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Austin Ray

DVM

Staff Veterinarian

Emergency & Critical Care

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Dr. Ray attended the University of California at San Diego for his undergraduate studies, earning a degree in General Biology. He earned his veterinary degree at the University of California at Davis. Dr. Ray joined Animal ER of San Diego in 2004 after several years working in emergency medicine and remained on the staff when the Animal ER merged with VCA Animal Specialty Group in 2014 to become their emergency department. Dr. Ray's special interests include emergency trauma, emergency surgery, and toxicology. In his free time Dr. Ray can be found enjoying the company of his wife, two young girls, dog Wrigley and cat Roses.

Emergency & Critical Care

The Emergency Department at VCA Animal Specialty Group is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you feel your pet has an emergency, please call us or come in immediately. Our phone number is (858) 560-8006 and we are located at 5610 Kearny Mesa Road, Suite B, San Diego, 92111.

Any of the following situations can be considered an emergency:

Difficulty breathing
Ingestion of a foreign object or unknown substance
Signs of heatstroke
Rattlesnake bite
Bleeding
Vomiting blood
Blood in the feces or urine
Swollen, hard abdomen that is painful to the touch
Serious wound
Suspected broken limb
Any injury to the eye
Loss of consciousness
Seizures
Inability to move or sudden weakness
Unusual or erratic behavior
Signs of extreme pain, such as whining or shaking
Straining to urinate (especially a male cat)
Labor that does not progress
Signs of heatstroke

While an emergency is unfolding, or throughout recovery from a serious illness or accident, ongoing diagnostic and therapeutic care and constant monitoring of your pet's condition may be required. Our facility offers 24-hour supervision of critically ill pets. We are equipped to provide oxygen therapy, cardiac monitoring, blood transfusions, and nutritional support. Our facility also has advanced diagnostic capabilities onsite, such as ultrasound and echocardiography.

While your general practitioner veterinarian can diagnose and treat many health problems and handle many routine emergencies, certain situations may require the care of an emergency hospital. We work in tandem with your general practitioner veterinarian on a referral basis, as well as with our hospital's Internal Medicine, Surgery and Neurology specialists, until the emergency is resolved. In some cases, your pet will only be referred to the emergency service for after hours care. In other cases, your pet may be in the care of our emergency department for the duration of the emergency and recovery, but then referred back to your general practitioner veterinarian for follow up and routine care.

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