Emergency Vets on the Central Coast: The Two 24/7 Hospitals

Which Central Coast emergency vets are open right now?

We looked for every hospital on the Central Coast that takes emergencies around the clock or after hours, including independent practices. Two hospitals say they are open 24/7. Most local general practices we checked send after-hours emergencies to one of these two; a few, such as Central Coast Veterinary Centre at North Wyong and Wyoming, run an emergency-only out-of-hours line for their own clients, with out-of-hours fees. Hours are copied from each hospital's own page.

Each hospital's website, read on 9 November 2026. Hours change, so always phone first.

What SASH Central Coast says about a visit

• No appointment or referral. Its Central Coast page says walk-ins are welcome 24/7 and that pets can be brought in at any time without a referral for emergency care.
• Triage. Pets are triaged on arrival so the most critical cases are seen first. A stable pet may wait.
• Getting there. SASH says it is just off Wyong Road, with access to the Pacific Highway and M1, and that on-site parking is available, including for after-hours visits.
• Specialists on site. It is also a specialist referral hospital, and says it cares for pets from Gosford, Wyong, Erina, Terrigal, Woy Woy, Budgewoi and Lake Haven, with referrals from Lake Macquarie, Newcastle and the Hunter.

What ARH Gosford says about a visit

• All hours. Its Gosford page calls it an all-hours pet emergency facility serving the Central Coast, Sydney's northern suburbs and the Newcastle region, with emergency and critical care vets and nurses on duty at all times.
• Emergencies only. ARH says it is not a general practice and does not do routine work such as vaccinations, heartworm injections, dental care or microchipping. Pets go back to their regular vet afterwards.
• Pet ambulance. ARH says it runs the only pet ambulance on the Central Coast, for emergencies, critical care and specialist transfers, remote locations and after-hours care. Ask about it when you call.
• Hospital stays. It asks you not to bring toys or blankets from home, because with the traffic through the hospital it cannot guarantee they come back.

Which one is closest to me?

• Wyong, Tuggerah, The Entrance, Budgewoi, Lake Haven and the northern lakes: SASH at Tuggerah is usually the shorter drive.
• Gosford, Erina, Terrigal, Kincumber, Woy Woy and Umina: ARH at West Gosford is usually the shorter drive.
• Southern Lake Macquarie: compare the drive to Tuggerah with the 24/7 AREC hospital at Broadmeadow, in our Newcastle emergency vet guide.
• Heading to Sydney: our Sydney emergency vet guide lists the 24/7 hospitals across greater Sydney by area.

Many local clinics give their own clients an after-hours message that points to SASH or ARH. Check your clinic's website or phone message once, now, so you are not guessing at night.

A mobile vet is not a hospital

Pawssum offers urgent home visits across the Central Coast. It says it is open from 6am to 11pm, 7 days a week including public holidays, with emergency home visits from $349 and extra fees possible depending on the time of booking (checked November 2026; a published reference price, not a quote). It says it refers pets to a hospital when advanced care is needed. It does not cover overnight. For collapse, breathing trouble, a snake bite or tick paralysis, go straight to SASH or ARH.

24/7 hospital or your regular vet?

When is it an emergency? Go now

SASH describes a vet emergency as any situation where your pet is suddenly ill, injured or in distress and needs urgent care. Its list includes:

• Difficulty breathing
• Seizures or collapse
• Trauma, such as being hit by a car or a fight with another animal
• Severe pain or bleeding
• A toxin or foreign object swallowed
• Sudden changes in behaviour or mobility

Add a paralysis tick or a wobbly back end, a snake bite (or a dog that met a snake), overheating, a bloated belly, and a male cat straining in the litter tray with little or no urine. SASH's advice if you are unsure: call, or take your pet to an emergency vet.

Central Coast emergencies to know about

Paralysis ticks

The RSPCA Knowledgebase says paralysis ticks are found along the eastern seaboard from North Queensland to Victoria, which takes in the whole Central Coast. It lists signs including weakness or wobbliness in the back legs, a changed bark or meow, retching or vomiting, and difficult or rapid breathing. RSPCA NSW says to remove the tick, keep your pet calm, and take your pet and the tick to a vet the same day; after hours, that means SASH or ARH. Give nothing by mouth. Ask your vet about a tick-prevention product and do a daily fingertip search from the shoulders forward, under the collar included.

Snakes

RSPCA NSW says to keep your pet calm and quiet and take it to a vet immediately, because the chance of recovery is much greater with early treatment. Do not wash the wound or apply a tourniquet, and do not try to catch or kill the snake. The RSPCA Knowledgebase warns that a dog can collapse and then seem to recover, so go even if your dog looks better.

Heat

Flat-faced breeds, overweight dogs and very young or old pets struggle most on hot days. The RSPCA's heatstroke advice is to start cooling straight away with room-temperature or cool water on the fur and skin, keep air moving, and get to a vet immediately. Never leave a dog in a parked car, including at the beach. Our Central Coast dog beaches guide covers where dogs are allowed.

What to do on the way

1. Call the hospital first. Say what happened, your pet's name, species, size and age, and when you will arrive.
2. Keep yourself safe. A frightened or hurt animal can bite, even a gentle one. Move slowly and keep your face away from its mouth.
3. Carry your pet safely. Put cats and small dogs in a carrier. Lift a larger dog on a towel, blanket or board held by two people, keeping the back straight if it cannot walk.
4. Bring what you can grab in a minute. Any packet or wrapper your pet ate, the tick in a sealed bag, a photo of the snake from a safe distance, and notes from any recent visit to your regular vet.
5. Do not give human medicines. Many are toxic to dogs and cats. Give nothing by mouth unless the vet tells you to.
6. Have a second person drive if you can, so someone can watch your pet.

If your pet may have eaten something poisonous and is still well, the Animal Poisons Helpline runs a 24/7 line on 1300 869 738 and listed consultations from $79 when we checked in November 2026. If your pet is unwell, call the hospital instead.

How much does an emergency vet cost on the Central Coast?

Emergency care is expensive, and the consultation is only the start. Neither 24/7 hospital publishes an emergency consultation fee on its Central Coast page, as checked on 9 November 2026. SASH says costs vary with your pet's condition and the treatment needed, that an estimate is given once a vet has assessed your pet, and that tests and treatment are done only with your consent. Ask for that estimate, and ask what the first 24 hours of care would cost if your pet is admitted.

Read on each hospital's Central Coast page on 9 November 2026. No fee is published there, so ask the hospital for an estimate before treatment starts.

AfterPay, ZipPay, Zip Money and VetPay are finance or credit products, each with its own fees, limits and approval checks. Read the terms before you sign. The best time to sort out how you would pay is before an emergency, with pet insurance or a savings buffer. Our guide to cheaper vet care in Australia covers concession clinics, payment options and insurance basics.

Set this up before you need it

• Save two numbers: SASH Central Coast ((02) 4311 1311) and ARH Gosford ((02) 4323 3886).
• Know the drive at night from your home to both Tuggerah and West Gosford.
• Keep a carrier, an old towel and a tick remover where you can reach them quickly.
• Know your pet's weight, medicines and microchip number, or keep a photo of the adoption paperwork on your phone.
• Decide how you would pay a large bill, and read any insurance policy's waiting periods before you rely on it.

If you are adopting, ask the rescue which tick prevention the dog or cat is on and when the next dose is due, because a gap in cover is a real risk on the coast. Rescue pets usually arrive desexed, microchipped and vaccinated, so the emergency kit is the next job.

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