Like humans, pets suffer from conditions requiring immediate attention, which can occur anytime – day or night, and on holidays. In some cases, this can be difficult to know, especially if it’s your first time owning a pet. While some signs such as bleeding or collapse alarm owners to take their pets to an emergency animal hospital right away, some life-threatening conditions don’t show such manifestations.
It would be almost impossible to name all conditions and signs because the list would be extensive. However, below is a list of the most common signs your pets need to see a veterinarian immediately. Also, keep in mind that even if they don’t show these signs if your pets behave strangely, it’s always best to contact the experts like fallsroad.com because they know better. Visit their website for more of their services, such as grooming.
Signs of a Pet Emergency
- Vomiting or diarrhea with blood
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Obvious pain
- Loss of balance
- Inability to walk
- Dilated pupils
- Bloated, swollen, or painful abdomen
- Seizures
- Inflammation or injury to the eye
- Unconsciousness
- Pregnant females unable to deliver
- Sudden staggering or stumbling and blindness
- Difficulty breathing and extreme choking or coughing
- Inability to defecate or urinate
- Ingestion of poisonous foods, plants, substances, or bones
- Severe injury (car accidents, falls, broken bones, open wounds)
Basic First Aid for Pets
Though first aid is not intended to replace vet care, there are times when you need to stabilize your pets while on your way to an emergency vet or animal hospital. Also, these are useful during some emergencies like road accidents or poisoning. That is why as a pet owner, you must keep a First Aid kit in your home or car to help you manage critical situations like these.
Your kit should contain:
- Gloves and tweezers
- Gauze pads and bandages
- Medical tape
- Swabs
- Scissors
- Alcohol wipes
- Saline eye solution
- Ice pack
- Styptic powder, which is good for nail breaks
- Washcloths/towels
1. Seizures
Remove all objects that can hurt your pets. Avoid touching or restraining them because these can prolong seizures, and don’t put anything in their mouth. When the seizure is over, they could be disoriented for a while up to 2 hours and very thirsty, so ensure to prepare drinking water. If possible, take note of the time the seizure started and lasted to help the vet in their diagnosis. Essentially, call the vet.
2. Bleeding
No matter what the cause is, the goal of first aid is to control blood loss. While you can’t do much about internal bleeding, controlling external bleeding helps a lot while on your way to the vet. First, muzzle your pet. Put a clean gauze pad over the injury while applying pressure with your hand until blood clotting begins, usually after several minutes. In case of leg bleeding, it requires a gauze tourniquet and an elastic band to secure it. Bring your pet to the veterinarian immediately.
3. Fractures
Like bleeding, you need to muzzle your pet first. Lay them on a flat surface that can also serve as a stretcher for transporting to an animal hospital or clinic. Secure your pet to the stretcher, avoiding the injured part. Don’t try to splint the limb and move it as little as possible. Transport them as quickly and comfortably as possible.
4. Choking
In case of choking, be cautious because your pet may bite out of panic. Look for an object in their mouth and try removing it as carefully as possible to avoid pushing it further into the throat. If you think it’s difficult to do this, don’t waste time figuring out how. Instead, bring your pet to the vet immediately.
