It is imperative that as a pet parent, you understand what constitutes a veterinary medical emergency and are able to provide basic first aid. This could save your pets life!
Unfortunately, not all emergencies are obvious and no one can be prepared for every kind of emergency possible.
In any medical emergency, be sure to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible for more specific recommendations and advice, as you're getting ready to make your way to the clinic.
This will also alert. the clinic about your upcoming arrival and help them prepare.
Below you will find some simple guidelines to follow and symptoms to look for:
1. Try to keep calm and don't panic (this is easier said than done, do your best!). Try to remove any additional threats to you or your pet. This is important for everyone's safety.
2. Helpful links:
How to perform CPR
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435)
Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661)
Toxic Plant List
Pet First Aid Kit
Do's and Dont's of Avian First Aid
3. Keep your animal as still and quiet as possible, especially if they have broken limbs or there is the possibility of a spinal injury.
4. Keep them warm (except in cases of heatstroke).
5. Call your vet! Follow any specific advice given.
6. Painful animals may bite! If you have a dog, you may need to use a muzzle. You can create a muzzle out of a leash, belt, or other long piece of fabric. For cats and other smaller animals, you can wrap them in a towel as you move them into their. carrier. Be careful, animals can still bite through a towel! But, it will help to make them feel more secure and provide a temporary visual/partial physical barrier between them and your hands.
7. In order to safely transport them, you may need help, especially if you have a large animal. If possible, have someone help you.. A makeshift stretcher can be made from some rigid material such as a piece of wood. Small dogs are best placed into a carrier (with the top off). DON'T try. to force the animal through the door of a small carrier.
8. Transport your animal to your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Specific Emergency Conditions:
Please refer to the links provided for more information/explanatory videos (click on the underlined red words):
- Wounds involve the head, in particular the eyes, ears, nose, or throat
- There are penetrating to the chest, abdomen, or groin
Unfortunately, not all emergencies are obvious and no one can be prepared for every kind of emergency possible.
In any medical emergency, be sure to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible for more specific recommendations and advice, as you're getting ready to make your way to the clinic.
This will also alert. the clinic about your upcoming arrival and help them prepare.
Below you will find some simple guidelines to follow and symptoms to look for:
1. Try to keep calm and don't panic (this is easier said than done, do your best!). Try to remove any additional threats to you or your pet. This is important for everyone's safety.
2. Helpful links:
How to perform CPR
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435)
Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661)
Toxic Plant List
Pet First Aid Kit
Do's and Dont's of Avian First Aid
3. Keep your animal as still and quiet as possible, especially if they have broken limbs or there is the possibility of a spinal injury.
4. Keep them warm (except in cases of heatstroke).
5. Call your vet! Follow any specific advice given.
6. Painful animals may bite! If you have a dog, you may need to use a muzzle. You can create a muzzle out of a leash, belt, or other long piece of fabric. For cats and other smaller animals, you can wrap them in a towel as you move them into their. carrier. Be careful, animals can still bite through a towel! But, it will help to make them feel more secure and provide a temporary visual/partial physical barrier between them and your hands.
7. In order to safely transport them, you may need help, especially if you have a large animal. If possible, have someone help you.. A makeshift stretcher can be made from some rigid material such as a piece of wood. Small dogs are best placed into a carrier (with the top off). DON'T try. to force the animal through the door of a small carrier.
8. Transport your animal to your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Specific Emergency Conditions:
Please refer to the links provided for more information/explanatory videos (click on the underlined red words):
- Acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome: severe bloody diarrhea and vomiting, along with weakness or collapse.
- Anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock: a severe allergic reaction resulting in sudden collapse and severe breathing difficulties. Symptoms may include swelling around the face or muzzle, bumps/hives on the skin, vomiting or diarrhea, pale gums, cold limbs, weak pulses and restlessness. These signs can rapidly progress to collapse, breathing difficulty, seizures and a coma. Left untreated, severe anaphylactic shock can be fatal. Possible causes include but are not limited to, insect stings, contact allergies and reactions to certain drugs including vaccines.
