| You know your dog. You know when your dog is | | | | *Disorientation, having a bewildered look, |
| just not feeling well. But when is it | | | | your dog doesn't recognize you. |
| necessary to get them to an Animal Emergency | | | | |
| Hospital? First, stay calm and focus. If you | | | | *Pupils are dilated. |
| panic, so will your dog. Be gentle, loving, | | | | |
| and compassionate. Your dog knows you'll do | | | | *Exposure to poison: fertilizer, herbicide, |
| your very best to care for them. | | | | certain plants |
| | | | |
| The following is a list of symptoms and/or | | | | *Ingestion or exposure to common household |
| situations that require an Animal Emergency | | | | cleaning supplies like cleanser, pine |
| Hospital room & Veterinary care pronto! | | | | cleaner, borax, window cleaner, and bleach. |
| | | | (bring the suspected poison container or |
| *Difficulty breathing, noisy respiration, | | | | plant to the E.R.) |
| gasping for air or shallow breathing. | | | | |
| | | | *Puncture wounds from a dog fight or running |
| *Blue tongue. | | | | into a sharp object. (these wounds can go |
| | | | deeper than you think & injure internal |
| *Bleeding from anywhere that doesn't stop. | | | | organs. They also become infected easier than |
| (get a clean, lint free cloth; apply some | | | | a scrape. |
| pressure and go to the E.R.) | | | | |
| | | | *Prolonged vomiting or diarrhea--especially |
| *Hypersensitive or a bloated belly. | | | | if there's any blood. |
| | | | |
| *Your dog tries to go pee or poop and can't | | | | *Refusal to eat or drink for more than 1 day. |
| or they're in obvious pain when they go. | | | | |
| | | | *Limping; can't put weight on a leg. |
| *Uncontrolled urinating or pooping in an | | | | |
| otherwise potty trained dog. | | | | *Green goopy stuff/crustiness in or around |
| | | | their eyes. |
| *Bloody pee or poop. | | | | |
| | | | *Swelling or redness around the eyes or snout |
| *Heatstroke. | | | | (dogs sometimes eat a bee, hornet or wasp and |
| | | | must be seen immediately). |
| *Heavy panting that doesn't stop. | | | | |
| | | | *Redness or hotness of ears: Especially if |
| *They're obviously weak; your dog can't get | | | | they're scratching or have constant head |
| up or falls down when they get up. | | | | shaking (ear infections, mites and fox tails |
| | | | happen fast). |
| *Fever--104 degrees Fahrenheit is a canine | | | | |
| fever. | | | | *Any chronic, severe itching or patchy red |
| | | | spots on the skin--self mutilation is soon to |
| *Difficulty in labor or delivery of puppies. | | | | follow & can cause more infection. |
| | | | |
| *Contractions lasting more than an hour. | | | | *Your dog is acting really weird. |
| | | | |
| *Labor pain lasting longer than 15 minutes. | | | | If you're unsure of what's going on with your |
| | | | dog and if it's an emergency, call your |
| *A puppy fetus or its membrane is showing. | | | | Veterinarian (many Veterinarian's handle all |
| | | | their own emergencies) or call the nearest |
| *Any seizure, tremors, coma, staggering, | | | | Animal Emergency Center/Hospital. |
| convulsions or sudden blindness (running into | | | | |
| things). | | | | Often times, at an Animal Emergency Hospital, |
| | | | you can speak with a highly trained |
| *Head tilting or snapping at imaginary | | | | veterinary technician, triage intake worker |
| objects. | | | | or the Veterinarian. These incredibly |
| | | | dedicated people will help you assess whether |
| *Sudden & severe behavior changes--withdrawal | | | | your dog needs to be seen immediately, |
| depression/aggression. | | | | sometime today, or if it can wait until |
| | | | tomorrow. |
| *Chronic crying/whimpering or obvious pain. | | | | |
| | | | If you have any doubts, call a Veterinarian. |
| *Any major trauma: vehicle accident, fall, | | | | Whatever you do, remember you're caring for a |
| porcupine encounter, gun shot wound, broken | | | | family member who doesn't understand what's |
| bone, venomous/poisonous snake bite. | | | | going on. Your dog is scared and confused. Be |
| | | | calm. Be brave and do the very best for your |
| *Rapid heartbeat. | | | | cuddly canine. The rewards are endless. |
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