The short answer
Six Adelaide hospitals say on their own sites that they are open 24/7. Inner east: SASH Adelaide, Kent Town, (08) 8133 5300, and Greencross Vet Centre and AVSARC, Norwood, 08 8132 0533. Inner south: Nexus Emergency Vet Hospital, Malvern, (08) 71 343 110. West: The Austin Vet Specialists, Mile End South, 08 8166 3828. Hills: Pawprints Afterhours, Blackwood, 1300 729 774. Far north: Roseworthy Veterinary Hospital, (08) 8313 1999 (phone before you arrive).
Emergency Vet Adelaide in Plympton covers weeknights from 5pm and all weekend. Call first, every time. None of these hospitals publishes a set emergency fee, so ask for an estimate before treatment. Checked 9 November 2026.
Go now if you see any of these
- • Trouble breathing
- • Collapse, sudden weakness, or a seizure
- • A snake bite, or a dog that was near a snake and is now wobbly, vomiting or weak
- • Heavy panting, drooling and collapse on a hot day (possible heatstroke)
- • Eating rat bait, snail bait, human medicine or another poison
- • Severe bleeding, a car accident or a dog attack
- • Straining to pass urine, especially in a male cat
These follow the emergency signs listed by Roseworthy Veterinary Hospital, Meadows Veterinary Centre and the RSPCA Knowledgebase. If you are not sure, ring a 24/7 hospital and describe what you see.
Which Adelaide vets are open 24 hours?
These six hospitals each say on their own site that they take emergencies around the clock. The hours column repeats their wording. Addresses and numbers are as published.
| Hospital | Address | Hours (as published) | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| SASH Adelaide | 99 Rundle St, Kent Town SA 5067 | “Open 24 hours, 365 days per year”. Walk-ins, no appointment needed. | (08) 8133 5300 |
| Greencross Vet Centre and Adelaide Veterinary Services & Referral Centre (AVSARC) | 102-104 Magill Road, Norwood SA 5067 | 24/7 emergency care. General practice appointments Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 1pm. | 08 8132 0533 |
| Nexus Emergency Vet Hospital | 311 Unley Rd, Malvern SA 5061 | “Open and fully staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week”. Walk in, no appointment needed. | (08) 71 343 110 |
| The Austin Vet Specialists | 19-21 William Street, Mile End South SA 5031 | “Open 24 hours every day”, including weekends and public holidays. | 08 8166 3828 |
| Pawprints Afterhours | 199A Main Road, Blackwood (at the Hills Veterinary Centre site) | “Open 24/7, 365 days a year”. Its website has not been updated for some time, so call before you go. | 1300 729 774 |
| Roseworthy Veterinary Hospital (Adelaide University) | 1454 Mudla Wirra Road, Roseworthy SA 5371 | Small Animal Hospital “24 hours a day, 7 days a week”. You must phone before you arrive. | (08) 8313 1999 |
Checked on each hospital's own website on 9 November 2026. Hours, names and numbers change; the hospital's own site and phone line always win.
Which Adelaide vets are open after hours but not 24/7?
These clinics cover evenings, nights or weekends but not every hour. Check the hours against the clock before you set off.
| Clinic | Address | Hours (as published) | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency Vet Adelaide | 282 Anzac Hwy, Plympton SA 5038 | Monday to Friday 5pm to 8am. Saturday, Sunday and public holidays open 24hrs. Cannot treat rabbits on site. | (08) 8121 3030 |
| Vets4Pets Golden Grove (Golden Grove Emergency Veterinary Hospital) | 103 The Golden Way, Wynn Vale SA 5127 | Consultation hours 7:00am to 9:00pm, Monday to Sunday. Closed public holidays. Says it operates as an emergency hospital after hours and on weekends. | (08) 8289 3722 |
| Meadows Veterinary Centre | 2 Battunga Road, Meadows | Emergency service 6am to 10pm every day, including weekends and public holidays. You do not need to be an existing client. | 08 8388 3455 |
| Adelaide Veterinary Walk In Clinic | 52 Main N Rd, Prospect SA 5082 | After-hours urgent care, first come first served. Monday to Friday (except Wednesday) 7pm to 12am; Wednesday 8:30pm to 12am; Saturday and Sunday 1pm to 9pm; public holidays 1pm to 9pm. | (08) 7123 2996 |
The Prospect walk-in clinic calls itself after-hours urgent care and “an alternative to waiting in emergency”. That suits a problem that cannot wait for morning but is not life threatening. For anything on the red list above, go to a 24/7 hospital.
