An emergency veterinarian can help you when your pet needs it most. Many pet owners are worried about one thing: identifying an emergency in time to save their pets and taking them to a good veterinary hospital.
Being well-informed and knowing how to act in an emergency is your best ally when you have to run against the clock, so you may find the information in this article to be very useful. Furthermore, getting to know the specialists on standby to help your pet recover from an accident will help you be at ease when an emergency strikes.
Pets may not be able to speak and say how they got injured, what they ate, or what insects stung them, but pet owners know them well and can identify even the subtle changes in behavior.
We’ll discuss some of the reasons why emergency care is vital, how you can find the right team to help your pet, and some of the most noticeable symptoms indicating your pet may be suffering an emergency.
What Does an Emergency Veterinarian Do?
Unlike our non-adrenaline-lover cousins, emergency veterinarians deal with high levels of stress and tense scenarios. All veterinarians share in their motivation as we love the animals we treat. Here at COCEAH, we focus on helping dogs.
Helping household animals is challenging and highly rewarding. We love it.
Regular veterinarians also focus on providing your pet with proper care over greater periods, but emergency medicine focuses on urgent needs for something acute. If your pet suffers anything like an injury or unexpected illness, you should visit an emergency veterinarian for help.
The Skills Marking an Emergency Veterinarian
First of all, emergency veterinarians master the art of remaining calm under pressure to help any case coming through the doors of an animal emergency hospital. There are, of course, other skills critical to this profession.
Communication is key. Not just between the various professionals working at the veterinary ER, but also between us and pet parents.
We try to keep pet parents well-informed at all moments to help them understand we are doing everything we can to save their friends. Likewise, we have several specialists coming in at a moment’s notice to provide our patients with the proper treatment. To make the process as efficient as possible, we must all communicate accurate information and commands between team members.
We highly value compassion and empathy in our profession. Even if we deal with stress-filled situations, we want to reassure our patients and help them during their recovery. Not to mention that it is vital whenever we speak with animal owners to help them better understand any situation.
Choose The Right Team and Veterinary Hospital
One of the most important elements you should consider when you choose the team providing your vet with emergency veterinary care is distance.
When emergencies strike and your pet’s life is at risk, you don’t want to delay before you look for help. Time is of the essence. Research beforehand to know where are the closest care centers.
Similarly, take into consideration the hours of operation of your chosen emergency clinic. You’ll want to find a team providing emergency services when you need them most; 24/7 emergency care centers may be more expensive, but getting the help you need at a moment’s notice can be the difference in a life-threatening situation.
Make sure you ask if the care center you choose offers overnight care for your pet in case they need to stay longer for recovery and monitoring.
Common Veterinary Emergencies
Severe Bleeding
There are many reasons why your dog or cat may start bleeding, and you should not take any of them lightly. We can start with the most common causes of bleeding: lacerations or cuts.
Your pet may have been out playing, or they may have been acting like their usual curious self, and they could get cut because of any misplaced sharp tools or debris.
Phone your veterinarian to let them know that you are coming. Try covering the area with clean cloths and apply gentle force until the bleeding stops, but be careful because injured pets may behave more aggressively.
It is also possible you spotted your dog’s nose bleeding. There are different reasons why this could happen, like trauma or respiratory tract infections. As with any case of bleeding, you will want to reassure your pet and calm them to avoid increasing the bleeding.
If the bleeding does not stop on its own, you should take your pet to the emergency veterinary hospital. You should also try calling your veterinarian to verify if you should go to them at once or not.
There are other, more serious, causes for nose bleeding in small animals, but we don’t want to alarm you. Still, consider consulting with your veterinarian as soon as possible to rule out poisoning, the existence of nasal tumors, or other infections.
Be careful if you have noted bloody stools. We will save you some time: call your veterinarian if you find blood in your pet’s stools.
Patients must receive specialized care for hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, viral infections, and other, more serious, causes. It may also be just a one-time problem with something in their diet, but you should be attentive to large amounts of blood in your pet’s stools or recurrent episodes of bleeding.
Vomiting or Diarrhea
Most cases of vomits are simple cases of your pet’s food not agreeing with them; however, if your pet has two or more vomiting episodes in 24 hours, you should consult with the veterinarian to rule out more concerning causes.
You should be attentive to the vomiting and other symptoms like weakness or pain. Your pet may have ingested something they shouldn’t, and if they suffer any other chronic disease, you should not wait 24 full hours.
Take your pet to a veterinary hospital as soon as possible.
Diarrhea may occur due to similar reasons. Make sure you call a veterinarian hospital to determine if your pet will need additional help in preventing dehydration and fatigue. Watch out for blood if they have diarrhea, and visit a health center as fast as possible to help your pet.
Respiratory Difficulties
It is not often that pets look like they are exhausted or that they have trouble breathing, so it pays to mind their condition if you notice your pet is coughing, choking, or if they have shallow breathing.
Inspect their necks for signs of a swollen throat. Cat owners should be attentive to open-mouth breathing as well.
All these symptoms may indicate asthma, allergies, foreign bodies in the pet’s throat, and even lung infections. Take your pet to the veterinary hospital as soon as possible to help them overcome these respiratory difficulties.
Get the Help You Need From an Emergency Veterinarian
Here at COCEAH, we receive patients suffering from various emergencies, and we remain committed to delivering the highest level of care for all. You can find us in Newport Beach, and while you can trust your pet will receive the highest level of care when you come to us, you should take your pet to the closest veterinary hospital when they have a life-threatening emergency.
You can click on this link to get directions to our clinic, and if you give us a call at 9497633436 ahead of your arrival, we will be better prepared to treat your pet.