- Bite and fight wounds: these should be evaluated as soon an possible by a veterinarian, but require immediate veterinary intervention if:
- Wounds involve the head, in particular the eyes, ears, nose, or throat
- There are penetrating to the chest, abdomen, or groin
- Bleeding: The ears, feet, toenails, tongue, blood feathers (see section below) and nose can bleed severely if injured. You should try to control bleeding by covering the wound/s with a clean absorbent material and applying direct pressure for ~5 minutes. If this fails to control bleeding, elevate the affected part of the body and try wrapping the wound...roll gauze/fabric several times around the wound and secure it with tape. The wrap should be snug but not so tight that it completely cuts off circulation. If this fails and blood is seeping through the bandage, you may need to place a tourniquet (only use on the legs or tail) or wrap the bleeding more tightly as you prepare to take your pet to the hospital.
- Bloat/gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV): early signs include mild abdominal distention (a bulge behind the ribs) and repeated unsuccessful attempts to vomit. As the twisted stomach continues to fill with gas, it becomes more obviously firm and swollen, the dog starts to have difficulty breathing and can collapse due to shock. This is a CRITICAL EMERGENCY!
- Broken bleeding blood feathers (birds): when a pin (aka 'blood feather') feather is damaged, a bird may have heavy bleeding as these new growing feathers have a direct blood. supply. To help stop the bleeding, you can apply styptic powder, corn starch or flour to the damaged tip of the broken feather. If there is constant dripping of blood even after applying styptic powder etc. or if the bleeding re-starts after 3-5 minutes it is an emergency! Please do not attempt to pull out the blood feather!. The veterinarian may decide to pull the damaged or broken pin feather, but this is typically the last resort.
- Breathing issues/Dyspnea: open mouth breathing with the neck extended, pronounced abdominal effort with each breath, increased respiratory rate and effort at rest, a change in gum color from pink to pale pink or even purple/blue (cyanosis), sudden raspy breathing, constant cough, coughing up blood tinged fluid and a 'tail bob' in birds are all indicators that the animal is having serious difficulty breathing. Rabbits are obligate nasal breathers, which means that any obstruction of their nostrils can cause them to stop breathing all together (they cannot breathe through their mouthes). So, a 'snotty rabbit' can be an emergency! Especially if. the nasal discharge is severe and they have any other of the above clinic. signs.
- Burns: caused by heat or by caustic chemicals (e.g. acids or alkaline). Unless you saw the injury happen, you may not notice the burn until a wound forms. If you do wittness your pet getting burned, flush the area with cool running cool water and/or cover it with a cold wet towel. If the burn was caused by a caustic substance, rinse it off with cool water for at least 15 minutes. Your veterinarian will then help you manage the wound with specific therapy including but not limited to pain control and topical treatments.
- Convulsions or seizures: a seizure is a series of sudden, uncontrolled spasms. The animal may fall to the ground, paddle their legs or flap their wings. Most seizures last less than two minutes. If a seizure lasts more than 3 minutes or if there is more than one seizure in a 24 hour period, your animal will require immediate veterinary treatment, even if they are already on anticonvulsants.. During a seizure, keep your hands away from your pet's mouth, they may unknowingly bite you, After the episode, they may be disoriented for a short time. Your pet will require veterinary attention to determine the underlying cause of the seizure. If you have a bird, remove all perches and keep them in a small carry cage with a soft towel on the floor to prevent any injury from subsequent seizures.
- Cloacal Prolapse (birds and reptiles): or any other tissue (oviduct, phallus, hemipenes, urinary bladder) protruding from the cloaca/vent is an emergency! If left hanging out, the tissue will eventually dry out and necrose (die).
- Diarrhea and/or vomiting (persistent): can be a sign or poisoning, intestinal obstruction, or acute gastrointestinal infection. Dehydration is a major concern, especially in small animals. Contact your veterinarian if you see blood in the stool, the vomiting or diarrhea lasts. longer than 6-12 hours, or your pet becomes very weak and less responsive.. If you have a dog abdominal distention who repeatedly attempts to vomit, but is not producing anything, they may have a life threatening condition called GDV (see above). If you notice your pet repeatedly trying to vomit, DO NOT WAIT! Get them to a veterinarian immediately.
- Dystocia/Difficult labor/Egg Binding
- Eclampsia. Eclampsia is also known as hypocalcemia (low blood calcium level) or milk fever. It is a condition that affects nursing mothers, especially if a litter is large. It is caused by the depletion of calcium in the bloodstream from heavy milk production. In some cases, eclampsia may occur during the later stages of pregnancy. The signs are subtle and include restlessness, panting, increased salivation, and stiffness when moving. These signs can rapidly progress to muscle twitching and spasms, convulsions, pyrexia (high fever), and sudden death. Contact your veterinarian if you are concerned that your dog is developing eclampsia.
