Veterinary Medical Center: Portal, Doctors, Phone & Emergency Help
Searching for Veterinary Medical Center MyChart, doctors, phone number or emergency care? This guide explains the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center in plain language, including the correct client portal, hospital phone numbers, appointment steps, doctor/team information, parking, records, referrals and what to bring for your pet, horse or large animal visit.
Quick Answer: Veterinary Medical Center Details Most Pet Owners Need First
The University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center is a veterinary teaching hospital network serving companion animals, horses, farm animals and some other species. It includes the Lewis Small Animal Hospital, Large Animal Hospital, Piper Equine Hospital at the Leatherdale Equine Center and West Metro Equine Practice.
Main VMC Information
Large Animal & Equine Information
Veterinary Medical Center MyChart: What Portal Should You Actually Use?
Many people type “Veterinary Medical Center MyChart” because they are used to human hospital portals. For this Veterinary Medical Center, the practical answer is different: use the official client/patient portal linked from the University of Minnesota VMC website.
Use the VMC Portal For
- Current-client access where available.
- Checking account-related client tools.
- Using official VMC payment or portal links.
- Following instructions after a visit or referral.
Do Not Use Human MyChart For
- Pet emergency triage.
- Animal hospital appointment confirmation.
- Veterinary medical records requests.
- Specialty referral communication.
Human MyChart portals are not designed for animal hospital cases.
When Phone Is Better
- Emergency or after-hours symptoms.
- New client appointment questions.
- Referral timing and records transfer.
- Medication or discharge instruction confusion.
Portal vs Phone: Which One Should You Use?
| Situation | Best Route | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Your pet is struggling to breathe, collapsed, bleeding or rapidly worsening | Call 612-626-VETS or the nearest emergency vet | Emergency cases need live triage, not a delayed online message. |
| You need to check appointment-day instructions | Use the official appointment-day information page | Parking, arrival, records and animal-handling instructions vary by hospital. |
| You need records sent from your primary veterinarian | Call or follow referral instructions | Specialty teams often need records, lab work, imaging and medication history before the visit. |
| You are a current client looking for online tools | Use the official VMC patient portal link | It keeps you in the veterinary system instead of a human MyChart portal. |
Veterinary Medical Center Phone Numbers, Hours & Hospital Contacts
Use the correct hospital phone number because the VMC has different services for small animals, large animals, equine care and ambulatory horse practice. When calling, have the animal’s species, age, symptoms, medication list, referring veterinarian name and your callback number ready.
| Hospital / Service | Phone | Address | Daytime / Urgent Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis Small Animal Hospital | 612-626-8387 | 1365 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108 | Daytime Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; urgent care hours listed separately by VMC. |
| Emergency / After-Hours | 612-626-VETS (8387) | Call before or while traveling if safe to do so. | Listed 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. |
| Large Animal Hospital | 612-625-6700 | 1365 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108 | Daytime Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. |
| Piper Hospital at the Leatherdale Equine Center | 612-625-6700 | 1801 Dudley Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108 | Daytime Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| West Metro Equine Practice | 612-624-9637 | 2075 Daniels Street, Long Lake, MN 55356 | Daytime Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; weekend/evening emergencies available for the practice area. |
Veterinary Medical Center Doctors, Specialists & Teaching-Hospital Team
The University of Minnesota VMC is a veterinary teaching hospital, so your animal may be seen by a care team rather than only one doctor. The team can include faculty veterinarians, board-certified specialists, residents, interns, veterinary technicians, students and client-service staff.
Board-Certified Specialists
VMC describes a large specialist team and specialty services across small animal, large animal and equine medicine. This is especially useful for complex conditions needing advanced diagnostics or referral care.
About VMCTeaching Hospital Model
Because it is a university hospital, appointments may take longer than a private clinic. Students may collect history first, then discuss findings with clinicians who guide diagnosis and treatment.
What to ExpectFind the Right Service
Instead of choosing a doctor only by name, start with the correct service: cardiology, neurology, internal medicine, surgery, dermatology, oncology, imaging, primary care, equine or large animal.
