Common Pet Emergencies and How to Respond

Witnessing your pet suffering can be frightening, especially if you do not know if the situation is an emergency or not. Below, we have outlined a few pet emergencies and how to respond to them.

Car Accident

If a car hits your pet, they often go into shock, which represents an emergency. The trauma is enough to prompt this reaction, regardless of the severity of the injuries. In some cases it can cause them to react aggressively because of panic or pain.

Use caution while collecting your pet for transportation to the emergency clinic. Covering your pet with a blanket can help calm them down while calling your emergency veterinarian.

Straining to Urinate

If your pet has difficulty urinating, it can be more than just a sign of a urinary tract infection. Pets can strain to urinate if they have stones or crystals in their bladder. They may also experience this problem if they have more worrisome illnesses like cancer or blood clots. The straining to urinate can become a life-threatening emergency. As such, you should call your emergency veterinarian immediately.

Choking and Coughing

Coughing can be a common symptom of a variety of conditions. Bacterial infection, bronchitis, allergies, viruses, or heart disease are all possible causes. Choking is also a serious issue, even if it clears up within seconds. Fluid buildup or insufficient oxygenation within the lungs can be a severe consequence of choking. If you’re concerned about your pet coughing or recovering after choking, you should call your veterinarian.

Diarrhea or Vomiting

These are among the most common urgent care symptoms your pet can experience. These can be a result of ingesting something that doesn’t agree with them, an ingested toxin, many other gastrointestinal diseases, or secondary to other diseases within the body. With multiple episodes of vomiting or diarrhea, contact your local emergency veterinarian to determine whether or not your pet needs to be seen.

Difficulty Breathing

Many factors and conditions can cause breathing difficulties in your pets. Some of these may include:

• Allergic reactions or inhaled irritants
• Heart disease
• Asthma or brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome
• Aspiration or other pneumonias
• Foreign objects stuck in their airways
• Pain

If your pet has trouble breathing, try keeping them calm while you consult with your veterinarian.

For more information on common pet emergencies and how to respond, call Airport Freeway Animal Emergency Hospital in Euless, Texas at (817) 571-2088 with any questions.