RECOGNIZING EMERGENCIES

Some emergencies – hit by car, heavy bleeding, difficulty breathing, collapse, paralysis, and other overt conditions can be easily identified as requiring immediate attention. Other emergencies can sometimes be very difficult to recognize, yet pose just as great a threat to our pets. If you’re not sure if your pet is sick, or if the situation is serious, please call us – We can help you decide how urgently your pet needs medical help.

Familiarize yourself with the following conditions, which require immediate or same-day emergency medical attention:

Breathing Difficulty: If something is caught in your pet’s throat and he or she is in immediate distress, you can hang them upside down and smack their back like a child. Be cautious sticking your fingers in your pet’s mouth; they may bite you unintentionally! If your pet is displaying labored breathing and/or unusually pale or bluish tongue or gums, seek help immediately.

Serious Bleeding: Bleeding can be slowed with pressure, a tourniquet, and elevating the bleeding body part. For heavy bleeding, apply direct pressure to the wound and seek help immediately.

Major Trauma: If your pet has fallen, been hit by a car, or has suffered multiple wounds from an unknown source, you should seek help immediately, even if your pet is acting ok.

Collapse / Loss of Consciousness: If your pet has lost consciousness or cannot stand, seek help immediately.

Poisoning: If you know or even suspect this, call for professional advice immediately. Your veterinarian or the emergency clinic may direct you to the ASPCA Poison Control Center at 888-4ANI-HELP (888-426-4435).

Difficulty urinating: If your pet, especially a male cat, is unable to urinate, seek immediate veterinary attention. Inability to pass urine can lead to uremic poisoning and death within hours.

Bloated Abdomen: If your dog, especially any large breed, is showing symptoms of that include a bloated abdomen, call for veterinary assistance immediately.

Seizure: If your pet has never had a seizure before, or if your pet is an epileptic yet the seizure he has experienced lasts longer or is more violent than previous seizures, call for veterinary assistance immediately.

Fracture: If your pet is not bearing weight on a limb, call for an emergency appointment that day. Non-weight-bearing limping may be a sign of bone fracture.

Eye problems: If your pet is squinting in one or both eyes, call for an emergency appointment that day. Squinting can be a symptom of corneal abrasion, which can very quickly worsen if not treated.

Infections: If your pet develops an infected wound or abscess, or if s/he suddenly gets worse while on medication for an infection, seek veterinary help right away. Infections can spread and cause toxicity.

Not eating: Cats that haven’t eaten in 24 hours, or dogs that haven’t eaten in 24-48 hours, may be seriously ill. Call for veterinary advice and assistance right away!

Prolonged Vomiting or Diarrhea: Many serious illnesses begin with vomiting and/or diarrhea. Multiple episodes of vomiting or diarrhea can lead to severe dehydration and shock – Call for veterinary advice and assistance.

This list was prepared with the help of resource materials from Animal 911 – 847-673-9110.

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