Animal Emergency Clinic of the High Country

Animal Emergency Clinic of the High Country 24/7 Emergency Veterinary Clinic Serving the High Country of North Carolina
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The Animal Emergency Clinic of the High Country, PLLC was established by Dr. David Linzey and his wife, Debi, in 2005. Our goal has remained the same: providing quality after-hours emergency veterinary care to the residents of the North Carolina High Country and surrounding areas. Until that time, local veterinarians participated in a rotational schedule where different doctors were on-call variou

s different nights and weekends. The opening of our practice provided a service to area pet owners not previously available: highly-trained and skilled veterinarians and technicians whose sole responsibility and focus is to provide emergency care for sick and injured pets until their regular veterinarian can take over care at the appropriate time.

🎉 Celebrating 5 Years of Dedication – Thank You, Amber! 🎉Join us in giving a big shoutout to Amber, one of our incredibl...
07/28/2025

🎉 Celebrating 5 Years of Dedication – Thank You, Amber! 🎉

Join us in giving a big shoutout to Amber, one of our incredible Lead Veterinary Assistants, for her 5-year anniversary at the Animal Emergency Clinic of the High Country! 🐾💙

Veterinary assistants are the behind-the-scenes heroes—helping with patient care, assisting in procedures, comforting anxious pets (and their owners), and keeping our clinic running smoothly day and night. Amber does it all with heart, skill, and a calm presence that our team truly depends on. 🐶🐱

Amber, thank you for two years of tireless care, compassion, and leadership. We’re lucky to have you!

🌟 Success Story Sunday: Howard’s Journey 🌟Meet Howard, a true fighter and a reminder of why we do what we do. 🐾Howard ca...
07/27/2025

🌟 Success Story Sunday: Howard’s Journey 🌟

Meet Howard, a true fighter and a reminder of why we do what we do. 🐾

Howard came to the Animal Emergency Clinic of the High Country in critical condition. He was suffering from GDV (Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus) — a life-threatening emergency where a dog’s stomach fills with gas and twists, cutting off blood flow and risking rupture. All of this after he was already hospitalized once at another clinic when his foot got caught in a bear trap. 😥

To make things even more complicated, Howard was also heartworm positive, a serious condition caused by parasitic worms living in the heart and lungs, which can make anesthesia and surgery especially risky.

Despite the odds, Brad and Terri with Misfit Hounds believed in Howard and gave the green light to move forward with surgery. ❤️

During surgery, we discovered significant damage to Howard’s gastric wall, placing him at high risk for perforation (a dangerous rupture). Our team called Brad and gave him an update during surgery. Despite the odds, Brad gave our team the go ahead to continue with surgery so our team pushed forward. We all know how much this boy deserved a chance.

Howard underwent a successful gastropexy, a surgical procedure that tacks the stomach to the abdominal wall to prevent future twisting. Despite all of the cards stacked against him , Howard recovered well from anesthesia and, with several days of close monitoring and care in our hospital, he was finally strong enough to go home! 🏡

We’re beyond grateful to the Misfit Hounds Rescue, our dedicated medical team, and the loving community that surrounded Howard through every step of this journey.

💙 This story is a testament to compassion, teamwork, and second chances.

Please join us in celebrating Howard’s strength, the lifesaving decision made by his rescue, and the love and support that helped him through.

It's National Dog Photography Day! Post the photo that perfectly captures your pup's personality! ✨
07/26/2025

It's National Dog Photography Day! Post the photo that perfectly captures your pup's personality! ✨

Great reminders as we head into another heat wave! Keep your pets safe! Notice signs of a heat related issue? Give us a ...
07/26/2025

Great reminders as we head into another heat wave! Keep your pets safe! Notice signs of a heat related issue? Give us a call at (828) 268-2833 so a member of our team can assist!

Need something to do tomorrow? Head over to PawPalooza at Watauga Humane Society!
07/26/2025

Need something to do tomorrow? Head over to PawPalooza at Watauga Humane Society!

🐾 Feline Friday Fact: Cats can make over 100 different vocal sounds — and if you’ve met June, you know one of her favori...
07/25/2025

🐾 Feline Friday Fact: Cats can make over 100 different vocal sounds — and if you’ve met June, you know one of her favorites is purring… loudly! 😸💬

From gentle felines like June to the tiniest tabbies, we’re here to keep all our feline friends feeling their best.
Happy Feline Friday from AEC! 💙

🎉 Happy 2-Year Anniversary, Dr. Sara Phipps! 🎉We’re thrilled to celebrate 2 amazing years with Dr. Sara Phipps at the An...
07/24/2025

🎉 Happy 2-Year Anniversary, Dr. Sara Phipps! 🎉

We’re thrilled to celebrate 2 amazing years with Dr. Sara Phipps at the Animal Emergency Clinic of the High Country! 🐾💙 Her dedication, compassion, and expertise have made a lasting impact on our team, our patients, and their loving owners.

