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Veterinary Medical Experienced Sick Pet Care

We hope your pet is never sick! Still, if your pet becomes ill, then as a patient of Regional Veterinary Center your loving pet is in excellent hands. Dr. Scott Johns and his team are dedicated to, and skilled in, diagnosing illness and designing effective treatment plans to optimize a sick pet's quality of life. Our repertoire of diagnostic and treatment technology is exceptional. Our team of professionals and paraprofessionals care deeply about pets, and diagnosing and treating sick pets is the core of our training and clinical mission.


A german shepherd sitting on their human's knees

What To Do When Your Pet Is Sick

When your pet becomes ill, the most efficient method for scheduling an appointment is by calling us via telephone:

Our team will schedule appointments based on availability and degree of urgency.

A blonde cat being stroked by their human

Minor Illnesses

Our team will schedule our next available doctor exam for patients with symptoms of minor illness. Most patients are scheduled within 2 business days. Symptoms of minor illness include, but are not limited to:

  • Decreased appetite and thirst—but still eating and drinking
  • Decreased activity—but still active and mobile
  • Non-bleeding lumps / bumps / skin growths
  • Limping—but still weight bearing
  • Soft bowel movements
  • Minor dental symptoms
A pitbull leaning against their human

More Significant Emergent Illness During Open Hours

For these cases, our team will recommend a same-day exam: Same-day exams are typically available only via daycare exams, or less commonly at a scheduled time if there is an open appointment. For daycare exams, pets are admitted for the day and Dr. J will examine them between scheduled appointments, then we will contact you ASAP with next steps.


This service is only available to active Regional Veterinary Center clients with at least one pet having a current VCPR exam—and is only available daytime weekday during regular opening hours.

Signs of more significant emergent illness including, but not limited to pets experiencing:

  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Decreased thirst
  • Significantly increased thirst
  • Being inactive or hiding
  • Having an open wound or bleeding lesions
  • Non-weight bearing on a leg

A cat being scritched

Areas of Practice

Our areas of practice include, but are not limited to:

  • Diagnosis and treatment of straightforward sickness including but not limited to vomiting, diarrhea, allergy, skin infection, injury, respiratory infection, lethargy, decreased appetite, anorexia, obesity, and other primary care sicknesses.
  • Diagnosis and treatment of complex, comorbid medical conditions including, but not limited to, arthritis, pain, immobility, poor balance, Lyme disease, skin problems, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, Cushing syndrome, Addison Syndrome, autoimmune disease, dental disease, seizure, decreased cognition, and other chronic illnesses
  • Advanced referral-level dentistry
  • Surgery
  • Pro-active prevention of, and early detection of, conditions of aging
  • Ongoing support of client and pet needs to optimize quality of life
  • Hospice and end-of-life care
A cat and dog in the office

Services We DO NOT Provide

To maintain our high ethical standards:

  • We DO NOT perform declawing
  • We DO NOT perform ear cropping
  • We DO NOT perform dental cosmetic orthodontics, disarming, nor tooth implants
  • We DO NOT perform work for breeders nor obstetrics

If you are seeking these procedures, DO NOT contact us!


Emergency Referrals When We Are Closed

For more emergent illness when we are closed we refer to the following emergency practices:

Northwest PA Pet Emergency Center

Location: Erie, PA
Phone: (814) 866-5920
Hours: Typically open nights Wednesday through Sunday

VCA Great Lakes Veterinary Specialists

Location: East Cleveland, OH
Phone: (216) 831-6789
Hours: Typically open until midnight 7 days a week

Medvet Akron

Location: Akron, OH
Phone: (330) 665-4996
Hours: Typically open 24/7/365

MedVet Pittsburg

Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Phone: (724) 717-2273
Hours: Typically open 24/7/365

PVSEC

Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Phone: (412) 366-3400
Hours: Typically open 24/7/365

Make an Appointment

Is your pet overdue on their dental exam or cleaning? Contact us to schedule a dental appointment.