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If Your Pet Suffers From One of These Emergencies, Please Call Us Immediately:
Dog Specific Emergencies
- Trauma
This can be anything physical such as getting hit by a car, falling, fighting with another animal etc. These traumas can lead to many issues including (but not limited to) fractures, head injuries, bleeding, breathing difficulties and shock. Note: your dog may appear to be fine immediately after the injury because some symptoms may not appear for several hours. Please do not delay in bringing your dog in as the injuries could be life threatening.
- Ingestion of Foreign Objects and/or Toxins
Dogs like to eat everything but a lot of those things can cause severe issues. This list includes household medications/cleaning products, rat/ant/bug poisons, plants, antifreeze, orhuman foods that can be toxic (chocolates, grapes/raisins, sugar-free gum or peanut butteretc). We have also personally seen dogs that have eaten ear plugs, peach pits, stones covered in BBQ grease, human toys, dog toys, and other items that can potentially get stuck in their digestive tracks. If your pet eats something they shouldn’t, please bring them in immediately so we can assess them. Symptoms could include vomiting, fever, shock and lack of appetite.
- Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (GDV) – also known as bloat
More commonly seen in large breed dogs but can be seen in any breed. This is a life-threatening condition that occurs when your pet’s stomach is filled with excess gas, food or fluid that causes their stomach to expand and potentially twist. Signs to monitor for are restlessness, vomiting/retching, nausea, bloated abdomen, excessive drooling and lethargy. This condition is fatal if not addressed ASAP.
Cat Specific Emergencies
- Trauma
This can be anything physical such as getting hit by a car, falling, fighting with another animal etc. These traumas can lead to many issues including (but not limited to) fractures, head injuries, bleeding, breathing difficulties and shock. Also, if you have an outdoor cat, a fight with another cat can lead to dangerous cat bites which usually become infected and/or abscessed.
Note: your cat may appear to be fine immediately after the injury because some symptoms may not appear for several hours. Please do not delay in bringing your cat in as the injuries could be life threatening.
- Ingestion of Foreign Objects and/or Toxins
There are numerous things that cats can eat which can be very dangerous for them, this includes household medications, cleaning products, plants (Lily is a particularly toxic plant for cats), antifreeze, rat/ant/bug poisons, human foods that can be toxic (chocolate, onions, garlic etc.), or things that can get stuck in their digestive tract.
Cats are known to ingest string-like objects which can cause a “linear foreign body”, this is when that long object starts winding its way through the cat’s digestive tract and is a very dangerous potentially life-threatening condition. We have alsoseen cats eat sewing string with the needle still attached!
If your cat eats something they shouldn’t, please bring them in immediately so we can assess the damage. Symptoms can include vomiting, fever, shock and lack of appetite.
- Difficulty Peeing
Male cats have a very narrow urethra which can get blocked easily, whether due to inflammation/infection or crystals/stones in their urine. If they cannot pee their bladder overfills and may burst, they can go into acute kidney failure, and they often die. If you notice your cat going back and forth to the litter box, straining but not producing any urine, vocalizing or yowling in the litter box or any abnormal litterbox behaviour; please bring them in immediately.
All Other General Emergencies
- Neurological Issues
Symptoms can include seizures, fainting/collapse, disorientation, sudden bumping into objects, abnormal tilt of their head to one side, circling or having trouble walking straight, pupils have two differing sizes and/or heat stroke. If you see your pet exhibiting any of these symptoms, bring them in to get checked right away. We can administer emergency medication to stop the pet from seizuring. We can also examine the pet to determine what might be causing the symptoms and can start emergency cooling procedures for heat stroke if required.
- Vomiting or Diarrhea
If your pet suffers from vomiting or diarrhea for more than 24 hours or if you see blood in their vomit, bring them to the clinic immediately. Pets can quickly become dehydrated when they are repeatedly losing fluid through vomiting and diarrhea and can go downhill quickly. We can investigate potential causes and supplement fluids if needed and start treatment.
- Trouble Breathing
Difficulty breathing can be caused by a number of issues including an anaphylactic reaction (i.e. bug bite), collapsing trachea, choking or something caught in the throat. Any pet that is having difficulty breathing needs to be seen immediately.