When To Call The Veterinarian

This document was produced by the Pima Alliance for Animal Welfare, an initiative of the Community Foundation For Southern Arizona.  (October, 2016)

All pets should be seen by a veterinarian on an annual basis to make sure that their vaccines are up to date, and that they are receiving the appropriate preventive care.  Keep the phone number of your regular veterinarian within easy reach, because even though their office might not be open when you need to make the call, the recording will likely give you the name and number of an emergency clinic.

The best way to be prepared to recognize and respond to an emergency is to know how your pet usually looks and acts, and to be aware of what situations constitute an emergency.

The following situations should be considered emergencies:

  • Examples include an animal hit by a car, or an animal having fallen from a significant height.
  • Difficulty breathing, and/or mucous membranes (gums, eyes, ears, etc.) that are very light (nearly white) or very dark red in color.
  • Seizures, particularly first seizures, and seizures lasting more than two minutes or seizures recurring repeatedly (one after the other).
  • Cuts and gashes that penetrate the full layers of skin.
  • Excessive bleeding such as spurting blood, bleeding that is prolonged or that you cannot stop by applying direct pressure.  Snake bites.
  • Poisoning  Shock
  • Heat stroke (hyperthermia) – excessive panting, increased heart rate, salivation, collapse, redder than normal mucous membranes.
  • Low temperature (hypothermia) – weak pulse, dilated pupils, shivering, pale or blue mucous membranes.
  • Open wounds with visible bone or severe tissue damage.
  • Problems giving birth.
  • Profuse diarrhea or vomiting.
  • Straining to urinate or defecate.
  • Painful, enlarged abdomen.
  • Refusing to eat or drink for more than one day.
  • Whining, crying, continuous meowing in cats, or otherwise verbalizing as if in distress or pain for an extended period of time.

 

Note: This list is intended to be a guide only, and not a comprehensive list.  You know your pet better than anyone.  Use your best judgment when you see that your pet is acting differently than normal, and call your veterinarian.

This document was produced by the Pima Alliance for Animal Welfare, an initiative of the Community Foundation For Southern Arizona.   (October, 2016)