Urgent Care
The Urgent Care Service at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals provides prompt treatment for non-life-threatening situations in dogs and cats.
Urgent care situations could include
- Skin infections
- Ear infections
- Diarrhea with no vomiting
- Weight-bearing lameness
- Female dog/cat urinary issues
- Porcupine quills
- Small lacerations
- Humane euthanasia
- Vaginal discharge in otherwise healthy pet
- Anal gland abscess
- Skin masses
- Ocular discharge/squinting
- Upper respiratory infections
Meet our team
Sarah Hummel, D.V.M.
Emergency/Urgent Care Veterinarian
Dr. Sarah Hummel is a 2018 graduate of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. After earning her DVM, she completed a formal Emergency mentorship program at the Veterinary Medical Center of Central New York. She then spent several years working as an ER clinician before returning to her hometown of Ithaca in 2021.
Following a couple of years as a small animal general practitioner, Dr. Hummel rejoined Cornell in 2023 as part of the Emergency team at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals. Since then, she’s been working on creating and growing the hospital’s Urgent Care service — an effort she’s passionate about and excited to see evolve and grow. She is both Fear Free and RECOVER certified, with professional interests that include emergency and critical care, preventive medicine, communication, and end-of-life care.
When she’s not at the hospital, you’ll likely find Dr. Hummel enjoying the outdoors with friends and family, relaxing by the lake, hiking local trails, reading a good book, or eating her way through Ithaca’s vibrant food scene.
Angel Haraveth, L.V.T.
Licensed Veterinary Technician, Urgent Care
With 20 years of veterinary experience and a deep love for emergency medicine, Angel brings calm to the chaos and heart to every shift at Cornell Hospital for Animals’ Urgent Care team. Whether she’s triaging a tricky case or comforting a nervous pet parent, Angel leads with compassion, skill, and a quick sense of humor.
When she’s not saving furry lives, Angel enjoys running, lifting, hiking, biking—and spending time with her adventurous son, two loyal Cane Corsos, and a feisty kitten who definitely rules the house.
What to expect with an Urgent Care visit
Before Your Appointment
What to bring
- Current vaccination records
- List of current medications your pet is taking
- Written notes about your pet's symptoms, including when they started and any changes you've observed
Arrival: Please arrive 10-15 minutes early for your appointment to allow time for check-in.
During your visit
Our Urgent Care service is appointment based. Upon arrival, please check in at the front desk and the Urgent Care team will start your appointment as soon as possible.
Fourth year veterinary students are the primary contact for your visit and will perform a comprehensive physical exam on your pet and obtain a history from you. Our students work under the direct supervision of experienced veterinarians and provide excellent care while gaining valuable hands-on experience.
Sometimes, the student may briefly remove your pet from you to verify an exam finding with our Urgent Care veterinarian. If your pet needs to be separated from you for examination or procedures, a team member will explain why and approximately how long this will take.
Diagnostic and Treatment Planning
A diagnostic and treatment plan will be developed with the guidance of our Urgent Care veterinarian and presented to you. All diagnostic recommendations and associated costs will be discussed with you before proceeding, ensuring you can make informed decisions about your pet's care.
Once diagnostics and treatments are complete, the student veterinarian will go over the results and the plan for you and your pet going forward. You'll receive a detailed discharge summary with care instructions.
Visit Duration
Visits typically take 1 hour, longer for those cases requiring sedation or minor surgery.
Written with the assistance of AI