Veterinary Emergency Referral Center
3.9 (582) 2121 McKown Dr, Norman, OK 73072, USAHours:
Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: 12:00 – 8:00 AM, 6:00 PM – 8:00 AM
Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 8:00 AM
Thursday: 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours
How to Save Money at Veterinary Emergency Referral Center
Schedule Regular Vet Visits
One of the best ways to save on vet bills is to prevent expensive health issues before they develop. By scheduling regular wellness checkups, your vet can detect health issues early, helping you to avoid costly treatments and surgeries down the road.
Price Shop for Pet Prescriptions
Oftentimes our fur babies are prescribed human drugs off-label. Your vet is apt to charge more for these medications than you would pay at your local pharmacy. In fact, big-box or chain pharmacies can offer steep discounts. So it’s best to price shop.
Pet Insurance
Most pet insurance providers will pay between 80% and 90% of the vet bill. You can even get coverage for routine care and things like vaccinations and dental cleanings. If you do the math, you’ll most likely find that pet insurance makes financial sense in the long run as well as gives you peace of mind.
How Do You Choose the Right Pet Insurance Provider?
Pet Insurance Review makes it incredibly easy for pet parents to select an insurance provider they feel good about. You can use our handy comparison tool to get the gist of what a company offers. We’ve also collected over 150,000 reviews of insurance companies from real pet parents like you to rank the top providers in the market. Here is the current ranking of each:
| Rating | Provider | Total Review |
|---|---|---|
| 4.4 | AKC | 894 |
| 4.5 | ASPCA | 12,057 |
| 4.9 | Embrace | 20,305 |
| 4.9 | Fetch | 27,409 |
| 4.1 | Figo | 2,786 |
| 4.5 | Hartville | 177 |
| 4.9 | Healthy Paws | 10,736 |
| 4.8 | Lemonade | 815 |
| 4.6 | ManyPets | 2,428 |
| 4.6 | MetLife | 5,637 |
| 4.8 | Nationwide | 21,417 |
| 3.9 | Pet Assure | 15 |
| 4.4 | PetPartners | 117 |
| 4.3 | Pets Best | 14,113 |
| 4.7 | Pumpkin | 2,549 |
| 4.6 | Spot | 9,855 |
| 4.8 | Trupanion | 62,914 |
| 4.8 | Prudent Pet | 2,445 |
Or, you can simply get a fast quote from multiple providers and go from there.
Thinking of insuring your pet?
Get Quotes & CompareGetting to Know Your New Vet: Essential Questions to Ask
Choosing a new veterinarian is an important decision for any pet owner. You want to find someone who is competent, compassionate, and a good fit for you and your fur baby. To help you get the most out of your first appointment, here's a list of essential questions to ask your new vet:
Tell me about your experience with [pet type].
Different vets have different areas of specialization. Some are experts with cats, some dogs, some pocket pets, and some horses. Knowing that your vet has vast experience treating your specific type of pet can bring you peace of mind.
How do you handle emergencies?
You must know what to do in case of a pet medical emergency. Inquire what after-hours policy the clinic has, whether they have on-site emergency care available, and if they have a relationship with any nearby emergency animal hospitals.
How do you communicate with pet owners?
Good communication is key to building a trusting relationship with your vet. Ask how they prefer to communicate (phone calls, emails, online portal) and how often you can expect to hear from them.
Are there any breed-specific health concerns I should be aware of?
Some breeds are predisposed to certain health conditions. Knowing what to watch out for can help you catch problems early and get your pet the treatment they need.
Do you have any questions for me about my pet?
This is a great question to ask because the answer will show that the vet is interested in getting to know your pet as an individual and is willing to listen to your concerns.
Bonus question: Can I take a tour of your facility?
Getting a feel for the clinic's environment can help you and your pet feel more comfortable during your visits. Remember, you’re not just looking for a veterinarian, you’re looking for a partnership. Do not be afraid to ask these questions and any others you can think of. Any vet worth their salt will be happy to answer them. Because the more informed you are, the better equipped you'll be to make decisions about your pet's care! And that should be every vet’s top priority.
