If your dog or cat shows any of these signs or symptoms, it’s vital to seek immediate medical attention
Here are some warning signs and possible symptoms of a pet emergency:
- Choking or difficulty breathing
- Loss of motor control or coordination
- Paralysis, unable to stand or use limbs
- Pale or white gums
- Seizures
- Loss of consciousness
- Bone fracture
- Burns
- Bite from another animal, particularly if it punctures the skin
- A wound or cut particularly if it won’t stop bleeding
- Trauma from a motor vehicle accident
- Medication, poison, or chemical ingestion
- Repeated pacing back and forth
- Refusal to eat for more than two days
- Excessive drooling, non-productive retching
- Swollen, distended, or firm abdomen
- Pregnancy or labor complications
- Excessive vomiting or diarrhea
- Heat stroke or hypothermia
- Inability to urinate or defecate
- Electrocution
- Eye Injury
What happens during a visit to the pet ER?
Please call and let us know you’ve arrived. A specially trained, licensed veterinary technician will assess your pet’s condition and ask for a brief summary of your pet’s illness or injury. Your pet will then be taken to the treatment area where an emergency doctor will make a quick assessment.
If the doctor feels that your pet is stable, your pet will be returned to the reception area to wait with you. Our client care representative will gather pertinent information to begin a record of your visit.
A technician will then take you to an exam room for a complete history. After the emergency doctor has discussed the medical history with the technician, they will come to your room to discuss your pet’s illness or injury. Any treatment needed will be discussed with you during this portion of the visit.
If your pet requires urgent care, the client care representative may ask you to authorize an emergency stabilization form allowing us to start treating your pet immediately. A veterinarian will then come to reception to speak with you as soon as possible after tests and/or initial care have been started.
All of our patients are evaluated by triage. This process helps us determine which patients should be treated first. Patients with critical or life-threatening conditions are given top priority.
How long does it take to be seen by a veterinarian?
We work hard to provide prompt care, but non-critical patients may experience a wait.
Your wait time would depend on several factors:
- The nature of your pet’s condition
- How busy the hospital is when you arrive
- The number of pets requiring immediate treatment for serious conditions
- The time it takes to receive test results or further treatment
What do I need to know after the visit?
Your care team will discuss your pet’s discharge plan with you. Specific instructions for follow-up care will be provided in writing along with any needed prescriptions and/or medications. Your family veterinarian will receive a copy of your pet’s medical record. Your bill will be given to you at the time of discharge.
Before you leave make sure you have:
- Written discharge instructions
- Prescriptions and/or medications if needed
- All your questions were answered!
