OSU launches 24/7 small animal emergency service in Corvallis

Version 1 — Brief

Oregon State University’s Lois Bates Acheson Veterinary Teaching Hospital is now offering 24/7 small animal emergency care for cats and dogs, accepting both walk-ins and referrals in Corvallis. The service launched in December 2025 and is being led by Dr. Pia Martiny, assistant professor of clinical sciences and head of the hospital’s small animal emergency service. OSU says the move adds another emergency option for pet parents in Oregon and allows emergency cases to move more quickly into the teaching hospital’s specialty services when needed. (today.oregonstate.edu)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the change is about more than after-hours coverage. A 24/7 ER gives students and trainees exposure to the kind of unscheduled, high-acuity caseload that’s hard to replicate in daytime referral medicine, while also strengthening continuity between emergency intake, ICU care, surgery, and specialty follow-up. That’s notable at a time when academic veterinary medicine is still contending with faculty shortages and the broader profession continues to report access-to-care strain, including in emergency settings. (today.oregonstate.edu)

What to watch: Watch whether OSU can sustain staffing and caseload growth, and whether the new ER measurably improves referral flow, student training, and regional emergency access over the next year. (today.oregonstate.edu)