Are You Prepared to Handle a Pet Health Emergency?
Would you know what to do if your pet experienced a sudden emergency? When minutes count, recognizing the signs of an emergency could save your pet's life. Take a look at a few signs that may mean your pet needs first aid treatment.
Bleeding
A bleeding wound requires immediate care to prevent shock or even death due to blood loss. Apply pressure with a clean cloth to stop or slow the bleeding. After three minutes, check if the bleeding has stopped. If the pressure stopped the bleeding, apply a bandage to the wound. Although the bleeding may have stopped, your pet may still need stitches to close the wound.
If the bleeding continues, take your pet to the veterinarian. Continue to apply pressure to the wound during the trip to the veterinarian's office. If the cloth gets bloody, don't remove it. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) suggests adding a new cloth on top of the bloody cloth, as moving the first cloth could disturb any clots that may have formed.
Trouble Breathing
Your pet may struggle to breathe due to a heart problem, injury, allergic reaction, or an airway blockage. Signs of breathing difficulties include:
- Heavy Panting
- Wheezing or Whistling Sounds
- Coughing or Gagging
- Gasping for Air
- Open-Mouthed Breathing
- Blue, Gray, or Purple Gums
Breathing problems can threaten your pet's life and are emergencies. If your veterinarian's office isn't open, take your pet to the nearest emergency veterinary care facility.
Poisoning
Eating plants, accidentally swallowing chemicals, or eating potentially toxic foods can spell trouble for your furry friend. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration notes the degree of toxicity depends on the type of animal and how much of the substance the pet ate.
If you think your pet may eaten something toxic, call your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661. (You will be charged a fee when calling these organizations.)
Falls, Car Injuries, and Other Serious Injuries
If your pet has been hit by car, fallen, or experienced another serious injury, try to stabilize the animal before taking it to your veterinarian. Control bleeding by using the techniques mentioned above. If you notice your pet is limping or you see swelling or notice that a bone looks deformed, your pet could have a fracture.
Limit movement of the joint if you must carry your pet. Placing your pet on an improvised stretcher, such as a dog bed or large towel, will reduce movement. Although splinting the limb may seem like a good idea, PetMD notes that attempting to treat the fracture yourself could make it worse.
Shock could cause your pet's temperature to drop after an accident. Use a blanket to keep your pet warm.
Diarrhea and Vomiting
Diarrhea and vomiting aren't necessarily a cause for concern and usually stop fairly quickly. If vomiting and diarrhea continue for more than one day, it's a good idea to call your veterinarian. Puppies, older pets, and those with chronic health issues can become dangerously ill much more quickly than other pets and may need to be seen much sooner.
Vomiting and diarrhea can be a sign of illness, infections, poisoning, parasites, or swallowing a foreign object. Both vomiting and diarrhea can lead to dangerous dehydration. Signs of dehydration include sunken eyes, dry gums and nose, weakness, panting, and disinterest in food. If your pet is dehydrated, it's skin may not immediately return to normal when you gently pull it up.
Seizures
Witnessing a seizure can be a frightening experience. Although you can't do anything to stop a seizure, you can make your pet more comfortable by moving furniture or any objects that may fall on it.
It's not true that pets can swallow their tongues during seizures. If you put your fingers in your pet's mouth in an attempt to move the tongue, you could be bitten.
After the seizure is over, call your veterinarian, even if your pet seems fine. The AVMA notes that pet need emergency veterinary care if seizures don't stop, a seizure lasts longer than five minutes, or a pet has two or more seizures in 24 hours.
We're here to help when your pet needs emergency treatment. Call us for first aid advice or to let us know you're on the way to the office with your injured or sick pet.
Sources:
American Veterinary Medical Association: 13 Animal Emergencies That Require Immediate Veterinary Consultation and/or Care
American Animal Hospital Association: Help! Is This a Pet Emergency?, 9/5/2024
https://www.aaha.org/resources/help-is-this-a-pet-emergency/
U.S. Food & Drug Administration: Potentially Dangerous Items for Your Pet
https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/potentially-dangerous-items-your-pet
American Veterinary Medical Association: First Aid Tips for Pet Owners
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/emergencycare/first-aid-tips-pet-owners
ASPCA: Animal Poison Control Center
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control
PetMD: Broken Bones in Dogs, 9/20/2022