06 Apr Signs Your Pet Needs Urgent Care
Our animals are like family members. We usually have a routine around them, things scheduled, and behaviors we have come to expect. When our little furry friends are acting differently and displaying unusual behaviors, it definitely can throw up a red flag. Sometimes they are just a little under the weather, sometimes they ate something that their tummies didn’t agree with, and then other times the problem is more complex. That is where urgent care steps in. In this blog post we outline signs you may see in your pet that will help you determine if they need to go to urgent care.
What Is Animal Urgent Care?
Animal urgent care or veterinarian urgent care is a facility that owners can take their pets to when their animal is experiencing non-life threatening but urgent medical issues. Even with that definition, it can still be hard to decipher what is manageable with a checkup, what is urgent, and what is life threatening to the animal. That is why it is good to stay informed and this blog post is here to help you do just that!
A Few Things You Want to Look for
The first thing to keep in mind when you are deciding where to take your animal is the time of day it is. Many times our fur babies begin to present symptoms in the evening or on a weekend. It can be very frustrating to feel like you have no options and you have to wait to give your animal the care that he or she needs. Animal Urgent Care’s are often open nights and weekends. This can be a deciding factor for many on where they are going to go to get their animal treated. If you feel like your cat or dog’s symptoms are going to get significantly worse or they can’t wait until “normal business hours”, contact your local animal urgent care and they may be able to help!
It is always good to have a family veterinarian for your animals. They can help with preventative care, check ups, prescribing medication, etc. However, when your animal’s symptoms go beyond that, it may be time to see your local animal urgent care.
Vomiting & Diarrhea
Vomiting & or Diarrhea may not seem alarming at first. Sometimes animals have upset stomachs because of something they ingested, or they got too excited. However, if you notice they are vomiting or having diarrhea at a consistent rate, it is time to take them to urgent care. When they begin to lose too much fluid, dehydration becomes a concern. Not to mention this could be an indicator of something a little more serious than an upset stomach.
Allergy Symptoms/ Allergic reactions
Allergy season can be so hard for our animals. Many times veterinarians will prescribe a regiment to help animals cope during this crazy time of the year. However, sometimes these allergies can be brought on suddenly or produce symptoms such as excessive itching, especially around the paws. In addition, many times ear infections are an indication of allergies in animals.
Sometimes animals can present allergic reactions quickly such as hives or face swelling. This is beyond seasonal allergies and typically alerts us that they have come in contact with something they are severely allergic to. If you begin to see these symptoms, go to your local animal urgent care right away.
Limping
If your dog or cat is limping it is best to get them seen quickly. This could be a sign that they have sprained or broken something. Early treatment can help the injury stay localized and not become worse.
Wounds
Dogs and cats get hurt just like people. They can fall or hit something sharp. If your animal has a wound or cut that is bleeding significantly, it is important to get them taken care of right away. It is imperative to note that urgent care deals with wounds that can be treated with stitching or other binding agents. If your animal has experienced trauma wounds, it is always best to go to the animal hospital.
Infections
Whether it is an abscess or an ear infection, veterinarian urgent care can take care of these infections before they become worse.
Minor Toxin Ingestion
There are times when our animals get into something they are not supposed to ingest. When this happens the severity of the situation varies. If your animal seems ill but is still in stable condition, it is best to take them to urgent care right away. Early treatment is key when it comes to toxins. If you notice your animal is losing consciousness or anything of that nature, it is best to take them to the animal ER quickly.
Snake Bites
Every year in the late spring and summer snake bites among cats and dogs become prevalent. In the Northern Oklahoma area we are seeing bites from copperheads, timber rattlers and pygmy rattlers. Most animal urgent care facilities will keep anti-venom to be able to treat those bites quickly and effectively. You definitely want to take your dog or cat to urgent care quickly after a bite has taken place to prevent further complications.
Eye Problems
Animals can have issues with their eyes that range from allergies all the way to their eye popping out of socket. If your animal is experiencing eye problems such as difficulty opening them, redness, or it has popped out of the socket, it is best to bring them into urgent care.
Quality of Life/End of Life Care
In addition to all of these symptoms, often animal urgent care facilities can help with end of life situations for your animals like quality of life conversations, euthanasia, cremation and after care.
If your animal is experiencing any of the symptoms above, don’t wait. Go to your local animal urgent care and get the help that your animals need!
How to Know When it Is Past the Point of Urgent Care
Emergencies with animals can happen. It is scary to think about, but it can be helpful to be prepared and know where to take your animals. Although most animal urgent care facilities would love to take care of your animal at all cost, urgent care facilities are not specifically designed to take care of life threatening emergencies. There are emergency animal facilities that are able to treat animals in these extreme moments. Some signs that your animal’s situation might be a bit more complicated or serious include; severe trauma, severe seizures, the need for blood transfusion, difficult breathing, major surgery, and parvovirus. If your animal is experiencing any of these issues it is important to get them to an animal ER as soon as possible.
What to Expect at an Animal Urgent Care
Upon arrival at an urgent care, your animal will be assessed to ensure they are stable and don’t need to receive emergency care. If it is determined your animal is stable, the nurse will do an exam on the animal and ask a series of questions. The doctor will then see the animal and assign further testing or a treatment plan. Once the animal has been diagnosed and a treatment plan is in place, a nurse or doctor will discuss at home treatment and what needs to happen next such as prescriptions, rest, diet, etc. All of this information will be sent to your veterinarian so they can help follow up and ensure the animal is progressing properly. As the owner of a cat or dog, just taking them to get the care they need is the first step. Sometimes, everything after that is just step-by-step.
Final Thoughts
Taking your cat or dog to receive any medical care can be nerve racking. It is important to choose facilities that have your animals’ well being in mind. It is great to have a veterinarian office, animal urgent care, and animal ER in mind that you know you can go to if any issues arise. Eliminating uncertainty can be a major source of comfort.
If you are in Tulsa or the surrounding areas and you have a cat or dog, consider us for your animal urgent care needs. The hope is that your animal won’t need urgent care. However, it is always best to expect the unexpected. Here at StatVet we strive to be transparent, thorough, caring, and supportive. Our night and weekend hours help make care for your animals more convenient. In addition, we always send over any information to your animal’s primary veterinarian office to ensure your animal receives the best care possible in every way.