Knowing When To Take Your Dog To The Animal Hospital For Emergency Care
Just as parents often struggle to decide when to take their child to the emergency room for medical attention and when it is safe to wait to schedule an appointment with their regular doctor the following day, dog owners often struggle to decide when it is time to rush their pet to an emergency animal hospital rather than waiting to see their regular veterinarian. While it is always best to consult a qualified vet if you are worried about your dog's health, the guidelines below can help you to know if seeking emergency care is a must based on your pet's current symptoms.
Lethargic
If your dog is behaving in a lethargic manner or collapses when trying to get up, this is a sign that something is very wrong. If your pet is experiencing this symptom, it is important to seek immediate medical care at a local animal hospital as this can be a symptom of several potentially fatal illnesses such as parvo, poisoning, or severe infection.
Coughing or Vomiting Blood
If your pet is coughing up or vomiting blood or a foamy pink substance, this could point to internal bleeding. It is important to treat this symptom on an emergency basis in order to determine the source of the blood, the volume of blood being lost, and what treatment is required in order to stop this blood loss from reaching potentially fatal levels.
Labored Breathing
There are several signs that you should look for in order to determine if your dog is truly struggling to breathe or is simply out of breath from being active. If your dog's breathing is noisy, if they are stretching out their head and neck while breathing, or if their abdomen is rising and falling excessively while breathing, these are signs that your dog is truly struggling to breathe and is need of an immediate trip to the local animal hospital for emergency care.
Discolored Gums
Your dog's gums can be a good indication of serious illness. If their gums have become pale, or taken on a yellow or blue tint, this can indicate a variety of serious medical conditions that will require emergency medical care. If you are not able to get your dog in to see their regular veterinarian on an emergency basis, you will want to take them to a local animal hospital for the care they require.
Just as a parent is the expert when it comes to their child, you are the expert when it comes to your dog. You know their behaviors and body function better than anyone else. If you are worried that your pet is very ill, it is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the need for emergency care.
For more information, contact a local animal hospital.