Which emergency vet is closest to me?
Distance matters less than you think: a hospital 10 minutes further away that is ready for you beats a closer one that is full. That is why every hospital asks you to call first. As a rough guide by area:
- CBD, inner east and eastern suburbs: SASH Adelaide (Kent Town) and Greencross Vet Centre (Norwood) are both on the eastern edge of the city.
- Inner south and southern suburbs: Nexus (Malvern, on Unley Road). Further south and into the Hills, Pawprints Afterhours (Blackwood).
- Western suburbs and the coast: The Austin (Mile End South) any time; Emergency Vet Adelaide (Plympton, on Anzac Highway) on weeknights from 5pm and all weekend.
- Inner north: the Prospect walk-in clinic for urgent but not life-threatening problems in its evening hours; otherwise an inner-city 24/7 hospital.
- North and north-east: Vets4Pets Golden Grove (Wynn Vale) until 9pm, but not on public holidays. Overnight, Roseworthy is the northern 24/7 hospital but sits about 50 km north of the CBD, so compare the drive with an inner-city option.
- Southern Hills: Meadows Veterinary Centre from 6am to 10pm, then Pawprints Afterhours in Blackwood.
Nexus posts a live wait-time and capacity notice on its website. It is worth a glance, but a phone call is still the best check.
24/7 hospital, after-hours clinic or your regular vet?
| Option | When it fits | Adelaide examples |
|---|---|---|
| 24/7 emergency hospital | Life-threatening problems at any hour, pets that need overnight monitoring, emergency surgery. | SASH, Greencross Norwood, Nexus, The Austin, Pawprints, Roseworthy |
| After-hours emergency clinic | Emergencies on weeknights and weekends when the clinic is open. | Emergency Vet Adelaide (Plympton) |
| Extended-hours or urgent-care clinic | Urgent problems in the evening that are not life threatening, or a local option before a long drive. | Vets4Pets Golden Grove, Meadows Veterinary Centre, Adelaide Veterinary Walk In Clinic |
| Your regular vet | Anything that can safely wait until opening hours, and all follow-up care after an emergency visit. | Your own clinic. Several of the hospitals above say they work with your regular vet after an emergency visit. |
Your regular vet is also the first call in business hours. Many will see an emergency the same day, and if they cannot, they will tell you which hospital to go to.
What should I do on the way to the emergency vet?
- Call ahead. Say what happened, your pet's species, size and age, and when you will arrive. Roseworthy asks for this before you arrive; every other hospital prefers it.
- Move your pet safely. Cats and small pets in a closed carrier. Dogs on a lead or harness; a dog that cannot walk can be carried on a towel or blanket used as a stretcher. A pet in pain may bite, even a gentle one, so keep your face away.
- Bring the evidence. The packet, plant or wrapper if your pet ate something, any medicines it takes, and its medical history and vaccination records if you have them (Roseworthy asks for these).
- Do not give food, water or human medicine unless a vet tells you to. Do not try to make your pet vomit without a vet's advice.
- Drive safely. Ask someone else to drive if you can, so you can keep your pet still and calm.
For a suspected poisoning, the Animal Poisons Helpline (1300 869 738) describes itself as a 24/7 helpline for Australian pet owners. Call it, or a 24/7 hospital, while someone else drives.
Which Adelaide emergencies should I know about?
Heatstroke: go now
Adelaide summers are hot and dry, with runs of days past 35 degrees and into the 40s. The RSPCA Knowledgebase calls heatstroke a life-threatening emergency that can lead to rapid organ failure. Heavy panting, drooling, wobbliness or collapse after exercise or time in a car means a 24/7 hospital, now. Prevention is simple: walk early or late, test the footpath with the back of your hand, and never leave a pet in a parked car.
Snake bites: go now
The RSPCA Knowledgebase says snakes become more active as the weather warms up. It says to seek emergency treatment as soon as you know or suspect a bite, keep the animal calm and quiet, and never try to catch or kill the snake. A dog can seem to recover after collapsing and still be in danger, so go even if it perks up.
Baits and poisons: call and go
The Animal Poisons Helpline says calls about pets eating rat bait are very common, and that most involve anticoagulant baits, which can cause serious bleeding. Human medicines such as ibuprofen, grapes and raisins, fertilisers and wild mushrooms are also on its list, and it notes that some poisonings do not show for hours. Call as soon as you know your pet ate something, not when it starts to look unwell.
