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The following is a list of potential emergencies and suggestions for pet parents before arriving at the hospital.
1. Open wounds, gun shot wounds, deep lacerations, profuse bleeding: apply pressure to the wound with a towel or cloth to slow down the bleeding and transport the patient immediately
2. Open fractures involving the skin, muscles, tendons, etc.: try to immobilize the patient to reduce further damage to the fracture, apply pressure to any severe bleeding. Carefully move the patient and transport as soon as possible
3. Any respiratory distress: causes may be trauma, heart disease, shock, severe allergic reactions, and air way obstruction. Keep the patient as quiet as possible, avoid any stress, and transport immediately.
4. Hit by car or other impact injuries: most animals will be in shock with possible fractures, abrasions, head trauma, etc. Any hit by car should be seen immediately . These animals are usually very scared and painful and may bite, even their owners. Advise the client to be very cautious when approaching the patient. They may want to place a blanket or towel over the patients head to prevent being bitten. Carefully move the patient and transport immediately.
5. Poisons: snail bait, rat poisons, mushrooms, anti-freeze, chocolate, etc. Advise the owner do not try to induce vomiting. The patient should be transported to the hospital immediately for treatment. The following symptoms may occur due to poisoning: ataxia, drooling, trembling, abdominal pain, cringing, rapid shallow breathing, vomiting, convulsions, depression, coma-the final outcome, if left untreated, can be death.
6. Snake bites or insect bites: snake bites will swell rapidly, and potentially can be fatal. If bitten in the face, the swelling can block the air ways and is a serious emergency. These patients should be seen as soon as possible. Insect bites can cause the same symptoms of swelling, pain and possible hives. The patient may be uncomfortable. They should be seen as soon as possible.
7. A male cat that has symptoms of straining in the litter box and licking at the prepuce is potentially a blocked cat. Symptoms in later stages of the disease are listlessness and anorexia with possible vomiting. This is a life threatening condition. The cat should be seen as soon as possible.
8. Any chronic vomiting and diarrhea. These animals can become dehydrated very quickly and should be seen as soon as possible.
9. Seizures: frequent seizures, cluster seizures (one right after another) or seizures of a long duration (5 minutes is a very long seizure). These patients are unaware of their environment and can bite. Again, placing a blanket or towel over the head will help prevent the client from being bitten. Bring the patient in immediately.
10. Any sudden abdominal swelling or bloating: the patient may appear extremely uncomfortable, may try to vomit, may be rolling around on the ground, and there may be respiratory difficulties. This patient should be seen immediately. This is more common in large dogs, and can be fatal.
11. Any paralysis, especially acute onset. Time is critical in these patients to avoid permanent damage to the spinal cord. Transport the patient immediately. If the paralysis is trauma induced, immobilize the patient by gently tying the patient to a board or stretcher.
12. Dystocia (difficult birth): any patient that has been in full labor for 30 minutes without producing any babies, is a probably in trouble and needs to be seen as soon as possible. The symptoms would include a lot of straining and pushing without any results. Also, any baby that is stuck in the birth canal is an emergency and should be seen as soon as possible.
13. Ocular (eye) injuries: acute pain, any deformity of the globe, acute loss of vision, or sudden change in the appearance of the eye. Foreign objects in the eye are also critical because they can cause ulcers or ruptures of the globe.
14. Foreign bodies, such as swallowed fish hooks or other sharp objects, any foreign object in the eyes, etc. should be seen immediately. The patient may be in pain and may try to bite. Most foreign objects need to be removed under brief tranquilization or anesthesia.
15. Any severe, acute onset of limping should be seen as soon as possible. Again the patient will be in pain and may try to bite.
16. Any sudden collapse or acute change in behavior is serious and the patient should be transported to the hospital immediately. Advise caution in handling the animal.
17. Coma or loss of consciousness: transport the patient immediately.
18. Heat stroke can also be deadly in any patient. We usually see heat stroke more in the summer. These are generally patients that have been left in a car or taken for a walk on a hot day. Symptoms include excessive panting / respiratory distress, collapse, bright red / injected mucous membranes and coma. The body temperature is usually extremely high. The patient needs to be cooled down immediately with cold water and transported as soon as possible.
REMEMBER: anything out of the ordinary can potentially be dangerous to your pet.
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