Emergency Vets in Cairns: The 24/7 Hospital and After-Hours Care

Which Cairns emergency vet is open right now?

We looked for every hospital in the Cairns area that takes emergencies around the clock or after hours. We found one. Several general practice clinics list “after hours” or “emergency” on their sites, but the ones we read point you to this same hospital outside their opening hours.

The hospital's contact page, read on 9 November 2026. Its site header and contact page show 07 4015 3459; one inner page shows a number with two digits swapped, so use the contact page number. Hours can change, so always phone first.

What the hospital says about itself

• Always staffed. Its hospital page says vets and nurses work shifts that change at 7am and 7pm every day of the year, so pets in hospital are never left alone, and that it has never closed, including through Cyclone Jasper and the floods that followed.
• Small animals and exotic pets. Its home page says it is open for small animal and exotic pet emergencies.
• Emergency only. It does not do vaccinations, dentals or routine preventatives such as tick and heartworm prevention. Those stay with your regular vet, and it sends a report to your vet after each visit.
• Patients from the whole region. It takes transfers and referrals from clinics across far north Queensland, including dogs and cats from remote areas on Cape York.
• Parking. Its what-to-expect page says there is off-street parking.

Your regular vet after hours

On its emergencies page, Emergency Vets 24/7 lists about 30 practices that refer their emergency, intensive care and after-hours patients to it, from Port Douglas and the northern beaches through Smithfield, Redlynch, Edmonton and Gordonvale to Innisfail, Kuranda, Mareeba, Atherton and Malanda, plus two mobile vets. It says it supports over 95% of the daytime clinics in the greater Cairns region. So if your vet is closed, its phone message will most likely send you to Anderson Street. Check your own clinic's website once, now, so you know.

There is no second 24/7 hospital in the region to fall back on: the hospital calls itself the only 24/7 animal hospital in far north Queensland. If you are driving down the coast with your dog, our Brisbane emergency vet guide lists the south-east Queensland hospitals.

24/7 hospital or your regular vet?

A practical rule: if your regular vet is open and can see you soon, call them first, because they know your pet. If they are closed, cannot fit you in, or the problem is on the “go now” list below, go to Anderson Street. Like a human emergency department, the hospital triages on arrival: pets with breathing trouble, heavy bleeding or seizures go first, and a stable pet may wait.

When is it an emergency? Go now

Emergency Vets 24/7 lists the emergencies it sees: dog bites, wounds, accidents and trauma, seizures, snake bites, cane toad toxicity, vomiting and diarrhoea, and odd behaviour. Treat these as go-now problems:

• Trouble breathing, collapse, heavy bleeding or a seizure
• A tick found on the body, or wobbly back legs, a changed bark or meow, or retching
• Licking, biting or carrying a cane toad
• A suspected snake bite, even if your pet seems fine afterwards
• Heavy panting, drooling or collapse on a hot day
• A swollen, tight belly, or anything poisonous swallowed
• A male cat straining in the litter tray with little or no urine

If you are unsure, call. The hospital says you are welcome to call or come in any time of day or night.

Far north Queensland emergencies to know about

Paralysis ticks

The RSPCA Knowledgebase says the paralysis tick is found on the eastern seaboard from North Queensland down to Victoria, and that in the north it may be found all year round. Emergency Vets 24/7 says it treats paralysis tick cases as walk-in emergencies and as referrals from other Cairns clinics. The RSPCA lists the signs: wobbly or weak back legs, a change in the bark or meow, retching, coughing or vomiting, and changed breathing. Its advice is to remove any tick, keep your pet calm and at a comfortable temperature, give no food or water, and get to a vet as soon as possible. Do not wait until morning. Ask your vet about a tick-prevention product and search your dog every day, starting at the face, neck and ears.

Cane toads

Cane toad toxicity is on the hospital's own list of emergencies. Queensland Veterinary Specialists advises wiping the gums, tongue, roof of the mouth and inside of the cheeks with a wet cloth, rinsing it often, for about 10 to 15 minutes, while you call the hospital. Do not hose or force water into the mouth, and do not try to make your dog vomit or give food, milk or medicine. If your dog is seizing, unconscious, cannot swallow or is struggling to breathe, skip the wiping and drive.

Snakes

The RSPCA Knowledgebase on snake bite says to seek emergency veterinary treatment as soon as you know or suspect a bite, whatever the snake, and notes that the venomous species vary a lot between regions of Australia. A dog can collapse and then seem to recover, which fools owners into waiting. Keep your pet calm and still, call ahead, and do not try to catch or kill the snake.

Heat

Flat-faced breeds, overweight dogs and very young or old pets struggle most in hot, humid weather. 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.

Crocodiles: prevention, not first aid

The Queensland Government's Be Crocwise advice is to keep pets on a lead and away from the water's edge, to stay at least 5 metres back, and to take extra care at night, dusk and dawn, when crocodiles are hard to see. Bear that in mind on creek, river and beach walks.

What to do on the way

1. Call the hospital first on 07 4015 3459. Say what happened, your pet's species, size and age, and when you will arrive, so the team can prepare.
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, plant or bait your pet ate, the tick in a sealed bag, a photo of the snake from a safe distance, and a list of your pet's medicines.
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.

How much does an emergency vet cost in Cairns?

Emergency care is expensive, and Emergency Vets 24/7 does not publish its consultation fee online, as of 9 November 2026. Its what-to-expect page explains how billing works instead:

• Emergency treatment costs slightly more than a general practice clinic, because the hospital is staffed 24 hours a day.
• The vet builds a diagnostic and treatment plan with you, within your budget.
• If your pet is admitted, you sign a consent form with an estimate of costs and pay a deposit at admission. The total depends on the condition, test results and how your pet responds.
• If your pet goes home and you are worried, a recheck for the same condition within 24 hours of discharge has no repeat consultation fee.
• It cannot offer in-house payment plans or credit, but partners with three credit providers: Afterpay, Zip Pay and VetPay. It notes that interest may apply and asks you to read the terms.

Afterpay, Zip Pay and VetPay are credit or finance products, each with its own fees, limits and approval checks. The best time to decide how you would pay a large bill 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 the number: 07 4015 3459, under a name you will find at 2am, next to your regular vet.
• Know the drive. If you live on the northern beaches, the Tablelands or south of the city, check how long the trip to Manunda takes at night and in wet-season weather.
• 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 is on and when the next dose is due. Rescue dogs usually arrive desexed, microchipped and vaccinated, so the emergency kit is the next job. Our Cairns dog rescues guide lists the groups we track, and if your dog ever goes missing, start with our Cairns lost pets page.

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