Is my pet's condition an emergency?

Sometimes it is difficult to tell whether what is happening with your pet is an emergency, or if it is safe to wait to be evaluated by a veterinarian at your next earliest convenience. Unless a veterinarian is examining your pet it is almost impossible to know. It is best to be over cautious with your pet's health and see a veterinarian immediately, even if that means a trip to the emergency hospital.

During office hours, if you think your pet is in need of emergency care, please call us immediately and make sure there is a veterinarian avaliable. Sometimes our veterinarians are in surgery and are not immediately available
 
Here are some guidelines to tell if your pet needs immediate care:

      * Respiratory difficulty 

      * Bleeding

      * Unable or straining to urinate - male cats who are crying or straining in the litterbox, or any male dog exhibiting difficulty urinating. 
 
      * Eye problems - Problems can quickly lead to permanent damage and blindness
 
      * Continous Vomiting - Vomiting once is a concern, vomiting more than once is an indicator of needing immediate medical care.

      * Unable to vomit - If your pet is attempting to vomit but cannot do so. 

      * Diarrhea - if is frequent - especially if there are other signs of problems - such as decreased activity, appetite, vomiting, etc.

      * Pain - If your pet is in pain - Don't wait!

      * Seizures - especially if this is the first seizure your pet has ever had, or if it is longer than your pet's average length or number of seizures.
 
      * Non-progressive labor - waiting can result in dead puppies or kitten, C-sections, or even loss of the mother's life

      * Possible poison ingestion - Call the hospital or emergency hospital with the product package in hand!

      * Lethargy

      * When in doubt - Call or seek immediate medial care for your pet!!

Please remember...if it would be uncomfortable for you it is likely uncomfortable for your pet.  They cannot express their discomfort in words and rely solely on their human family to seek care for them as soon as possible.