Vet Closed on Thanksgiving or Christmas? What to Do

Your clinic is closed for the holiday and your pet seems sick. Here is what needs an ER now, what can wait, and how to plan ahead.

Quick answer: If your vet is closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Day, go to an emergency hospital now for trouble breathing, collapse, a seizure, a swollen belly, a cat straining to pee, repeated vomiting, swallowed batteries, string or skewers, or possible poisoning (call a poison line on the way). Mild problems in a pet eating normally can often wait, or go to a video visit if a slot is open.

This article is general information, not a diagnosis. If you think your pet is in danger, go to the nearest emergency animal hospital.

Is my vet open on Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Day?

Many general-practice vet clinics close or keep short hours on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day, so check your clinic's holiday hours and after-hours message, and note the nearest emergency animal hospital, before the holiday.

Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026. Christmas Day (December 25, 2026) and New Year's Day (January 1, 2027) both fall on a Friday, so a clinic that is closed on the holiday may not reopen until after the weekend. Ask about Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve hours too.

Call the emergency hospital before you leave or on the way, because hours vary and a call lets staff prepare. Expect a wait if your pet is stable: the Merck Veterinary Manual says emergency staff give priority to the most urgent problems.

Both poison lines take calls every day, including Thanksgiving and Christmas: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, (888) 426-4435 (a consultation fee may apply), and Pet Poison Helpline, (855) 764-7661 (a per-incident fee applies).

What counts as a holiday emergency?

Trouble breathing, pale or blue gums, collapse, a seizure, a swollen, hard belly with retching, a cat straining to pee with little or no urine, a dog vomiting again and again, or anything that may be poisonous means a pet needs the nearest emergency hospital now, even on a holiday.

The Merck Veterinary Manual gives examples of problems that need immediate treatment, including trauma, shock, poisoning, severe burns, breathing difficulty, ongoing seizures, abnormal heart rhythms, loss of consciousness, severe bleeding and blocked urine flow. Merck adds that open-mouth breathing and a bluish tinge to the gums mean a severe lack of oxygen, and that pale gums are a sign of shock. A cat breathing with its mouth open needs an ER now.

The Cornell Feline Health Center calls urethral obstruction an absolute emergency and warns that death may follow complete obstruction in less than 24 to 48 hours. Male and neutered male cats are at greater risk, but females can block too, so take any cat straining with little or no urine, especially a male cat, to an emergency hospital now. RexVet's guide to a cat throwing up white foam lists the litter-box signs to watch.

Sign	Where	When
Hard breathing, blue gums	ER	Now
Collapse or seizure	ER	Now
Swollen belly, retching	ER	Now
Cat straining, little pee	ER	Now
Ate something toxic	ER; call poison line	Now
Swallowed battery, string, skewer	ER	Now
Ate a cooked bone	Vet or ER	Today
Dog vomits again and again	ER	Now
Cat vomits 2+ times a day	In person (often ER)	Today
Vomited once, ate nothing odd	Video or vet	Same day
Itchy skin, no hives	Video or clinic	When open

On a holiday, "in person" and "today" usually mean an emergency hospital while your clinic is closed. Even after one vomit, a male cat with any litter-box change needs an ER now, and a young or unvaccinated puppy with any vomiting or diarrhea goes in person today.

Also go now for blood in the vomit (red or coffee-ground) or a pet that can't keep water down; heavy bleeding that won't stop; a pet that was hit by a car or fell from a height, even if it seems fine; a bite to the neck, chest or belly; mouth burns, coughing or breathing trouble after chewing a wire; a large, deep-chested dog dry-retching after a big meal (possible bloat); a sudden head tilt, loss of balance, circling or severe ear pain; a cloudy, bluish or bulging eye, blood in the eye or unequal pupils; and a puppy that is weak, wobbly, trembling, has pale gums or is hard to wake.

Holiday hazards that send pets to the ER

Fatty leftovers, cooked bones, chocolate, xylitol sweets, grapes and raisins, lilies, guests' medicines, tinsel and batteries are holiday hazards the ASPCA and Pet Poison Helpline warn about, and each can need an emergency vet. Bring the packaging, call a poison line on the way when a toxin is possible, and never make a pet vomit unless a vet or poison line says to.

