Signs of a Pet Emergency

Despite your careful planning and vigilance, accidents happen and your pet may experience an emergency situation. Your pet may get access to a poisonous item or be injured in an accident or fall. In some instances, you may not know why your pet has become severely ill.

Knowing when pet emergency care is necessary is the key to getting proper care. At Central Animal Hospital, serving the Scarsdale, White Plains, and Westchester areas of New York, our veterinarians want you to be familiar with the signs of a pet emergency so that you can get your pet the care he or she needs.

Contact Our Animal Clinic If You Witness Any of These Symptoms

If your pet cannot breathe or is struggling to take a breath, bring her into our animal clinic right away. If your pet is unconscious or unable to wake up, immediate care is needed.

Other symptoms that point to an emergency and that require immediate attention include profuse bleeding or blood in your pet’s vomit. We ask that you call our animal hospital first for advice on how to safely transport your pet to our Scarsdale clinic.

Strange behavior also indicates a pet emergency. If your pet seems confused, is having a seizure, or if vision seems affected, your pet needs to be seen by a veterinarian.  Trouble standing up or difficulties maintaining balance are other signs of severe injury or illness.

Physical trauma, such as hit-by-car, accidental falls, or an ingestion of a toxic substance will often require emergency veterinary care. Your pet may vomit or show signs of stomach pain if he or she eats chocolate, ingests other toxic foods or plants, or poisonous liquid, such as antifreeze.

Birth can turn into an emergency that needs care and attention. Your pet should not struggle through the birth. If she has trouble delivering or if the delivery takes more than four hours, she needs to see a veterinarian right away.

Has your pet ever faced an emergency? How did you handle it?