Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question we didn't answer here? Call EPIC St. Petersburg at (727) 473-3845 or EPIC Tampa at (813) 343-2118. Our team is available 24/7.
About EPIC
EPIC Specialty & Emergency Pet Care is a 24/7 emergency and multispecialty veterinary hospital with locations in St. Petersburg and Tampa, Florida. We are locally owned and founded by board-certified veterinary specialists, so medical decisions are made by the doctors caring for your pet, not a corporate office.
EPIC has two Tampa Bay hospitals:
St. Petersburg: 3250 5th Ave. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33713 · (727) 473-3845
Tampa: 4752 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33614 · (813) 343-2118
Our Tampa hospital serves pets from Tampa, Brandon, Riverview, Plant City, Lakeland, Wesley Chapel, Land O' Lakes, New Port Richey and Spring Hill.
Our St. Petersburg hospital serves pets from St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, Seminole, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota. Together, EPIC serves families across Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Manatee, Sarasota, Hernando and Polk counties.
Yes. The emergency services at both EPIC Tampa and EPIC St. Pete are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including nights, weekends and holidays.
EPIC offers 24/7 emergency care and critical care (ICU), plus specialty services in surgery, neurosurgery, internal medicine, oncology and cardiology. Our St. Petersburg hospital also offers advanced imaging with our 128-slice CT scanner.
EPIC is locally owned, founded and owned by Tampa Bay veterinary specialists rather than a corporation, so medical decisions are made here by the doctors caring for your pet. We also combine 24/7 emergency care with board-certified specialists under one roof. If your pet needs surgery, advanced imaging, cardiology, oncology, internal medicine, critical care or a specialist's opinion, there is no transfer to another hospital: the team is already here. Our team keeps your family veterinarian updated every step of the way.
EPIC treats dogs and cats. For birds, reptiles and exotic pets, we recommend contacting an exotic animal hospital.
Emergency Care
No. Emergencies are welcome at EPIC any time, day or night, 24/7, with no appointment or referral needed. If you are able, please call us on your way so our team can prepare for your pet's arrival. Specialty services such as surgery, internal medicine, oncology and cardiology are seen by appointment.
Some reasons to bring your pet in right away include trouble breathing, collapse, seizures, heavy bleeding, a swollen or hard belly, or being unable to urinate. Pets should also be seen after any trauma, like being hit by a car, or if they've eaten something toxic. This isn't a complete list, so if you're worried about your pet for any reason, call us or come in. Our team is here 24/7 to help you decide on next steps.
Urgent care clinics treat minor problems during set hours. A 24/7 emergency hospital like EPIC is equipped for life-threatening problems around the clock, with ICU care, surgery, advanced imaging and board-certified specialists on site.
Call our EPIC team or bring your pet in immediately, and bring the packaging or a photo of what was eaten. You can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 (a consultation fee may apply). Do not induce vomiting unless a veterinarian tells you to.
In Florida, cane toads (Bufo toads) are a common and serious emergency. If your dog has licked, bitten, or picked up a toad, wipe their gums and tongue with a damp cloth, wiping outward, and bring them to EPIC right away. Do not spray water down their throat. Signs of toad toxicity can include heavy drooling, pawing at the mouth, bright red gums, stumbling, and seizures.
Heatstroke is an emergency, especially in Florida's heat and humidity. Signs can include heavy panting, drooling, bright red gums, vomiting, weakness, and collapse. Move your pet into shade or air conditioning, wet them with cool water, place them in front of a fan, and come to EPIC immediately.
Wait times depend on how many critical patients are in the hospital. Like a human ER, we use triage: a nurse assesses every pet as soon as you arrive, and the most critical patients are treated first. We will keep you updated while you wait.
Pets are seen by medical urgency, not arrival time. If your pet is stable, a pet with a life-threatening problem may be treated first. If anything changes while you wait, tell our front desk right away.
Yes. EPIC's emergency hospitals will remain open during tropical storms and hurricanes. Our hurricane plan includes a dedicated team that stays on-site through the storm, extra stock of medications and supplies, backup power, and additional staff afterward to handle the increase in emergencies.
To prepare, add your pet's medical records, medications, and a carrier or leash to your family's hurricane kit. If your pet sees one of our specialists, request any refills a few days before the storm. During a storm, check our website and social media for updates, and call ahead before coming in.
