Cricket, a 12-year-old beagle, is rushed in to the emergency shift by his worried owners. The dog's bloated stomach is the most visible sign of his illness. All the tests point to fatal liver disease and the distressed owners must consider euthanasia as an option. A horse with an infected molar has other problems: there is a suspicious mass behind the tooth that must be surgically removed. Pet rats are brought in for a checkup; one of them breathes noisily and appears to have an infection. A dog has a painful encounter with a porcupine and now the quills must be ...