It is 6:30 on a Friday evening. Your dog just started limping, or your cat has been throwing up since you got home from work. You call your regular vet and get the answering machine: "Our office is now closed."

Now what?

Most pet owners in St. Pete think they have two options after hours: wait until Monday and worry all weekend, or head to an emergency hospital and brace for the bill. There is a third option, and it is exactly why CentralPet Express Care exists.

First things first: is this an emergency?

Those are true emergencies, and emergency hospitals are built for them. Everything else on the worry list, and it is a long list, usually does not need an ER. It needs a vet who can see your pet today.

What an urgent care vet handles after hours

At CentralPet, our evening and weekend hours exist for exactly the situations that fill a pet owner's Friday night with dread:

• Vomiting or diarrhea that has you watching the clock
• Limping, or a pet that suddenly will not jump or climb stairs
• Ear infections, head shaking, and that unmistakable ear smell
• Itchy skin, hot spots, rashes, and allergic flare-ups
• Squinting, red, or goopy eyes
• Cuts, scrapes, torn nails, and minor wounds
• Straining to urinate or going outside the litter box
• Not eating, low energy, or "just not acting right"

These problems feel urgent because they are urgent. They just do not need emergency room resources, or emergency room pricing.

When we are open, so you are not stuck waiting

CentralPet Express Care keeps hours designed around the times regular practices are closed:

That means evening availability well past most clinics' closing time, plus weekend hours both days. Check our hours page before heading over, and for anything on the emergency list above, go straight to a 24-hour ER.

No appointment. No ER price tag. Just walk in.

There is no appointment needed at CentralPet. Walk in, get checked in by a friendly team that knows you are worried, and get answers the same day. You will always know what things cost before we do anything, and because we are an express care clinic rather than an emergency hospital, the bill reflects that.

We see pets from all over the area, St. Petersburg, Gulfport, Pinellas Park, Treasure Island, and beyond. When your regular vet is booked out for days or closed for the evening, you do not have to be a current client. You just have to show up.

Questions St. Pete pet owners ask us about after hours care

Is there a vet open late in St. Petersburg?

Yes. CentralPet Express Care is open until 9 PM on Monday, Thursday, and Friday, until 8 PM on Saturday, and Sunday from 10 AM to 4 PM, with walk-in visits and no appointment needed. We are located at 19 Dr. M.L.K. Jr St S in St. Petersburg.

Should I go to an emergency vet or an urgent care vet?

Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital for trouble breathing, major trauma, suspected bloat, toxin ingestion, seizures, collapse, or heavy bleeding. For vomiting, limping, ear infections, skin problems, eye issues, minor wounds, and urinary trouble, an urgent care clinic like CentralPet can see your pet the same day at a lower cost.

Do I need to be an existing client to walk in?

No. Anyone can walk in, whether your regular vet is closed, booked out, or you are new to the area. We see pets from St. Petersburg, Gulfport, Pinellas Park, Treasure Island, and the surrounding communities.

How much does an after hours vet visit cost?

Less than an emergency room, because we are an express care clinic rather than an emergency hospital. You will always know what things cost before we do anything, so there are no surprises at checkout.

CentralPet Express Care, 19 Dr. M.L.K. Jr St S, St. Petersburg, FL 33705. Walk-ins welcome, no appointment needed.