Browse ServicesWhich Specialty Might Your Animal Need?
| Symptom / Need | Possible VMC Service | Practical Note |
|---|---|---|
| Coughing, diabetes, kidney disease, vomiting, endocrine disease | Small Animal Internal Medicine | Bring lab work, imaging, medication list and diet history. |
| Seizures, paralysis, severe back pain, unexplained weakness | Neurology | Ask whether referral records or advanced imaging may be needed. |
| Heart murmur, fainting, abnormal rhythm, heart disease | Cardiology | Bring prior X-rays, ECG, echo reports and medication list if available. |
| Complex skin, ear, allergy or chronic itching problems | Dermatology | Bring medication history, food trial details and prior test results. |
| Advanced X-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI or imaging-guided procedure | Medical Imaging | Ask your referring vet whether DICOM images should be sent or brought. |
| Horse, farm animal or large animal care | Large Animal Hospital / Piper Equine / West Metro Equine | Call the correct large-animal or equine number before loading or traveling. |
Veterinary Medical Center Emergency & Urgent Care: When to Go Now
Emergency veterinary care works like human emergency care in one important way: the sickest animals are treated first. A stable pet may wait while a collapsed pet, trauma case, breathing emergency or critical ICU transfer is handled immediately.
Call Immediately For
- Breathing trouble, blue gums or collapse.
- Seizures, severe weakness, paralysis or sudden inability to walk.
- Major bleeding, trauma, hit-by-car injury or deep wound.
- Suspected toxin, medication overdose or unknown ingestion.
- Bloat signs: unproductive retching, swollen abdomen, restlessness.
- Blocked cat signs: repeated litter-box trips, crying, no urine.
- Difficult labor, severe pain or rapidly worsening condition.
Urgent But Possibly Not ER
- Stable vomiting or diarrhea without collapse.
- Minor wounds, limping or ear/skin flare-ups.
- Mild cough in an otherwise stable animal.
- Medication questions after a recent appointment.
- Symptoms that need same-day care but are not life-threatening.
Call first. The team can tell you whether urgent care, emergency care, primary care or your regular veterinarian is the better route.
How to Make an Appointment at Veterinary Medical Center
Appointment steps depend on whether your animal needs primary care, specialty care, urgent care, emergency care or a referral from another veterinarian. The safest workflow is to identify the animal type, the correct hospital and whether the problem is emergency, urgent or routine.
Decide if it is emergency or routine
If symptoms are severe or rapidly worsening, call 612-626-VETS. If the visit is routine, specialty or follow-up care, use the official VMC appointment route and call during listed daytime hours.
Choose the right hospital
Dogs, cats and companion animals usually route through the Lewis Small Animal Hospital. Farm animals may route through the Large Animal Hospital. Horses may route through Piper Equine Hospital or West Metro Equine Practice depending on the situation and location.
Prepare the medical history before calling
Write down symptoms, timeline, medication names and doses, diet, recent behavior changes, previous diagnoses, vaccine status, allergies and your regular veterinarian’s contact information.
Ask what records should be sent
Specialty appointments often move faster when prior records, labs, imaging and referral notes are sent before the appointment. Ask whether X-ray, CT, MRI or ultrasound images should be sent as DICOM files.
Confirm arrival, parking and cost expectations
Ask where to park, how early to arrive, whether the animal should fast, whether a deposit or payment method is required, and whether the visit may last several hours because of the teaching-hospital process.
Veterinary Medical Center Parking, Check-In & What to Bring
UMN VMC’s appointment-day guidance says small-animal clients should use the Veterinary Medical Center at 1365 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, and staff provide a parking permit that allows clients to park free outside the clinic. Arrival instructions differ for large animals and equine appointments.
Small Animal Visit
- Arrive about 10 minutes before the scheduled appointment.
- Keep your animal restrained at all times.
- Bring prior records and imaging if your animal was seen elsewhere.
- Write down questions so you do not forget them during the visit.
Large Animal Visit
- Check in before unloading your animal.
- Bring medical records and radiographs if appropriate.
- Bring payment method and detailed diet/history notes.
- Follow staff instructions for safe unloading and movement.
Equine Visit
- Confirm whether to go to Piper Equine or Large Animal Hospital.
- Bring insurance details if your horse is insured.
- Bring prior radiographs, medications, feed details and tack if requested.
- Leave unrelated pets at home unless instructed otherwise.