Paralysis ticks: know the signs
The RSPCA Knowledgebase says the paralysis tick is generally found on the eastern seaboard, from north Queensland down to Victoria. If you travel east with your dog, ask your vet about tick prevention before you go. The Knowledgebase lists wobbly back legs, a changed bark or meow, retching and breathing trouble as signs of tick paralysis, which is an emergency.
Thinking about adopting in Adelaide?
Adelaide rescues list dogs and cats that arrive desexed, microchipped and vaccinated. Browse current listings, and save your nearest 24/7 vet the day your new pet comes home.
How much does an emergency vet cost in Adelaide?
Emergency care is expensive, and none of the Adelaide hospitals we checked publishes a set emergency consultation fee, so we do not quote one. What the hospitals do say:
- SASH says its fees are generally similar to other 24/7 emergency and specialist hospitals, and that an accurate estimate, usually a high and low range, is only possible after a consultation.
- Nexus says it gives upfront, itemised estimates and talks you through any change before it happens.
- The price usually has two parts: the emergency consultation, then any tests, treatment or hospital stay. Ask for a written estimate before treatment starts, and ask whether a deposit is needed.
Payment options the hospitals list
- SASH: card, EFTPOS, cash, bank cheque or direct deposit; Afterpay, Zip Pay and Zip Money; GapOnly for participating pet insurers, which SASH says lets you claim your insurance benefit before paying the remaining balance.
- Nexus: GapOnly and VetPay.
Afterpay, Zip and VetPay are buy now, pay later or credit products. They can help with cash flow on a bad night, but each comes with its own terms and fees. Read the terms before you sign, and only borrow what you can repay.
Pet insurance is the other lever, and it has to be in place before the emergency. SASH notes that some insurers may not cover pre-existing conditions or animals over a certain age, so it suggests applying before you need it. For low-cost and charity vet options across the country, see our guide to cheap vet care in Australia.
These are the hospitals' own descriptions of their pricing and payment options, read on 9 November 2026. They are not a quote. Ask the hospital for an estimate for your pet.
What about rabbits, birds and native animals?
Not every emergency hospital treats every species. Roseworthy Veterinary Hospital says its small animal service sees cats, dogs, birds, reptiles and native animals, and its emergency page names rabbits. Emergency Vet Adelaide says it cannot treat rabbits on site and refers rabbit owners to SASH Adelaide. For a rabbit, guinea pig, bird, reptile or injured wildlife, phone first and ask whether the hospital can help.
Set this up before you need it
The worst time to search for an emergency vet is in the car with a sick pet. Ten minutes now saves panic later, and it matters most in the first weeks after adoption, when you do not yet know what is normal for your new dog or cat.
- Save two numbers in your phone: your nearest 24/7 hospital and a second one in another direction, in case the first is full.
- Check the microchip details. In South Australia, dogs and cats must be microchipped, and rescue animals usually arrive desexed and chipped. Make sure the chip and your Dogs and Cats Online record are in your name with a current phone number.
- Keep the rescue's vet records handy. Vaccination dates, desexing date and any known conditions help an emergency vet who has never met your pet.
- Book a regular vet early. A check-up in the first few weeks gives you a baseline and a clinic that knows your pet.
- Decide about insurance now, not after the first emergency.
- Pet-proof for Adelaide: shade and water in summer, lead walks away from long grass in snake season, and baits and medicines locked away.
If the dog or cat you are adopting lives in a foster home, the carer can usually tell you about its health history before you adopt. Ask. Our best dog rescues in Adelaide guide is a good place to start, and if your pet ever goes missing, see lost pets in Adelaide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which vets in Adelaide are open 24 hours?
Six Adelaide hospitals say on their own sites that they are open 24/7: SASH Adelaide in Kent Town, Greencross Vet Centre and AVSARC in Norwood, Nexus Emergency Vet Hospital in Malvern, The Austin Vet Specialists in Mile End South, Pawprints Afterhours in Blackwood, and Roseworthy Veterinary Hospital on the Adelaide University campus at Roseworthy. We checked each site in November 2026. Call before you drive, because staffing and capacity change.
What is the closest 24 hour vet to the Adelaide CBD?
