Same-day evaluation during our open hours, about five to ten minutes from central Wilton Manors.
When your dog gets into something off the counter or your cat is breathing hard, minutes matter, and so does knowing where to go. Oakland Park Animal Hospital is about five to ten minutes north of central Wilton Manors. During our open hours we evaluate urgent cases the same day, and we ask you to call first so the team can prepare before you arrive.
We have been a family-owned, doctor-led practice since 1987. Dr. Spencer Ratnoff has spent more than 40 years caring for the pets and families of this part of Broward County, so the person examining your pet in a hard moment is a doctor your neighbors already know.
You can read more about how we handle urgent cases on our emergency care page.
Sudden illness or injury, including wounds, limping and swelling.
Chocolate, xylitol, medications or objects swallowed off the floor.
Breathing difficulty or respiratory distress.
Evaluation after a collapse or seizure episode.
Imaging or lab work when it is needed to guide treatment.
If a test would help us decide on treatment, our advanced diagnostics team can be brought in during your visit. Calling ahead helps the whole team prepare for your pet’s arrival, and lets us tell you what to do while you are on the way, whether that means keeping your pet still, cool or calm.
Not every scary moment needs an immediate hospital visit, but some signs should never wait. Use this as a general guide, and remember that you know your pet best. If something feels seriously wrong, trust that instinct and call us.
If you cannot tell which category your pet falls into, call us anyway. It is better to make a call that turns out to be nothing than to wait until a small concern becomes a real emergency. Our team will ask a few questions and help you decide whether to come in now or monitor at home until a same-day appointment.
Our clinic is not staffed overnight. After we close, an on-call veterinarian can give you phone guidance and help you decide on the safest next step, but hands-on care overnight has to happen at a 24-hour animal emergency hospital. If your pet is in distress outside our open hours, do not wait for us to reopen.
If your pet’s condition needs overnight monitoring or emergency surgery, even during the day, we will direct you to the nearest 24-hour specialty facility and share what we know so that visit goes smoothly. We would rather send you to the right place quickly than have you wait for care we cannot provide. Save our number and the address of the nearest 24-hour animal emergency hospital in your phone now, so you are not searching for them while your pet is in trouble.
Wilton Manors calls itself the Island City, and it is built for walking. Wilton Drive’s patios draw dogs of every size, and the canal path at Colohatchee Park fills up every evening. That lifestyle is a big part of why people live here. It also means heat stress, off-leash encounters and swallowed scraps off a sidewalk come up more often than they would in a car-dependent suburb.
South Florida heat is a real risk on walks. A dog that is panting hard, drooling, stumbling or collapsing after time outside may have heatstroke, which is an emergency. Move your pet into the shade, offer small amounts of cool water, and call us right away. Older pets and flat-faced breeds can struggle first, so watch them closely.
When you call us in a crisis, you are not reaching a call center. You are reaching people who have cared for this community, in many cases across generations of the same family’s pets. We listen first, ask the right questions, and help you understand quickly whether your pet needs to come in right now or can be monitored until a same-day appointment.
Dr. Spencer Ratnoff has spent more than 40 years building relationships with the pets and families of this area, and he will not rush your visit or leave you with unanswered questions. Older pets often show the signs of an emergency differently than younger ones, and our senior pet care approach reflects that. Whether your pet is seven weeks old or seventeen years old, you will see familiar faces instead of a rotating cast of new doctors.
From central Wilton Manors, head north on Andrews Avenue or Dixie Highway. Most drives take five to ten minutes. Saturday hours run 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We are independently owned and operated on Oakland Park Boulevard, and calling ahead lets our team meet you at the door. Keep your pet’s vaccine and medical records handy, whether from us or a previous vet, since they speed up triage in an urgent situation.
Emergencies bring financial stress at the worst moment. We offer financing through Cherry and CareCredit, and our team gives you an upfront estimate before treatment begins, so cost is never a surprise while you are already worried about your pet. If money is a concern, tell us early and we will talk through your options.
If your pet is showing signs of distress during our open hours, please call (954) 731-4228 so our team can help. Oakland Park Animal Hospital has served pets from Wilton Manors since 1987, and we would rather you call with a question that turns out to be nothing than wait until a small concern becomes a real emergency.
Schedule a visit with our compassionate team and let’s partner in your pet’s lifelong well-being.
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