How Do I Know If My Pet Needs Emergency Care?

As a pet owner, it’s important to monitor your furry friend’s health and well-being. Knowing when to seek pet emergency services can be tricky, but some clear signs indicate your pet needs help right away. Being prepared and acting quickly can make all the difference in an emergency situation.

Recognizing Symptoms That Require Immediate Attention

Here are some of the most common symptoms that signal your pet needs emergency care:

Difficulty Breathing

If your pet is struggling for air, gasping, or unable to catch their breath, they could have a blocked airway or other severe respiratory issue. Labored breathing, pale or blue gums, and collapse are all emergency red flags. Rush your pet to the vet immediately if they display any respiratory distress.

Uncontrolled Bleeding

wounds with significant or prolonged bleeding, blood in urine or stool, and bruising or bleeding under the skin indicate internal hemorrhaging. Get your pet emergency care services right away if they have uncontrolled external or internal bleeding.

Seizures

Repeated seizures, seizures lasting more than a few minutes, or a first-time seizure need the attention of a veterinarian. Time is critical, so don’t wait to see if a seizure passes. Get help immediately.

Ingestion of Toxins or Poisons

If you know or suspect your pet has ingested something toxic like antifreeze, human medication, rodent bait, or poisonous plants, call your vet services like Perfectail or an emergency animal hospital at once. Don’t wait for symptoms – early treatment can prevent serious harm.

Collapse or Unconsciousness

If your pet has suddenly collapsed, will not wake up, or is struggling to stand, this indicates a serious medical problem requiring emergency care. A pet losing consciousness signals a life-threatening emergency.

Trauma or Accident

Pets hit by cars, burned, poisoned, or with a significant fall should see a vet immediately. Shock, internal damage, or fractures will need urgent treatment. Don’t hesitate – trauma is a dire emergency.

Bite Wounds

Animal bites can cause severe infections and require antibiotics, wound care, and often drainage. Bite injuries can progress rapidly, so seek care without delay.

Difficulty Urinating

Straining, frequent attempts, vocalizing, and no urine production are signs of an obstructed urinary tract or kidney issue. This is extremely dangerous and painful for pets, requiring emergency attention.

Gum Color Changes

Pale gray, white, blue, or bright red gums indicate possible anemia, poisoning, shock, or circulatory issues. Discolored gums warrant an immediate vet visit.

When in Doubt, Call Your Vet

If your pet is acting sick or injured, but you aren’t sure how serious it is, always reach out to your vet. Describe the symptoms and let your veterinarian make the call on what to do. They may have you come in immediately or be able to advise you on home care. Your vet should be your first call anytime something seems wrong with your pet.

Have a Plan and Transportation Ready

Before an emergency strikes:

• Keep your vet’s phone number and emergency clinic info handy. Program the numbers into your phone.
• Have a pet first aid kit prepared, with gauze, bandages, plastic gloves, and any medications your pet needs.
• Know which nearby clinics offer emergency care and their contact info.
• Have a secure pet carrier or crate ready to transport your pet safely.
• Keep a contingency plan for fast, pet-friendly transport to the vet – have a friend or pet taxi service on standby to drive you.

Being prepared allows you to respond quickly when seconds count. Know how you’ll get to emergency care before you need it.

What to Do While Transporting a Pet for Emergency Care

When you believe your pet needs immediate medical attention, focus on safe, quick transport to the vet. Here’s how to correctly move a sick or injured pet:

• Remain calm and minimize stress on your pet. Anxiety can worsen medical shock.
• Gather medical records and history to bring with you, if possible.
• Immobilize injuries with makeshift splints/wraps. Do not try to set fractures.
• Use a stretcher, board, blanket, or carrier to move pets who cannot walk safely.
• Elevate injured legs or the rear half of recumbent pets while moving them.
• Apply direct pressure to wounds bleeding heavily.
• Keep burned or wounded skin covered and protected.
• If your pet is unconscious but breathing, position their head slightly lower than the body and be careful of the neck and spine.
• Offer water only if your pet is fully alert and able to swallow.
• Monitor breathing and consciousness closely en route to the vet.
• Never leave an injured pet unattended – stay to comfort them.
• Drive carefully but expediently if transporting your pet yourself.
• Call ahead so the veterinary staff is ready for your arrival.

Follow these steps to avoid causing additional harm as you get your pet to the hospital.

What Happens at the Emergency Vet?

In an emergency situation, pet care services follow standard protocols to assess, stabilize, and treat urgent pet health issues. Here is what you can typically expect:

• Triage Assessment: Vet staff performs an initial evaluation of your pet’s condition upon arrival, obtaining key information from you as well. They determine urgency and stabilize as needed.
• Treatment and Monitoring: Emergency treatments are administered as required to save your pet’s life and manage any crisis. This may include oxygen therapy, IV fluids, wound care, anti-seizure medications, etc. Your pet will be closely monitored.
• Diagnostic Tests: Various tests like blood work, urinalysis, X-rays, ultrasound, ECG, endoscopy, CT scan, or MRI may be ordered to determine what is wrong with your pet. These are performed once the pet is stable.
• Hospitalization: Pets with significant illness or trauma may need 24-hour nursing and observation in the ICU. Expect health updates from the staff. Ask about visitation policies.
• Specialist Referral: For complex cases, your pet may get referred to a veterinary specialist like a surgeon, neurologist, or criticalist for advanced treatment after initial stabilization.
• Treatment Plan and Home Care: Vets will provide instructions for any medication, follow-up appointments, or home care needed post-discharge. Follow all directions carefully. Notify your vet if any changes occur once you get home.

While emergency vet visits are stressful, understand that the staff is fully prepared to handle critical pet health issues. With quick action on your part and good emergency care, many pets recover well.

When to Seek Follow-Up Care After an Emergency

Pets discharged after emergency treatment need attentive aftercare at home. Here are some situations when you should seek prompt follow-up vet care:

• Any return of emergency symptoms like seizures, difficulty breathing, unconsciousness
• Little or no improvement within 24 hours
• Increased pain, swelling, redness, or discharge at an injury site
• Significant change in behavior, activity level, or appetite
• Persistent vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, or straining to urinate
• Bleeding from surgical sites, wounds, urine, or stool
• Discharge, foul odor, or redness of an incision or bandage
• Any abnormal discharge
• Bruising spreading away from the wound site
• Pet is unable to eat or drink normally
• Pet seems weak, depressed, restless, or agitated

Your vet will advise you on warning signs to watch for after emergency care. Don’t wait – call right away if anything seems amiss during the recovery period. Prompt follow-up can prevent a problem from becoming a new emergency.