SASH Adelaide at 99 Rundle St, Kent Town, and Greencross Vet Centre at 102-104 Magill Road, Norwood, are the two 24/7 hospitals closest to the city. Nexus at 311 Unley Rd, Malvern, and The Austin at 19-21 William Street, Mile End South, are also a short drive from the CBD. Which one is quickest depends on where you start and the traffic, so ring ahead from the car.
Is there a 24 hour vet in northern Adelaide?
Roseworthy Veterinary Hospital is the 24/7 option in the north, but it is on the Roseworthy campus about 50 km north of the CBD, and the hospital asks you to phone (08) 8313 1999 before you arrive. Vets4Pets Golden Grove in Wynn Vale is open 7am to 9pm every day except public holidays, when it is closed, and describes itself as an emergency hospital after hours and on weekends. Late at night, northern suburbs owners often have a shorter drive to an inner-city 24/7 hospital than to Roseworthy.
Is there an emergency vet in the Adelaide Hills?
Yes. Pawprints Afterhours at 199A Main Road, Blackwood, says it is open 24/7, 365 days a year. Further south in the Hills, Meadows Veterinary Centre runs an emergency service from 6am to 10pm every day, including weekends and public holidays, on 08 8388 3455, and says you do not need to be an existing client.
What counts as a vet emergency?
Trouble breathing, collapse, seizures, severe bleeding, a snake bite or suspected snake bite, heatstroke, eating a poison such as rat bait, a road accident, and straining to pass urine are all reasons to go now. Roseworthy Veterinary Hospital and Meadows Veterinary Centre both list these kinds of signs as emergencies. If you are unsure, phone a 24/7 hospital and describe what you are seeing.
How much does an emergency vet cost in Adelaide?
None of the Adelaide emergency hospitals we checked publishes a set emergency consultation fee, so we do not quote one. SASH says its fees are generally similar to other 24/7 hospitals and that an accurate estimate is only possible after a consultation. Ask for a written estimate before treatment starts, ask what deposit is needed, and ask which payment options the hospital accepts.
Can I get a payment plan at an Adelaide emergency vet?
Some hospitals list options. Nexus says it accepts GapOnly and VetPay, and SASH lists Afterpay, Zip Pay and Zip Money plus GapOnly for participating pet insurers. Several of these are credit or buy now, pay later products, so read the terms before you sign, and ask the hospital on the night what it can accept.
Do Adelaide dogs need paralysis tick protection?
The RSPCA Knowledgebase says the paralysis tick is generally found on the eastern seaboard, from north Queensland down to Victoria. If you travel east with your dog, ask your vet about tick prevention before the trip, and treat tick paralysis signs as an emergency.
What should I do if my dog is bitten by a snake in Adelaide?
Keep your dog calm and still, call a 24/7 hospital, and drive there straight away. The RSPCA Knowledgebase says to seek emergency veterinary treatment as soon as you know or suspect a bite, even if you did not see the snake. Do not try to catch or kill the snake. The RSPCA notes that snakes become more active as the weather warms up.
Who can I call if my pet ate something poisonous?
Call the Animal Poisons Helpline on 1300 869 738, which describes itself as a 24/7 helpline for Australian pet owners, or call a 24/7 emergency hospital. Keep the packet or a photo of what was eaten, note roughly how much and when, and do not try to make your pet vomit unless a vet tells you to.
Does any Adelaide emergency vet treat rabbits or native animals?
Roseworthy Veterinary Hospital says its small animal service covers dogs, cats, birds, reptiles and native animals, and its emergency page names rabbits. Emergency Vet Adelaide in Plympton says it cannot treat rabbits on site and points rabbit owners to SASH Adelaide. For any animal that is not a dog or cat, call the hospital before you drive.
What should I do when I adopt a pet in Adelaide?
Save the number of your nearest 24/7 hospital in your phone on adoption day, and keep the rescue's vet records somewhere you can reach at night. Rescue dogs and cats in South Australia usually arrive desexed and microchipped, so check the microchip details are in your name. Then book a check-up with a regular vet in the first few weeks.
Keep exploring
Best Dog Rescues in Adelaide
Shelters and foster-based rescues, and how adoption works at each.
Cheap Vet Care in Australia
Charity vet hospitals, concession discounts and payment options.
Free and Low-Cost Desexing
Programs by state, and who qualifies.
Lost Pets in Adelaide
What to do in the first hours after a pet goes missing.
Find your next pet in Adelaide
See adoptable dogs and cats from Adelaide shelters and foster-based rescues, refreshed regularly. Ask each rescue for the vet history before you bring your new pet home.