Has your pet ever needed urgent care? Of course, this is a situation we hope we’ll never face. However, recognising a pet emergency is an essential part of getting your four-legged friend the help he or she needs.

In its simplest terms, a pet emergency is any situation in which your pet requires immediate veterinary consultation or care.

However, in reality, this definition is quite vague. Indeed, when you’re actually in the middle of a ‘situation’, deciding whether or not it’s a pet emergency can be challenging.

What counts as a pet emergency?

As a caring cat owner or devoted dog owner, it’s completely natural to be worried about your pet’s wellbeing. This is particularly so if your fur babe is acting differently or is showing signs of pain.

But what exactly counts as a pet emergency?

Knowing the answer to this question can help you to decide if you need to take a rapid trip to your local vet, or not!

Well, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the following circumstances are considered a pet emergency and warrant a trip to your local vet.

  • Severe bleeding or bleeding that doesn’t stop within five minutes
  • Choking, difficulty breathing or nonstop coughing and gagging
  • Bleeding from nose, mouth, rectum, coughing up blood, or blood in urine
  • Inability to urinate or pass feces (stool), or obvious pain associated with urinating or passing stool
  • Injuries to your pet’s eye(s)
  • You suspect or know your pet has eaten something poisonous (such as antifreeze, xylitol, chocolate, rat poison, etc.)
  • Seizures and/or staggering
  • Fractured bones, severe lameness or inability to move leg(s)
  • Obvious signs of pain or extreme anxiety
  • Heat stress or heatstroke
  • Severe vomiting or diarrhea – more than two episodes in a 24-hour period, or either of these combined with obvious illness or any of the other problems listed here
  • Refusal to drink for 24 hours or more
  • Unconsciousness

Ultimately, if you’re at all concerned or worried about the health of your purring pal or canine chum, give your vet a call.

Also, don’t wait things out. While it might be tempting to hold off calling your vet and see whether your pet’s condition improves over time, this can make matters worse.

Many common conditions can be effectively treated if caught early. For example, if your dog swallows something toxic taking them to the vet as soon as possible may help prevent them from having a seizure, or an even worse outcome.

Being prepared for a pet emergency

Sure, no one likes to think of dealing with a situation in which his or her beloved pet needs emergency care. However, it’s super important to know what to do in a pet emergency. Here’s are a few tips.

Stay calm

Yes, I know it’s easier said than done, but in a pet emergency, it’s important to try your best to remain calm. Remaining level-headed will help you assess the situation, make good decisions and comfort your pet (after all, animals sense stress!).

Make your pet comfortable

There are many different types of pet emergencies. Nonetheless, try to calm and comfort your pet as best you can. You might not be able to move your pet, but you may be able to make changes to create a quiet or warmer environment.

Administer pet first aid

Make sure you have a pet first aid kit at the ready. If this is something you’ve thought about, but never got around to doing – now’s the time. Not sure what goes into a pet first aid kit? Check out this helpful post that outlines what items are needed in a pet first aid kit.

Contact you vet

It can be really useful to keep your local vet’s detail close to hand. The last thing you want to be doing in a pet emergency is hunting around your home, frantically looking for your vet’s phone number.

Amid the worry, it’s easy to jump in the car. However, if you can, make a point of calling ahead to let your vet know what’s happened and to say you’re on your way.

 

 

Image source: Vince Coombs on Unsplash