Yes. Your primary care veterinarian can refer your pet to any of EPIC's departments, including emergency, critical care, surgery, internal medicine, oncology and cardiology, and can transfer pets who need overnight care or hospitalization. We send updates and records back to your vet so your pet's care stays connected.
Payment
Yes. Before any diagnostics or treatment beyond the exam, your care team will review a written estimate with you and answer questions. You approve the plan before we begin, and we update you if anything changes.
Payment for the exam is due at the time of service. We accept cash, debit cards, and all major credit cards. For hospitalized pets, we collect a deposit equal to the midpoint of your estimate at admission, and the balance is due at discharge.
Yes. EPIC accepts CareCredit, Scratchpay, Cherry, and All Pet, which offer payment plans for veterinary care. You can apply online in a few minutes, even while you're in our lobby.
Yes, EPIC works with all pet insurance providers. We offer direct pay with Trupanion, so the covered portion of your bill is paid directly to us. For all other insurance providers, payment is due at the time of service, and our team will give you the records you need to file your claim for reimbursement.
Specialty Care & Referrals
A board-certified veterinary specialist is a veterinarian who completed an additional 3–4 years of internship and residency training and passed a board certification exam in one field, such as surgery, internal medicine, oncology or cardiology. Specialists handle complex cases that need advanced expertise or equipment.
A referral from your primary care veterinarian is recommended but not required. Having your vet send records ahead of time helps our specialists make the most of your first visit.
Call us to schedule with one of our specialists. Our team will help you choose the right service and find a time that works for you. Many patients are referred by their primary care veterinarian, who can send your pet's records and test results to us before your visit. If you'd like to see a specialist without a referral, give us a call and we'll walk you through the next steps. Before your appointment, make sure we have your pet's medical records, and bring a list of their current medications.
Yes. We send visit summaries, test results and treatment plans to your primary care veterinarian after every emergency or specialty visit. EPIC partners with your family vet rather than replacing them, and your pet returns to them for routine care.
Yes. Our specialists offer second-opinion consultations for pets with complex or ongoing conditions. Bring or send your pet's medical records, imaging and lab results so the specialist can review your pet's full history.
Yes. EPIC's St. Petersburg hospital has a 128-slice CT scanner, one of the most advanced pet imaging systems in the Tampa Bay area. CT scans help our specialists diagnose cancer, plan surgery and evaluate injuries quickly and in detail.
Yes. EPIC provides blood transfusions and blood products for pets with severe blood loss, anemia or clotting problems, available 24/7 through our emergency and critical care team.
Your Visit & Aftercare
Bring your pet's medical records (or your regular vet's contact information), a list of current medications and supplements, and any packaging if your pet ate something it shouldn't have. Dogs should be on a leash and cats in a carrier.
Yes. EPIC is an open-door hospital, and families are welcome and encouraged to visit their hospitalized pets. Visiting hours are 7:30 AM to 11:00 PM daily, except 7:00 to 7:30 PM during medical rounds, and visits outside these hours can often be arranged.
Visits usually last about 20 to 30 minutes, especially for critically ill pets who need rest and ongoing treatment. Longer visits can be arranged with your pet's care team. Medically stable pets are visited in a private exam room, and pets who need continuous monitoring are visited in the ICU or treatment area.
Because EPIC is a 24/7 emergency and specialty hospital, another patient may sometimes need immediate lifesaving care, and we may briefly pause visits until it is safe to continue. If visiting would stress your pet or interfere with treatment, your medical team will talk with you and decide on the best approach together.
Your pet's doctor will call you with updates, and you are welcome to call our team any time, day or night. We will contact you right away if your pet's condition or treatment plan changes.
Yes. Families saying goodbye are not held to standard visiting time limits, and we give you as much time, privacy and flexibility as possible.
Yes. When it's time to say goodbye, our team provides compassionate euthanasia 24/7, with private space and no time limits for families. We can also help arrange aftercare such as cremation.
Before you leave, a member of our medical team will go over your pet's discharge instructions with you and send you home with a written copy, along with any medications and a recheck plan. We also send a full summary of your pet's visit to your primary care veterinarian. If you have questions once you're home, call us anytime, 24/7.
