It’s one of the most unsettling experiences a pet owner can have. You wake in the night and something isn’t right. Your dog is restless and uncomfortable. Your cat hasn’t moved from the same spot for hours. You’re not sure whether to wait until morning or whether waiting is the wrong decision entirely.
If you’re in Newark or the surrounding area, Nicholson Veterinary Centre provides its own out-of-hours emergency vet service. When our doors are closed, our on-call team is still available, so you always have somewhere to turn.
What Is Out-of-Hours Veterinary Care?
Out-of-hours (OOH) veterinary care is emergency vet provision outside of a practice’s normal opening hours evenings, overnight, weekends, and bank holidays. It exists because pets don’t become unwell according to a schedule, and some conditions require urgent attention that cannot safely wait until the next morning.
At Nicholson Veterinary Centre, out-of-hours care is provided directly by our own team. Not outsourced to a third-party emergency centre.
What Counts as a Pet Emergency?
Some symptoms require immediate veterinary attention. If your pet is showing any of the following signs, contact our out-of-hours line without delay.
Contact us immediately if your pet shows:
- Difficulty breathing, laboured breathing, or open-mouth breathing in a cat
- Collapse, sudden weakness, or an inability to stand
- Suspected poisoning or known ingestion of a toxic substance
- Seizures, or prolonged disorientation following a seizure
- Suspected urinary blockage. Particularly in male cats straining to urinate
- Uncontrolled bleeding or a wound that will not stop
- Abdominal distension, especially in large or deep-chested dogs (a potential sign of bloat/GDV, which is life-threatening)
- Trauma: being hit by a vehicle, a significant fall, or a bite wound
- Pale, white, blue, or grey gums
- Repeated retching or unproductive vomiting, particularly in large-breed dogs
- Difficulty giving birth or a prolonged labour
If you’re uncertain whether what you’re seeing is urgent, please call. We’d far rather help you decide than leave you managing that uncertainty alone.
What If I’m Not Sure Whether It’s an Emergency?
If you’re concerned enough to be awake thinking about it, you’re probably concerned enough to call.
Uncertainty is one of the most common reasons owners hesitate to contact an out-of-hours service and it’s entirely understandable. Our team will ask a few straightforward questions about what you’re observing and help you decide on the most appropriate next step.
That might mean bringing your pet in for assessment. It might mean monitoring at home with clear guidance on what to watch for. Or it might simply mean reassurance that what you’re seeing can safely wait until morning.
You will never be made to feel that a call was unnecessary.
How Our Out-of-Hours Service Works
When Nicholson Veterinary Centre is closed, calling our normal number (01636 351115) will connect you with an automated message. If your pet needs urgent attention, press 1 and you’ll be transferred directly to our on-call vet. If your query is non-urgent, you’re welcome to leave a message and we’ll get back to you during opening hours.
We will triage your pet’s situation and advise you on the right course of action. If your pet needs to be seen, we’ll tell you clearly where to go, what to expect, and what to bring.
Key details:
- Practice: Nicholson Veterinary Centre
- Address: Unit 2, Telford Drive, Newark, NG24 2DX
- Phone: 01636 351115
- Out-of-hours: Call the number above and follow the instructions provided
- Website: nicholsonvets.co.uk
Why Nicholson Veterinary Centre Runs Its Own Out-of-Hours Service
Many veterinary practices outsource their out-of-hours provision to third-party emergency centres. In Newark and the wider Nottinghamshire area, this often means clients are directed to services based in Nottingham or Lincoln, sometimes an hour or more away.
Nicholson Veterinary Centre is an independent practice, and we have chosen to run our own out-of-hours service because we believe the relationship between a practice and its clients should not have an off switch at the end of the working day.
When you call us in an emergency, you’re speaking to a team that is part of Nicholson Veterinary Centre not a distant service provider with no knowledge of your pet or your circumstances.
How to Prepare Before an Emergency Happens
The best time to think about out-of-hours care is before you need it.
- Save our number now (01636 351115) so it’s accessible at 2am without searching
- Note your pet’s medications and known health conditions somewhere easy to find; this information is often forgotten under stress
- Know your pet’s approximate weight: it’s commonly needed during a triage call
- Register with us if you haven’t already; registered clients have full access to our services, including out-of-hours care. You can register online at nicholsonvets.co.uk
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Nicholson Veterinary Centre operates its own out-of-hours emergency service for registered clients in Newark and the surrounding area. To access the service, call 01636 351115 and follow the instructions on the voicemail.
Call Nicholson Veterinary Centre on 01636 351 115. Out of hours, you’ll be given the option to press 1 to be connected directly to our on-call vet for emergencies, or to leave a message for a non-urgent query.
Signs that require immediate veterinary attention include: breathing difficulties, collapse, suspected poisoning, seizures, suspected urinary blockage (particularly in male cats), uncontrolled bleeding, abdominal swelling in dogs, pale or blue gums, and trauma. If you are unsure, always call rather than wait.
No. Nicholson Veterinary Centre provides its own out-of-hours service directly, rather than outsourcing to an external provider. This means you are always contacting a member of our team.
We are based at Unit 2, Telford Drive, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 2DX. We serve clients in Newark, Sherwood, and the wider Nottinghamshire region.
A Final Word
Pets don’t choose when they become unwell. The middle of the night, a bank holiday, or a Sunday afternoon illness doesn’t work around convenient timing.
What we can offer is the assurance that when those moments arrive, there is a vet available to help. Not a recorded message directing you to a clinic an hour away, but a team that knows what they’re doing and is ready to support you.
That’s what it means to provide lifelong care.
Nicholson Veterinary Centre is an independent small animal practice in Newark, Nottinghamshire, providing veterinary care to dogs, cats and small animals. We serve clients across Newark and the surrounding villages.
Telford Drive, Newark, NG24 2DX | 01636 351115 | nicholsonvets.co.uk