Reviews from Google
We are forever grateful to the team at Veterinary Emergency Referral Center—they truly saved our dog’s life. From the moment we walked in, the compassion and professionalism of every staff member was evident. They went above and beyond, even helping us find a surgeon to perform a critical surgery for our dog. Both veterinarians we worked with were absolutely fantastic—thorough, empathetic, and clearly invested in our dog’s well-being. They went out of their way to make sure our pup was comfortable, and it meant the world to us. I felt completely at ease leaving him in their care, knowing he was in the best hands. The entire staff showed us such kindness during what was an incredibly difficult and emotional time. There aren’t enough words to express how thankful we are. They made an overwhelming situation feel a little less heavy with their warmth and support. We will never forget the care they provided to both our sweet pup and to us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
posted: 08/02/2025
⸻ DO NOT GO HERE — Please Read Before Trusting This Clinic I’ve never written a review before, about anything for that matter, but I feel strongly enough to warn others: I highly recommend finding another emergency vet. I’ve been to this clinic a few times for different issues, and every time I’ve left saying I wouldn’t go back. Unfortunately, they’re the closest in an emergency—and I wish I had trusted my gut and stayed away this last time. My dog, Shorty, was euthanized that night based on speculation—not facts. I later had a necropsy performed to find out what was actually wrong and whether I made the right decision. The results were heartbreaking: • He did not have a smashed bladder, as they claimed. • He had broken bones that could have been repaired. • The tech—who was pregnant and clearly overwhelmed—was unable to place a catheter properly, then blamed it on his bladder being crushed. Even more disturbing, I made it very clear that I understood the charges, that I was able to pay and that I wanted to do everything possible to save him, or at the very least, manage his pain until I could get a second opinion from a surgeon. That didn’t seem to matter. They never tried to research or help use their resources to find what the next step should be as far as getting a qualified surgeon to give an opinion. All they were good at was waiting and giving negative responses for everything. They did not treat it as an emergency. Time passed with no meaningful treatment, no urgent care—just stalling. And eventually, they pressured me into euthanizing him, with little evidence or real explanation. Dr. Linville, in particular, was incredibly hard to talk to. His communication was cold, vague, and dismissive. I had to push just to get basic information. There was no compassion in the way he spoke to me or handled the situation. To make matters worse, the walls in the clinic are so thin that you can hear private conversations happening in other rooms. I could hear staff talking in ways that were inappropriate and unprofessional, especially given the seriousness of what was happening. Their main concern seemed to be getting an estimate together and securing a payment method—before doing anything meaningful for my dog. It was never about trying to help him, just about moving quickly toward the most “convenient” outcome for them. I’ve been a lifelong dog owner, foster, and rescue volunteer. I have many animals big and small. I know emergencies are chaotic. But this was something else entirely. I’ve never seen such a lack of urgency, compassion, or professionalism. Shorty didn’t deserve what happened. We didn’t deserve what happened. And now I live with the pain and guilt of putting my dog down when it wasn’t necessary—because I trusted the wrong people. Please learn from my experience. Be cautious. Ask questions. And if you can avoid this clinic, do. Rest in peace, Shorty. We love and miss you every single day.
posted: 08/04/2025
Its an ER vet. Wait time sucked but we came at 2am after 4th of July. They genuinely care, and was great to our dog. I believe her name was Dr. Redding, but her and the vet tech both were phenomenal.
posted: 07/05/2025
Updating my review has been long overdue: we unfortunately had to take our loved fur baby here a couple years ago and actually received wonderful service from the new vet that was working the graveyard shift. They handled our situation with professionalism and empathy and we had a much better experience this time even though we had to put our dog down then we did the first time we came here many years ago.
posted: 05/19/2025
UPDATE I TOOK THE CAT TO A SHELTER THAT RE-EVALUATED FOR FREE AND IT HAD A BROKEN LEG!!!! I paid $500 here for an x rays AND WAS TOLD NO BREAK, THAT IT WAS NEUROLOGICAL. I’ve now been to Veterinary Emergency Referral Center TWICE in 24 hours for a rescue kitten, and both experiences so frustrating! At the first visit, the vet strongly recommended x-rays, saying it looked like a possible leg injury. After the x-rays, they told me nothing was broken. Less than 24 hours later I make a second visit, as something was noticeably wrong and getting worse. A different vet told me something completely different: that it could be neurological or spinal, with no mention of the leg at all. I was left confused and unsure what to believe. On top of that, one of the vets got quite snappy when I asked questions — which, as someone just trying to get clear information and do what’s best for an injured animal, was really upsetting. I did NOT feel cared for or supported in the slightest. They also said they could send over my kitten’s records when I asked. That didn’t happen either. I had to follow up myself just to get access to her basic information. For how expensive this place is just to walk in (let alone pay for diagnostics) lack of consistency, professionalism, and communication is unacceptable. I would NOT recommend this clinic to anyone who expects thoughtful, compassionate, or competent care.
posted: 06/23/2025
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