✨ Fun Fact: Dr. Phipps also practices Integrative Veterinary Medicine, blending traditional and holistic approaches to support your pet’s total well-being!

Want to schedule an integrative veterinary medicine appointment with Dr. Phipps? 🐶🐱
📞 Call us today to book: (828) 268-2833

Here’s to many more years of excellence! 🐾👏

🌍✈️ In May, Dr. Phipps and AEC veterinary assistant, Karla, traveled to Santa Cruz, Bolivia to share their expertise thr...
07/23/2025

🌍✈️ In May, Dr. Phipps and AEC veterinary assistant, Karla, traveled to Santa Cruz, Bolivia to share their expertise through continuing education lectures!

Karla, an App State pre-vet student, presented two fantastic lectures on how to triage ER patients — a crucial skill that helps veterinary teams quickly identify and prioritize the most critical cases. She taught these life-saving techniques to veterinary students at two universities, and did an outstanding job representing AEC!

Meanwhile, Dr. Phipps delivered lectures on the differences between emergencies and urgent care, and led hands-on labs for a large group of veterinarians, teaching essential emergency procedures and skills.

We’re so proud of our team for spreading knowledge and helping improve emergency veterinary care on a global scale! 🌟🐾

When we talk about emergencies, especially emergencies like housefires, it's crucial to ensure our beloved pets are incl...
07/15/2025

When we talk about emergencies, especially emergencies like housefires, it's crucial to ensure our beloved pets are included in our evacuation plans. In honor of National Pet Fire Safety Day, talk to your household and make a plan today.

JULY 12th UPDATE: The owner has been found!!🚨 FOUND DOG – HELP US REUNITE HER WITH HER FAMILY! 🚨A sweet young female Gol...
07/12/2025

JULY 12th UPDATE: The owner has been found!!

🚨 FOUND DOG – HELP US REUNITE HER WITH HER FAMILY! 🚨

A sweet young female Golden Retriever was brought to our clinic after being found near Highway 421. She’s approximately 6–8 months old and is wearing a fuchsia collar.

✅ She has a microchip, but unfortunately, it is not registered—so we have no way to contact her owners.

She is currently safe, but we’d love to get her back home where she belongs. If this sounds like your dog or believe she may belong to someone you know, please call us at (828) 268-2833.

📍 Found near: Highway 421 in Boone, NC
📅 Date Found: Friday, July 11, 2025

Please share this post to help spread the word!

Paws up if you're feline fine. 🐾 It's National Kitten Day! Share a photo of your kitten in the comments! 📸
07/10/2025

Paws up if you're feline fine. 🐾 It's National Kitten Day! Share a photo of your kitten in the comments! 📸

Roadtripping with your pet this summer? Remember to stop for potty breaks often. Avoid accidents and most importantly, g...
07/06/2025

Roadtripping with your pet this summer? Remember to stop for potty breaks often. Avoid accidents and most importantly, give them the opportunity to stretch their legs.

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Our Story

One of the most frightening situations for a pet owner to face is the untimely injury or illness of a beloved family pet. Many times, these situations occur during hours when the family veterinarian is unavailable during weeknights, weekends and holidays. The Animal Emergency Clinic of the High Country, PLLC is a facility specially equipped to handle the urgent care needs of pets on an after-hours basis. Located in Boone, NC, this regional referral center serves pets and their owners in the North Carolina and Tennessee mountain communities. The veterinary team at Animal Emergency and Pet Care Clinic of the High Country has been offering exceptional veterinary care to the pets of our community since 2005. We greet every pet owner and pet with the same level of compassionate care, treating each client as though they were a part of our family, and each patient as though they were our own pet. It is our veterinary team’s mission to provide comprehensive, high-quality veterinary care to each and every one of our patients, while also treating their owners with respect and compassion. Our team members are like our family to us, and when you bring your pet to us for care, you are being welcomed into our warm family environment, as well. As members of the veterinary profession, the team at Animal Emergency and Pet Care Clinic of the High Country strives to use our scientific knowledge and veterinary medical skills to benefit animals. We are committed to protecting animal health, relieving suffering, promoting public health, and advancing our knowledge to always enable us to better serve you!