Critical Pet Care

What Is Veterinary Critical Care?​

Veterinary Critical Care is medical care for pets whose conditions require constant monitoring and care. Specially trained in critical care, our team of vets and licensed veterinary technicians provide these services to patients with advanced injuries or illnesses.

In fact, most of our critical care cases must take place in our intensive care unit (ICU) ward. The ICU is a special part of the veterinary clinic that provides intensive monitoring throughout the day until the patient can be transferred to a 24-hour facility.

The ICU caters to patients with severe or life-threatening illness or injury. With close monitoring and support, our veterinarians use special equipment and various medications on our ICU patients. Consequently, our ICU distinguishes itself from our normal hospital wards with a higher staff-to-patient ratio. Additionally, the ICU enjoys access to advanced medical resources, unique machines, and equipment. All of this ensures the highest quality of care for your pet.

What to expect when your pet is admitted into the ICU.
Admission of a beloved pet to the ICU can be a challenging and sometimes unfamiliar environment. As a result, this can create a somewhat stressful situation and make you feel uncertain. Here at Cardinal Veterinary Center of Northern Virginia, we fully believe that effective communication is an important part of the healing process, not only for you but for your animal as well. Thus, you should know it is normal if you feel scared or nervous about your animal. We understand this. We will help you know what the team will do to help improve your pet’s health. You can expect that the ICU staff will keep you informed of any major changes in your pet’s health or procedures.