When to Head to the Veterinary ER
Trips to the vet can be stressful and people often put a great deal of time and effort into finding the right one. But while it's nice to have a reliable family vet that knows all of your pet's history, it's not always possible to see them when you need to. When something unexpected happens how can you tell whether it's time to rush to an emergency clinic or if your pet can wait it out until morning?
The expert advise is of course: if in doubt just don't wait. Animal emergencies can quickly turn from uncomfortable to life threatening and should all be taken seriously. If your pet exhibits any of the symptoms listed below take them to your nearest 24 hour clinic no matter what time of the day or night it may be.
1. Difficulty Breathing: No matter what species your pet belongs to, difficulty breathing is always an emergency. If your animal is struggling to breathe there are a number of serious health conditions they could be suffering from and all of them require immediate medical attention.
2. Abnormal Bodily Functions: In most animals this is a bad sign. For dogs the thing to look out for is hemorrhaging diarrhea or diarrhea that presents alongside other symptoms. For male cats difficult urinating can indicate a serious emergency. In smaller animals like rabbits and guinea pigs abnormal stools is often indicative of potentially life threatening conditions and should be assessed by a veterinarian as quickly as possible.
3. Trauma: If your pet sustains any kind of trauma (e.g. falling from a great height, being hit by a car, fighting with another animal) they should be taken to the vet straight away. Even if an animal presents as fine after such an incident they could be suffering from internal injuries that could worsen rapidly.
4. Seizures: While one seizure alone is unlikely to kill an otherwise healthy animal they often come in episodes, or are indicative of a far more serious condition. Your animal should be seen by a vet immediately to determine the underlying cause.
5. Refusing Food and Water: This comes down to knowing your animal. If your animal regularly refuses or delays eating they are unlikely to be seriously ill. However, sudden changes in appetite are usually a very bad sign in animal care and should be assessed by a veterinarian as soon as you notice symptoms.
6. Paralysis or Extreme Lethargy: Both dogs and cats and even smaller animals can be prone to partial paralysis or extreme lethargy for a number of reasons. Not all of these reasons need to be a death sentence if treatment is sought out promptly. If your animal is unable or unwilling to move they need immediate veterinary care.
7. Exposure to Poisons: Even if you think your animal seems fine or if you think they have ingested a minimal amount of an intoxicant you need to get them to a clinic immediately. Symptoms can progress very rapidly and early intervention is your pet's best chance of survival.
8. Coughing: Coughing is a far more serious symptom in most animals than in humans. Illnesses that cause respiratory distress can progress to life threatening stages overnight and should be treated as serious.
9. Obvious Severe Pain: Nobody is going to fault you for waiting until morning to get your pet's hang nail looked at by the local vet. However, if your pet is obviously in serious distress you can not afford to waste any time before seeking medical attention. Even if the underlying cause is not life threatening your animal relies on you to look out for it's well being and that includes pain management.
When in doubt, it's always safer to contact a 24-hour emergency vet service for more assistance.