Here at Mountain Aire Veterinary Hospital, we are committed to doing all we can to keep our patients safe and healthy. That is one reason that we offer urgent care. While we truly hope that you will never be faced with an emergency, we are here in case something were to happen. Read on as a local Pine Mountain Club vet offers advice on taking your pet to urgent care.
Can I Wait Until Morning To Take My Dog To The Vet?
Some things can wait until you can get in to see your regular veterinarian. That list would usually include things like torn nails, diarrhea, vomiting, and itching, to name a few. However, that isn’t a hard and fast rule. Ongoing and/or forceful diarrhea and vomiting may warrant emergency care. Always err on the side of caution. If you aren’t sure, contact the clinic or ER and ask.
What Are The Top Reasons For Pets To Go To The ER?
Pets sometimes seem to think of themselves as invincible, but they are actually very vulnerable, and can get hurt in the blink of an eye. When it comes to regular veterinary care appointments, dogs were most often brought in because of skin allergies. For kitties, gastrointestinal issues and UTIs were the top reasons.
The numbers for urgent care look different. According to the ASPCA, the top reasons for dogs to visit urgent care were because they had ingested a foreign object, been hit by a car, or gotten injured by another animal. Cats often come in due to respiratory problems.
Poisoning is another big reason for urgent care. This isn’t new, but there are things changing. Recreational drugs made the list of top ten poisons for the first time ever in 2022.
Here are some of the most common poisons:
- Recreational drugs
- Over-the-counter medications
- Food
- Human prescription medications
- Chocolate
- Plants
- Household toxins
- Veterinary products
- Rodenticides
- Insecticides
- Gardening products
Keep anything that could potentially be toxic in secure locations, well out of reach of pets’ cute paws.
What Are The Signs That My Pet Needs To Visit The Animal Emergency Clinic?
If you see an obvious injury, such as a wound or an obvious limp, there’s clearly no need to wonder if a trip to the urgent care veterinarian is needed: just go. Some signs aren’t quite as blatant, though. Fido and Fluffy can’t tell you how they are feeling, but they will give off some clues if something isn’t right.
Here are some of the signs that your furry friend needs immediate care:
Lack Of Appetite: Our four-legged companions are all very different, but one thing that all of them have in common is a healthy appetite. If your dog or cat just isn’t interested in food, it’s safe to say that something is wrong.
Restlessness: Restlessness shouldn’t be mistaken for zoominess. It may be perfectly normal for your pet to be full of energy and raring to play. In fact, that is often a good sign. What should concern you would be seeing your pet acting as though they can’t settle down. Fido may keep getting up and down. He may pace and/or change position constantly. Fluffy may also pace, though this isn’t as common with cats.
Respiratory Distress: Fido may very well pant a bit after he’s been running after tennis balls for a while, but he shouldn’t be out of breath just hanging out in his bed. If your pooch seems to be wheezing, gasping, panting, or generally just having respiratory issues, there may be something serious going on. As for cats, panting is never normal for them. It is a sign that your kitty is either dangerously hot or having trouble breathing.
Staggering: Staggering, stumbling, and lurching are all huge red flags that something is seriously wrong.
Vomiting/Diarrhea: Pets occasionally get upset stomachs, just like people do. If you’ve just changed your pet’s food, or if you know that Fido scarfed a greasy piece of pizza out of the trash, then you probably won’t need to wonder why his furry belly is upset. However, while the occasional upset stomach is fairly normal, unexplained or ongoing issues are anything but.
Unusual Vocalization: Just like people, dogs and cats all have their own unique vocal patterns. Some are quite verbiose, while others will only speak when they have something urgent to communicate. (Your pet may consider an empty food bowl of utmost importance, but that’s another topic.) If your four-legged pal seems to be barking or meowing more, less, or even just differently than usual, there may be something going on. Whining, whimpering, and yowling can also be indications that something is off.
Lethargy: While some of our patients are definitely couch potatoes, even the laziest pet should perk up for meals, playtimes, and to greet their favorite humans. If your furry bestie just doesn’t seem to have any energy at all, something may be wrong.
Withdrawal: Most of our furry pals are quite sociable, and love to spend time with their humans. If Fido or Fluffy isn’t feeling well, they may withdraw and retreat to a quiet area.
Lack Of Interest In Play: Pets that don’t feel well often don’t have much energy, and tend to not be very interested in playing. Fido may not even want to go for a walk.
Here are some of the other things to look for:
- Fever
- Elevated Pulse
- Discolored Gums
- Grumpiness
- Increased Thirst
- Bloating
- Trembling
- Swelling
- Lumps, Bumps, Or Lesions
- Unusual Discharge
- Dark Or Bloody Urine
- Constipation
- Litterbox Issues (Cats)
- Poor Grooming (Cats)
If you see any of these, or any other indications that something is amiss, contact your Pine Mountain Club animal urgent care center right away.
Taking Your Pet To Veterinary Emergency Clinic
If something does happen, and you do need to take your pet to the urgent care vet, you’ll need to move quickly. Being organized can help a lot with this.
We always recommend that pets travel in crates. This may not be possible in an emergency, but you do need to keep your pet securely in place.
You may need to perform some first aid yourself before your pet can travel. This is one reason we always recommend getting a pet first aid kit. You can get ones made just for animals, but you can also pick up one that was meant for humans, and then add some pet-specific items. Some of the things you would want to add include towels, gauze, non-stick bandages, hydrogen peroxide, styptic powder, milk of magnesia, activated charcoal, tweezers, a magnifying glass, scissors, an eye dropper, a turkey baster, round-end scissors, gloves, alcohol wipes, and saline solution, a muzzle, and a spare leash.
Of course, even the best first-aid kit can be useless if you don’t know how to use it. We would recommend that you download or print out a few pet first aid brochures. Apps can be very helpful for this as well. The Red Cross has a great one.
In addition to that, we would suggest adding a few things to your contact list. Put in the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the nearest pet urgent care centers. You’d also want to add a few pet poison hotlines. The Pet Poison Helpline is 855-764-7661. (Charges may apply.)
Make An Appointment At Our Pine Mountain Club Pet Emergency Clinic
Do you need to bring your furry companion in? Please do not hesitate to contact us. As your local Pine Mountain Club pet clinic, we are here to help.