• Turkey bones: don't make your dog vomit, and call a vet the same day even if your dog seems fine, which on Thanksgiving usually means an ER (turkey bones and leftovers).
• Fatty scraps and gravy: watch for 4 days; vomiting more than once, belly pain, weakness or collapse means an ER now, and refusing food or vomiting with diarrhea means an in-person vet today (grease and pancreatitis). The Thanksgiving food chart covers stuffing, brine and desserts.
• Chocolate: Pet Poison Helpline says signs can be delayed by up to 18 hours, so call a poison line or an ER now instead of waiting for signs.
• Xylitol: Pet Poison Helpline says it can cause life-threatening low blood sugar even within 10 to 15 minutes; xylitol, birch sugar, wood sugar or an unreadable label means an ER now (candy canes and xylitol).
• Grapes and raisins: Pet Poison Helpline warns that even small amounts can cause kidney failure in dogs, so any amount means an ER now, even if your dog seems fine.
• Lilies: the ASPCA says many lilies in holiday bouquets can cause kidney failure in cats, so any chewing, licking, pollen on the fur or vase water means an ER now (lilies and cats).
• String and tinsel: the ASPCA says swallowed tinsel can cause severe vomiting and a blocked gut and may need surgery; go now and never pull or cut a strand.
• Batteries: the ASPCA warns a punctured battery can burn the mouth and esophagus, and Pet Poison Helpline says dogs that ate batteries should not be made to vomit; go now with the package (swallowed batteries).
• Toothpicks and skewers: a swallowed toothpick, skewer or cocktail pick is an emergency even if your dog seems fine; go now and don't make your dog vomit (toothpicks and skewers).
• Guests' medicines: the ASPCA advises guests to keep medicines in a closed cabinet, and a swallowed pain pill or other human pill means a poison line or an ER now.
• Other emergencies: raw yeast dough, alcohol, antifreeze and rat or mouse bait also mean an ER now, even if your pet seems fine.
• Salt-dough ornaments and play dough: the ASPCA warns salt-dough ornaments can cause life-threatening electrolyte imbalances; call a poison line now, and go to an ER if your pet is vomiting, wobbly, trembling or seizing (salt dough and play dough).

What RexVet visit data shows about off-hours pet problems

More than half of RexVet visits (52%) took place outside standard weekday hours of 8 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday.

90% of RexVet video visits took place the same day they were booked. These figures describe past RexVet visits, not a promise of a same-day visit, and the study does not break out holidays.

Can it wait until my vet reopens?

A pet's problem can usually wait about a day if the pet is eating, drinking, peeing and breathing normally, acting like itself, and the problem is mild and not getting worse; anything on the emergency list cannot wait.

Situation	Wait or go
Eating, drinking, acting normal	Can usually wait
Mild limp, bears weight	Can usually wait
No weight on a leg	In person today
Itch, no hives	Video or wait
Smelly ear, good balance	Video or wait
Head tilt, poor balance	ER now
Adult cat, no food 24 hours	In person today
Puppy under 4 months, no food 8+ hours	In person today
Puppy weak, wobbly, trembling	ER now
Any emergency sign	ER now

A problem that lasts or gets worse should not wait through a long holiday weekend.

Sudden hives or a puffy face means an in-person vet within the hour, and an ER now with vomiting, diarrhea, pale gums, weakness, breathing trouble or collapse, or if the hives start within an hour of a shot, sting or new medicine. A toy-breed puppy under 3 months that skips a meal needs a call to a vet now, since low blood sugar can start within 4 to 6 hours. A kitten, a senior, or an overweight or diabetic cat should be seen sooner than 24 hours without food. A cat that is lethargic, hiding or hunched, or has a sore or swollen belly, needs an in-person vet today. Squinting or yellow-green eye discharge means an in-person vet today. A diabetic pet on insulin that skipped a meal or vomited needs a call to the prescribing vet or the after-hours line before the next injection (ER now if weak, wobbly or seizing).

What a video visit can and cannot do on a holiday

RexVet, a nonprofit online vet service, serves pets located in Florida, New York and Virginia by video visit and can help with a mild holiday problem that is not on the emergency list.

A $64.99 live video visit with a licensed RexVet vet (a veterinarian licensed in your pet's state) fits problems such as:

• itchy skin or a rash with no hives, sudden bumps or face swelling;
• a smelly or itchy ear in a pet with normal balance;
• mild redness with clear tears in an eye your pet holds fully open;
• one soft stool or one vomit in an adult pet that is eating, peeing and acting normally and did not swallow a bone, toothpick, string, hair tie, battery or anything toxic;
• a mild limp in a leg your pet still puts weight on;
• a question about something your pet ate, after a poison line said to watch at home and your pet has no signs;
• deciding whether a problem can wait until your clinic reopens.

Book a live video visit.

Visits run about 8 AM to 11 PM ET when a slot is open, and there are no overnight video visits. On the holiday itself, check the booking page for open slots, and go to an emergency hospital if none is open and you are worried.

The visit is for a pet that is in Florida, New York or Virginia at the time of the call; if you are spending the holiday in another state, use a local emergency vet. RexVet is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

A video visit cannot feel the belly, take X-rays, run bloodwork, give fluids or treat a poisoning, so anything on the emergency list goes to an in-person emergency hospital first. For a possible poison, call ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, (888) 426-4435 (a consultation fee may apply), or Pet Poison Helpline, (855) 764-7661 (a per-incident fee applies), on the way.

