Do you know what to do if your pet has an emergency? If it’s during daytime business hours, you would just hurry to your regular vet. But what about after hours? Or the weekend? Being prepared could save your pet’s life in some severe cases.
Talk with Your Vet before an Emergency
The best way to be prepared is to talk to your family vet about emergency care. Your vet can offer you great tips and information about what to do in an emergency.
* Ask about an Emergency Vet that is open 24 hours with immediate walk-in services in County Durham.
* If your vet does not offer emergency services, ask for a recommendation.
* Call and get information from your local emergency care facility before an incident comes up.
* Ask your vet and the emergency clinic what they consider an emergency and if they offer advice over the phone during a crisis.
* Make sure your vet has all records up to date in your pet’s file. If there are changes of information or older records from another pet care, ask them to update your files.
What Records You Need to Keep at Home in Case of Emergency
* Ask the emergency clinic exactly what information they will need you to bring with you in case of a pet emergency.
* The Emergency Vet in County Durham will be able to advise you of other things you should do to be prepared for a pet emergency.
* Even before you have talked to your vet and/or the emergency clinic, you should have vaccination records, a list of any medications your pet takes, and any medical history.
* Program your vet and the emergency clinic’s phone numbers into your phone so you do not have to search for them if there is an emergency.
What are Some Less Obvious Emergencies?
* Your pet is simply not acting normal without any reason.
* Your dog has trouble breathing. It could be caused by several things. Breathing problems are always an emergency.
* Your pet is disoriented, unresponsive, or has coordination issues that are not typical.
* You think your animal has been exposed to a toxic substance. Most people know that chocolate is toxic in dogs, but did you know that grapes can be also? There is also a very high toxicity with a sweetener that is in many gums and snacks, Xylitol. It only takes a very small amount to severely injure a dog.
These tips and suggestions will get you started on preparing for an emergency. We hope that you and your pets will never need this information, but if it saves a beloved pet, it is well worth the time and efforts!