If your pet is having an emergency, it is important that you learn what to do and act quickly. Learn about Care Animal Hospital’s emergency services and when it makes sense to take your pet in for emergency care.
Why does my pet need emergency services?
Pet emergency services are a means to attend to ill or injured pets in need of immediate care. This includes multiple assessments and examinations to carefully provide a proper diagnosis as well as an urgent medical or surgical treatment plan for the patient.
Not only can this situation get expensive, but it is estimated that 1 out of 3 pets will require emergency services every year. As a pet parent, it is vital to be prepared to ensure that your pet can receive the treatment he/she needs.
These pet emergency services help aid life-threatening occurrences that may take a hold of your pet. Whether it be an accident, food poisoning, or the unnatural display of behavior, it’s important to know that it can happen anytime or anywhere. Knowing our pet’s personality and natural behavior will allow pet parents to immediately recognize when their pet is to be taken in for an emergency.
Signs your pet may need emergency care
Below are some of the most common symptoms that your pet needs urgent treatment. Whenever you have doubts about your pet’s demeanor, call a vet immediately.
- Excessive bleeding
- Rapid or intermittent breathing
- Unconsciousness
- Seizures
- Rapid or weak pulse
- Change in body temperature
- Swelling
- Pasty gums
- Weakness, difficulty standing
- Convulsions, frothing at the mouth, drooling
- Paralysis
- Broken bone or injury
- Incessant vomiting or heaving
- Severe diarrhea
- Food poisoning
- Snakebite, or other animal attack
How can I prevent my pet from having an emergency?
Aside from monitoring your pet’s food and day to day activities, it’s important to make sure he/she gets regular wellness check-ups and preventive health care once a year.
Taking good care of your pet is an important responsibility you took over the first day you brought him in. By ensuring your pet’s in overall good shape, the chances for sudden, emergency situations are decreased.
While expensive services and treatment might be a reason pet owners fail to bring their pets in regularly, just remember that it increases the likelihood of an emergency. You might end up spending thousands of dollars more over something you could have prevented.
What should I do in a pet emergency?
In an emergency situation, attend to your pet with first aid. Provide your pet with a comfortable means of traveling so you can bring him/her to your chosen hospital.
A good option would also be to call your vet first. This ensures that all the necessary equipment will be prepared for your arrival and that your vet will be ready to take the patient in right away.
It’s also important to be prepared with your resources. Emergency check-ins include a lot of tests, examinations, and accommodations that can pile up and cost you up to a thousand dollars or more, depending on the severity. Making sure you are financially able is crucial to making sure your pet gets the treatment he/she needs.
Can I call 911 for a pet emergency?
No, you cannot. The only time that the police department will assist you in any pet emergency is when it involves an accident including humans, road blockage, or when a pet is a danger to humans.
While a 911 operator might assist you and teach you how to handle first aid, it is beyond their discretion and they do not have a set protocol for animal emergencies. They are not supposed to send a car over for non-human related situations.
If you need help transporting your furry friend, there are companies you can call that are solely focused on transporting pets to emergency clinics. These pet ambulances are merely the same as their human counterparts, and can efficiently help you bring your pet to safety with the help of competent staff and professionals.