No prescription is promised: any medicine is the veterinarian's decision after the visit and within state rules. In Florida, a prescription based only on a telehealth visit is limited to FDA-approved animal drugs used as labeled, for up to 14 days (1 month for products labeled solely for fleas and ticks), may not be renewed without an in-person exam, and cannot be a human-labeled, controlled or compounded anti-infective drug. Virginia allows the exam to be done electronically, but federal rules require a veterinarian-client-patient relationship based on examining the animal, which FDA reads as an in-person exam, before extralabel or human-drug use. In New York, the rules for veterinary video care are still unsettled, so a visit may cover less. Refill long-term medicines with your regular clinic before the holiday. If the veterinarian prescribes and RexVet sends the prescription to an outside pharmacy, a pharmacy transfer fee applies; RexVet is not a pharmacy.

What emergency care costs on a holiday

An emergency hospital's exam fee covers the first exam, not tests or treatment, and at least some emergency hospitals charge a higher exam fee on holidays, so ask for an estimate before further care.

Colorado State University's veterinary teaching hospital, whose emergency service stays open on holidays, gives owners an estimate for further care after the first exam. Call on the way to ask about fees, and say so at check-in if cost is a worry. Never delay going in for an emergency sign because of cost.

A pre-holiday checklist

Before the holiday, look up the nearest emergency hospital and its hours, save both poison line numbers, refill long-term medicines early with your regular clinic, and write down your pet's weight, medicines and conditions.

• Call the nearest emergency hospital and a backup to confirm their holiday hours.
• Refill seizure, heart, diabetes or thyroid medicines well before the holiday.
• Use a lidded trash can for bones and roast twine, and keep guests' bags and pills out of reach.
• If you are traveling, find an emergency hospital near where you will stay.

Boarding, travel and houseguests

Boarding, car trips and a full house add stress, upset stomachs and escape risks for pets over the holidays, so plan a quiet room, keep meal and walk times steady, and check doors and gates when guests come and go.

Many dogs come home from boarding tired, thirsty or clingy, so check what is normal after boarding. A long walk before guests arrive helps keep holiday visits calm. For a cat trip, start carrier practice 1 to 2 weeks ahead. If a puppy arrives for Christmas while your clinic is closed, read when a newly adopted dog is not eating.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a vet open on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day?

Call your regular clinic first, since many close or keep short hours; if yours is closed, call the nearest emergency animal hospital before you go. The clinic's after-hours message may name one, and both pet poison lines take calls every day, including Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Can I get my pet's prescription refilled on Thanksgiving or Christmas?

Don't count on it: refill long-term medicines with your regular clinic before the holiday, because no video visit can promise a prescription. In Florida, a telehealth-only prescription cannot be renewed without an in-person exam. If a seizure, heart or diabetes medicine runs out on the holiday, call your clinic's after-hours line or an emergency hospital.

Do emergency vets charge more on holidays?

At least some do: they charge a higher exam fee on holidays, and tests and treatment cost extra. Ask for an estimate at check-in, before further tests or treatment, but never delay going in for an emergency sign.

My dog ate turkey bones on Thanksgiving. Can it wait until my vet reopens?

No. Call a vet the same day even if your dog seems fine; on Thanksgiving Day that usually means an emergency hospital, because many vets want X-rays. Don't make your dog vomit, because a bone coming back up can lodge in or injure the esophagus. Gagging, heavy drooling, retching, repeated vomiting, belly pain, weakness, or black or bloody stool means an emergency vet now.

What should I do if my pet gets sick on Christmas night?

Go to an emergency hospital now for any emergency sign or possible poison, and call a pet poison line on the way. RexVet video visits run about 8 AM to 11 PM ET when a slot is open, with no overnight video visits. Late at night, an emergency hospital is the option for anything that cannot wait until morning. For a mild problem earlier in the evening, check the booking page for open slots on the holiday, and go to an emergency hospital if none is open and you are worried.

Can an online vet help on a holiday if my pet is in Florida, New York or Virginia?

Sometimes: a video visit can help with a mild problem that is not on the emergency list, if a slot is open on the holiday. Check the booking page for open slots, and go to an emergency hospital if none is open and you are worried. On camera, the veterinarian can check breathing effort, gum color, walking, eyes, ears and skin and tell you whether your pet needs an ER now; feeling the belly, X-rays and bloodwork need an in-person visit, and trouble breathing or any other emergency sign means an emergency hospital first. Your pet must be in Florida, New York or Virginia at the time of the call. If medicine comes up, no prescription is promised: Florida limits telehealth-only prescriptions to FDA-approved animal drugs used as labeled for up to 14 days (1 month for products labeled solely for fleas and ticks), with no renewal without an in-person exam. Virginia allows the exam to be done electronically. In New York, the rules for veterinary video care are still unsettled, so a visit may cover less.

My dog had a seizure on Christmas. Does it need the emergency vet?

Yes, go to an emergency hospital now. That matters most for a first seizure, one after your dog may have eaten something toxic, one longer than five minutes, or several in a row. The Merck Veterinary Manual lists ongoing seizures among problems that need immediate treatment. Holiday hazards that can cause seizures include xylitol, chocolate, alcohol and salt dough, so call a poison line on the way if a toxin is possible.