Dealing With Pet Health Emergencies on Holidays

Avoiding Holiday Pet Traumas and Emergencies

A visit to the emergency vet on a holiday eve is no fun for you or your pet, but you can prevent holiday pet emergencies with care and planning.

Avoiding Holiday Pet Traumas and Emergencies

Prevention is the cure for disasters that occur with pets during the holidays. Although challenging with all the hectic happenings, do your best to always keep an eye on your pet, including:

Avoiding Holiday Pet Traumas and Emergencies

– Discourage well-meaning guests from offering pets sweets and other foods that are, at best, causes of stomach upset, and at worst, poisonous. – Take special care when opening doors to the outside.

Avoiding Holiday Pet Traumas and Emergencies

– Consider keeping your pet in a crate or closed off in a room where they can be safely separated from the havoc.

Serious Accidents and Incidents

Call the emergency vet before you leave, or better yet, take someone in the car with you who can call while you drive.  Any of these incidents can result in broken bones, open wounds, or serious internal injuries, all of which need to be treated immediately.

Illness

You notice that your pet isn't his usual, jolly, and enthusiastic self. In fact, he has slithered off into a corner, curled into a ball. Here are some things to check:

Temperature

A dog's average temperature is 101 to 102 degrees, and a cat's is 100.5 to 102. Temperatures higher or lower than this indicate illness or other serious conditions.

Gums

The color of your pet's gums can tell a lot about his condition. Pale, gray, or bluish gums can indicate shock, low blood sugar, or internal bleeding.

Frequent Cough

One of the key signs that a pet is having a heart issue is a cough.

Crying, Moaning, or Excessive Barking

Just like us humans, pets can vocalize when they hurt. This is another sign that something is wrong.

Bloating

A bloated tummy could indicate a gastrointestinal issue or, worse, internal bleeding. This indicates the need for immediate treatment.

Eye Irritation

If your pet whimpers or is constantly scratching at his eye, something is wrong. His eye may also have a clear or milky discharge. Eye issues need to be addressed quickly to prevent blindness.

Vomiting

If your pet vomits a few times in a row, there is blood in it, and he has a fever, this is an emergency, and he needs to be seen by the vet.

Excessive Fatigue

Tiredness after a hike in the woods is normal, but the exhaustion that lasts for two or more days needs intervention by a vet.

Seizure

Seizures are terrifying to see and can range from short to frighteningly long in duration. Seizures require immediate treatment.

What to Do In an Emergency

If you've never used the services of a pet emergency clinic, now is the time to start. Ideally, you will have discovered the nearest emergency clinic and have the number handy.

What to Do In an Emergency

If the injury or illness looks severe, call the clinic, explain the symptoms and head out with your pet.

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