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Puppy Emergency
Puppy 911: Recognizing symptoms of emergency
For many of us, when our dogs are ill, it is often quite difficult to know
whether or not their condition warrants a trip to the emergency room.
In an emergency, the first thing you should know is where to take your dog. Many
veterinarians offer 24 hour emergency service. Please make sure to ask your vet
if this is a service offered by their practice. If your vet does not offer this
service, know where your local veterinary emergency hospital is located.
So how do you know if you are experiencing an emergency? Most veterinarians will
tell you that if you feel the situation is urgent to please call the closest
emergency clinic and speak to a veterinary staff member. They will assess the
situation and in most cases, have you bring your dog in to be examined. The
following are some common emergency situations and ideas for how to handle them.
Acute Abdominal Pain If your dog is showing signs of abdominal pain such as
tenderness to the touch, standing with his back arched, or refusing food, you
should take him to the closest emergency clinic immediately. Other signs of
abdominal distress can include vomiting, crying, shaking and difficulty
breathing. These may be signs of Gastric Torsion. This condition can come on
suddenly and in most cases affects large, deep chested dogs but any dog can be
affected. This condition must be treated as soon as possible. There are other
conditions associated with abdominal pain such as constipation, kidney or liver
disease, or even a common stomach ache, but it is important to have tests done
to rule out anything serious.
Uncontrollable Bleeding or Bleeding from the Chest. If your dog gets a cut, you
should apply direct pressure with a clean dry bandage to the wound. The bleeding
should stop within ten minutes, after which time, you should make an appointment
to see your vet as soon as possible. The vet can only give your dog stitches
within a small window of time. However, if the bleeding does not stop within
twenty minutes or the bleeding is from the chest, you should take your dog to
the emergency clinic immediately.
Broken Bones. If your dog has been in an accident where you suspect broken
bones, first call your regular vet to see if you can get an appointment soon. If
not, take your dog to the emergency clinic. They will need to take x-rays to
determine whether or not bones have been broken.
Breathing Difficulties. If your dog is having breathing difficulties, take them
to the closest emergency hospital immediately. There are many reasons why your
dog could be having breathing problems and many of them are serious.
Car Accidents If your dog is hit by a car, it is important to take him to the
closest emergency clinic immediately. Even if he is acting normal, he may have
internal injuries that need to be taken care of quickly. Wrap your dog in a
blanket to help prevent shock, and keep away from his mouth as many dogs that
are in pain will bite (even if they never have before).
Continuous Convulsions. If your dog has a minor seizure or two, it is a serious
problem and you should call your veterinarian at once. However, if your dog has
a series of convulsions that last for more than a few minutes, you should place
a blanket over your dog, keep away from his mouth and get him to the nearest
emergency clinic immediately. There are several reasons why your dog could be
having convulsions including epilepsy, metabolic problems, brain tumors, and
poisoning and fits of seizures are considered to be life threatening in many
cases.
In any serious situation, if you feel that your dog should be seen by a
veterinarian, call his office to see how soon you can get in. Many veterinarians
have technicians available to assess situations and answer questions to help you
determine the seriousness of your dog's condition. If your regular veterinarian
is not available or if you feel that it is an emergency, the best thing to do,
if at all possible, is to call the emergency clinic and tell them what is going
on and that you are on the way. This helps the staff prepare for your situation
in advance so the veterinary team is ready to work on your dog when you get
there. If you have further questions on what kinds of conditions are emergency
situations, please ask your veterinarian.
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Click here to read the rest of this article ...
Puppy 911: Recognizing symptoms of emergency
For many of us, when our dogs are ill, it is often quite difficult to know
whether or not their condition warrants a trip to the emergency room.
In an emergency, the first thing you should know is where to take your dog. Many
veterinarians offer 24 hour emergency service. Please make sure to ask your vet
if this is a service offered by their
Click here to read the rest of this article ... |
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