Emergency? Here’s What to do if Your Dog or Cat Needs Immediate Help
It’s bound to happen sooner or later: Your dog or cat is going to experience a medical emergency, and you’ll likely be running around trying to figure out what to do. There isn’t always an easy answer—since you can’t speak with your pet, you can’t gauge how severe an injury or illness might be, for example.
In cases like that, it can be difficult to tell if your pet is truly experiencing an emergency situation. Do you need to get to a veterinarian as soon as possible? Can it wait until the next day? What if your veterinary office is closed in the middle of the night or on a holiday?
Again, it can be hard to tell, and even harder to decide what you should do. There are, obviously, times when there are no questions as to whether your pet is experiencing a medical emergency. They may have suffered a very serious injury, or be exhibiting symptoms of poisoning, for example. In those cases, yes, you need to take action.
But to give you an idea of how to size up pet emergencies, and how to take appropriate action, we’ve put together a quick guide.
What constitutes a veterinary emergency?
First things first: Is your pet actually experiencing an emergency? As noted, sometimes it’s abundantly clear that your pet needs help right away. Imagine if your leg were run over by a car—you’d probably be clamoring for an ambulance or a ride to the emergency room as soon as possible. But since we can’t speak with our pets, we’re stuck playing a guessing game in some cases.
As such, there are a few key things to look out for that may help you determine the severity of an injury or illness. The American Kennel Club notes that these symptoms are signs that your pet needs to see a veterinarian or get to an animal hospital right away:
Inability to stand
Bleeding
Seizures
Vomiting and diarrhea
Pain - crying or sore to the touch
Bloat
Eye injuries
Additionally, the American Veterinary Medical Association lists the following injuries or illnesses as serious enough to warrant immediate action (note that there is some overlap with the list from the AKC, so we’ve omitted the redundant items):
Choking, difficulty breathing, or coughing and gagging
Blood in stool, urine, or resulting from a cough
Inability to urinate or defecate
Suspected poisoning (if you think your dog may have eaten rat poison, for example)
Severe lameness or inability to move limbs
Signs of extreme anxiety
Heat stress or heatstroke
Refusing to eat or drink for more than 24 hours
Unconsciousness
Naturally, the list of emergencies isn’t limited to the above. Anything can happen. But the point is this: If you can use your best judgement as to whether your pet needs help, then seek help. It’s probably best to be safer rather than sorry, too.
Steps to take to get your pet help, fast
Emergencies can be stressful and emotional, especially if a loved one or beloved pet is involved. For that reason, the first thing you want to do if your pet is experiencing an emergency is to take a breath and do your best to stay calm. If you panic, you’re likely only going to cloud your thinking, impair your judgement, and limit your ability to effectively get your pet help.
So, do your best to keep cool.
Next, get on the phone. Call your veterinarian and follow their instructions. If you can’t get a hold of your vet’s office (perhaps they’re closed), then contact the nearest or your preferred animal hospital. Ideally, you’ll have one in mind—if not, now’s a good time to ask your vet for a recommendation, or to do some searching for the nearest animal hospital in your area so you know where to go and who to contact. Give the animal hospital a call, listen to their instructions, and follow accordingly.
You may need to get your pet to a vet or hospital fast, so have some blankets in the car (if you have one). If you don’t have a car or transportation, make a plan now for how you’ll get to the hospital if and when the time comes. Can you borrow a neighbor’s car? Ask them for a ride? Call an Uber? Whatever it is, give it some thought.
To recap, here are the key action items to follow during a pet emergency:
Keep calm.
Assess the severity of the injury or illness.
Call your vet or animal hospital, and be ready to take appropriate action.
For those of you in the San Diego area, remember to give us a call IMMEDIATELY if your pet is in need of care. If we are unavailable, then call VCA Emergency Animal Hospital & Referral Center at 619-299-2400.
Contact us to make an appointment today!
Read more: