PET EMERGENCY & TRIAGE CARE SERVICES

EMERGENCIES OUR ANIMAL HOSPITAL CAN HELP WITH 

At A Couple of Vets, our veterinary clinic will make sure that your pet receives the attention they need to make the most optimal recovery. We understand that time can make all the difference during a pet emergency and can help you determine if emergency medical intervention is required. Contact our veterinary clinic today for more information.

If your pet has recently experienced any of the following, contact us right away:

• Bites - Since the dog's mouth is full of bacteria, any bite that punctures the skin will allow bacteria or other infectious organisms below the skin surface, where the bacteria can multiply and spread throughout the tissues. This being said, all bite wounds are considered to be contaminated and/or infected. Being left untreated can create larger issues and be detrimental to your pet’s health.

• Broken Bones - The goal after your pet breaks a bone is to reduce pain and risk of further accidents, as well as avoiding infection. Once reduced, the position of the bones must be maintained and treated usually with surgery. It is crucial you get to your vet as soon as possible to avoid more damage.

• Seizures - After a dog has a seizure, your veterinarian will begin by taking a thorough history, concentrating on possible exposures to poisonous or hallucinogenic substances or any history of head trauma. The vet will then perform a physical examination and a panel of tests to rule out any other disorders. There are a number of causes for seizures making it important to get your pet to the vet.  

• Trouble Breathing - Labored breathing in dogs and cats is triggered by multiple issues that impact a complex and vital system of the body–the respiratory system. This specialized system keeps your pet moving and cool, as it is essential for many aspects of health. So, when your pet is struggling to catch their breath or is breathing heavily, it should be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible as this can be dangerous to your pet.

• Difficulty Urinating - Urinary retention, or difficulty urinating, happens when your pet is unable to pass urine normally. This can be exceptionally uncomfortable for your animal and is a medical emergency. There are several causes of urinary retention, ranging from obstructions and infections to neurological conditions and cancer, so an early diagnosis can be beneficial to your pet’s health.

• Foaming Mouth - Frothing or foaming at the mouth can be a result of many different factors in a dog’s environment, often ranging in severity. If your dog is experiencing foaming at the mouth that lasts for more than a couple hours, it’s best to contact your vet for further advice. While foaming at the mouth can be a result of activity or short-lived stress, it should always resolve within hours of being back in a normal setting. If your dog’s drooling does not resolve or becomes excessive, it’s time to get your pet to a veterinary clinic.

• Food Rejection - There are a variety of reasons for loss of appetite in dogs, and it's important to determine the cause in order to design the best treatment plan. Because loss of appetite in dogs can indicate illness, it is important to seek veterinary care if you notice changes in your dog’s eating habits. It is especially important to respond promptly to a refusal to eat in dogs that usually eat well.

• Ingestion of Toxin - Regardless of the type of hospital setting, toxicosis cases are unplanned and usually present on a walk-in basis. A veterinary technician should assess the patient as soon as possible even though clinical signs of toxin ingestion can be immediate (minutes to hours) or delayed (days to weeks) so patient status on presentation will vary. Decontamination should take place within 1 to 2 hours of toxin ingestion, and the most common gastric decontamination methods include emesis induction, gastric lavage, activated charcoal administration, and colonic enema. It is crucial you get your pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible to prevent further damage.

ALLOW OUR CERTIFIED TEAM TO HANDLE YOUR NEXT PET EMERGENCY 

A Couple of Vets understands that there’s no telling when disaster will strike. Keeping this in mind, our local veterinary clinic offers a versatile suite of emergency treatments to ensure the well-being of local pets. In these instances, time is of the essence! Thankfully, our qualified team members will help to determine if emergency medical intervention is required. From there, we’ll be able to administer the necessary care to help ease the suffering of your pet and get them on their feet again.

If your animal has sustained any of the following injuries or is exhibiting any of these symptoms, don’t waste another moment. Reach out to the team at A Couple of Vets as soon as possible! We’ll help to navigate your next pet emergency.