Veterinary Records, Referrals, Billing & Payment Questions
Veterinary specialty care often depends on accurate records from your regular veterinarian. If your animal is referred to VMC, ask your primary veterinarian to send the medical record, lab results, medication history and imaging before the appointment whenever possible.
Records Checklist
- Current diagnosis or reason for referral.
- Recent exam notes and discharge instructions.
- Lab results, pathology reports and culture results.
- X-ray, CT, MRI or ultrasound reports and images.
- Medication names, doses, timing and side effects.
- Diet, supplements and behavior changes.
Cost & Payment Questions to Ask
- What is the exam or consultation fee?
- What tests are likely today?
- Will I receive an estimate before treatment?
- Is a deposit required for hospitalization?
- What payment methods are accepted?
- Could there be separate costs for imaging, surgery, ICU or medication?
Common Mistakes to Avoid Before Visiting VMC
Waiting for a portal reply during an emergency
If breathing, collapse, bleeding, seizure, poisoning or bloat signs are involved, call emergency veterinary care immediately.
Arriving without records
Specialty teams can lose time if prior labs, imaging, medications or diagnosis notes are missing.
Using a human MyChart link
Veterinary clients should use the official VMC client/patient portal link, not a human hospital MyChart account.
Assuming every appointment is quick
Teaching-hospital visits can take longer because students, technicians and clinicians may all be involved in the care plan.
Official Veterinary Medical Center Links & Resources
Use official UMN VMC resources for the latest phone numbers, appointment instructions, emergency updates, hospital routing, referral steps and client portal links.
Related Medical-Centers.org Guides
These related guides are useful if you want to compare patient-portal, phone, ER and records guidance across large teaching medical centers.
Veterinary Medical Center FAQs
Does Veterinary Medical Center use MyChart?
No human MyChart login should be assumed for this Veterinary Medical Center. The University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center links to a client/patient portal for current clients. Use the official VMC website portal link rather than a human hospital MyChart page.
What is the Veterinary Medical Center phone number?
For the Lewis Small Animal Hospital and emergency/after-hours line, VMC lists 612-626-VETS, which is 612-626-8387. The Large Animal Hospital and Piper Equine Hospital list 612-625-6700.
Where is the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center located?
The main Veterinary Medical Center address for the Lewis Small Animal Hospital and Large Animal Hospital is 1365 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108. Piper Equine Hospital is listed at 1801 Dudley Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108.
Is the Veterinary Medical Center emergency service open 24 hours?
VMC lists emergency and after-hours care at 612-626-VETS, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, service status and wait times can change, so call before traveling when it is safe to do so.
How do I make an appointment at Veterinary Medical Center?
Call the correct VMC hospital based on your animal and care need. Small animal clients usually start with 612-626-8387. Large animal and equine clients may use 612-625-6700. For urgent or emergency symptoms, call 612-626-VETS immediately.
Do I need a referral to visit Veterinary Medical Center?
Some VMC services may accept direct appointments, while many specialty cases are easier with referral records from your regular veterinarian. For complex cases, ask your primary veterinarian to send records, labs, imaging and referral notes before the visit.
What should I bring to a Veterinary Medical Center appointment?
Bring your animal restrained safely, prior medical records, medication list, dosage details, recent lab results, imaging, diet information, behavior changes, questions for the care team and a payment method. Horse and large-animal visits may require additional records, insurance details, feed or tack if requested.
Can I park at Veterinary Medical Center?
VMC appointment-day information says small-animal clients should park at the Veterinary Medical Center and staff provide a parking permit for free parking outside the clinic. Large-animal and equine parking/check-in instructions differ, so confirm before arrival.
Who are the doctors at Veterinary Medical Center?
VMC is a teaching hospital, so care may involve faculty veterinarians, board-certified specialists, residents, interns, technicians, students and client-service staff. Start by choosing the right service, such as internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, dermatology, imaging, surgery, equine or large animal care.
What is the difference between urgent care and emergency care for pets?
Emergency care is for severe or rapidly worsening symptoms such as breathing trouble, collapse, seizure, trauma, severe bleeding, suspected poisoning, bloat or inability to urinate. Urgent care may fit stable problems that need same-day attention but are not immediately life-threatening. Call VMC if you are unsure.