Urgent Care Options that the Community Can Count On
Sasha Bush
The Ashland Beacon
It’s always comforting to know that whenever the weather has got you feeling down or you feel a cold coming on that you have options as far as health care goes. Most of us have a primary care physician who we visit regularly. But, for those times that we find ourselves needing care after hours we often turn to urgent cares or to the emergency room. But what happens when our furry, waggy-tailed friends need help outside of the vets normal operating hours? Thanks to Riverside Urgent Pet Care, we no longer have to ask that question. Riverside Urgent Pet Care is an alternative to the animal ER. They offer care and treatment for non-life-threatening conditions for all your fur babies’ needs.
Dr. Amy Bess, DVM, is one of three veterinarians who works at Riverside Urgent Pet Care. Dr. Bess stated, “Right now we are open for after-hours care on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings from 6pm-10pm. We would love to be open more, and maybe one day, we will be able to expand.” Currently, Riverside Urgent Pet Care is located at 1550 Kenwood Drive in Russell, Kentucky. Examples of conditions that can be treated include, but are not limited to, coughing, sneezing, diarrhea, minor wounds and lacerations, skin allergies, frequent urination, eye discharge/squinting, toenail injuries, anxiety, ear infections, and end of life care.
The inspiration to create an urgent care for pets was stemmed from Dr. Bess’ work with the Animal ER in Ceredo. Dr. Bess would often see frustrated owners bring their pets in to the Animal ER with non-emergent conditions, such as ear infections and congestion because they were unable to get into their regular vet. “I could see that there was a huge population of pets that fell into this category of urgent care but not quite an emergent care need,” shared Dr. Bess. Once Dr. Bess realized that there was a real need for an urgent care for pets, it wasn’t too long after that her vision became a reality. Today, Dr. Bess works alongside two other veterinarians, Dr. Mirissa Duncil and Dr. Kyle Franks. Together they work to make sure that animals across the Tri-State have access to the care that they need, and that pet owners can rest easy knowing they have options outside of regular office hours.
Dr. Bess truly loves everything about her work. “Being there to help a suffering pet and a worried pet owner get the help that they need when they need it is what Riverside Urgent Pet Care is all about. We love that our urgent care clients are genuinely grateful for us. It is so satisfying to be able to provide care for their furry loved ones and to offer advice on how to better care for their pets,” noted Bess. If you have a furry animal friend that needs urgent medical care, you can contact Riverside Urgent Pet Care at 606.266.8262. Their office hours are Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.