into foster and is now gaining weight and behaving normally.

• A suspected poisoning case: found weak outdoors in a backyard, no clear cause but showing signs of toxin exposure, VEG’s prompt care saved the kitten from what might have been a fatal outcome.

• A rescue case with multi-parasite burden + malnutrition: VEG stabilized the animal, then SDL’s Rescue provided the long-term foster care and socialisation until adoption.

In short: VEG doesn’t replace our rescue work (fostering, socialisation, adoption pipeline) but really enables it. It lets SDL’s Rescue handle the high-risk emergencies with a strong partner.

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Final Thoughts

When you’re working with wild/feral kittens or animals rescued from rough conditions, you need an emergency vet you trust—someone who is ready any time, with the skills to stabilise and treat complex cases. For SDL’s Rescue, VEG ER for Pets has been that partner.

If you’re a pet owner or part of a rescue group:

• Save the VEG location in your phone (especially the Pleasant Hill 24/7 hospital)

• Keep their number handy (9253842110)

• Familiarise your foster/rescue team with the red-flag signs above

• Know that when you see one of those red-flags—going to VEG right away can make the difference between life and death

Thank you to VEG for being there when it matters most. And thanks to all our volunteers, fosters, donors for doing the ongoing, quiet work between emergencies.