- Eye injury. Many eye injuries can cause blindness or a ruptured eye if left untreated. A scratched or punctured cornea is very painful. To prevent further damage, do not allow your dog to rub its head on the carpet or scratch the eye. If a blow to the head causes the eyeball to come out of its socket, keep it moist with saline solution (ie., contact lens rinsing solution that is saline only) and protect it from direct injury. Sudden blindness or vision loss (your dog may start stumbling or bumping into things, or you might notice widely dilated pupils) may be a symptom of glaucoma (increased pressure within the eye). If your dog develops any of these signs, seek immediate veterinary treatment.
- Heatstroke. This can happen at any time in hot or humid weather. It is frequently the result of leaving an animal in a parked car during warm weather. The signs are excessive panting, lethargy, and distress. Unconsciousness and death can quickly follow. If heatstroke occurs, cool your pet as soon as possible by immersing it in a tub of cool water if they are small enough, by hosing them down with a garden hose if they larger, or by applying cold wet towels to their body and legs. Avoid using ice or ice water because this may drop the temperature too quickly and cause additional complications. Animals that have been exposed to heat or smoke from a fire should be offered water as soon as they are stable. Take the animal to a veterinary hospital immediately (keep the car windows open during the trip) to ensure that there are no other problems.
- Hit by car: Although you should make sure your pet has a clear airway, do not put your hand in the mouth of a conscious (awake) dog or cat. Cover open wounds with whatever clean material is available. Move your pet with care, supporting their body as much as possible, using a blanket or makeshift stretcher if at all possible. Immediately take your pet to a veterinary hospital.
- Heart failure. Also called heart attack, cardiac failure, and cardiac insufficiency, heart failure may go undiagnosed until the dog suddenly collapses or faints. As dogs age, they may develop congestive heart failure (CHF) which may affect either the left, the right, or both sides of the heart. Signs of impending heart failure include coughing (especially at night), difficulty breathing, bluish discoloration of the tongue (and other mucous membranes), decreased stamina, and exercise intolerance or inability to exercise for as long as they used to. Exercise or excitement often immediately precedes the collapse. With the increased demand from the excitement, the inefficient heart is unable to pump blood fast enough, causing a severe lack of oxygen to the muscles and brain, which results in sudden collapse. If you observe any of these signs, contact your veterinarian immediately.
- Inappetence or decreased appetite (rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, small birds and pediatric animals): some animals may go off their food for a couple of days and recover quickly with the appropriate care. Others are a lot more sensitive, and if their appetite has decreased at all for even a few hours, can decline very quickly. In hindgut fermenters such as rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas, a decreased appetite is associated with Gastrointestinal Syndrome. This is a complex condition, often involving multiple issues, however, if it is not treated promptly, can be fatal. In small birds and very small or pediatric animals, a lack of nutrition for. even less than a few hours can send their blood glucose levels plummeting down to dangerously low levels.
- Other injuries:. Some injuries are medical emergencies, depending on the type and extent of the wounds. If you suspect that your pet has a broken bone, immobilize the area and use a board or other support during transportation to your veterinarian. Any penetrating wound to the chest or abdomen and virtually any injury involving the eye should be regarded as a medical emergency. Injuries to the head or those causing difficulty breathing should also be treated as urgent emergencies.
- Poisoning: If you suspect or know that your pet has eaten or been exposed to a toxic substance, contact your veterinarian, emergency veterinary clinic, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) immediately. A fee may apply. DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING UNLESS SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED TO DO SO BY YOUR VETERINARIAN.
- Straining to urinate: this may be a sign of urinary blockage. If an animal is unable to eliminate urine, they may develop life threatening complications such as electrolyte imbalances and even bladder rupture.
- Shock: What is shock?Shock has many definitions. It is a complex systemic or whole-body reaction to a number of situations, including acute loss of blood volume such as hemorrhage, heart failure, and other causes of decreased circulation (e.g., severe and sudden allergic reaction and heat stroke). If not treated promptly, systemic shock may cause irreversible injury to the body and it can result in death.
Signs of shock include rapid breathing that may be noisy, rapid heart rate with a weak pulse, pale (possibly even white) mucous membranes (gums, lips, under eyelids), severe depression (listlessness), and cool extremities (limbs and ears). The animal may vomit. - Unconsciousness or collapse. This may occur with or without seizure activity. It often occurs without warning, such as in the case of sudden heart failure or following a blow to the head. Collapse should always be treated as a medical emergency.