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When To Call The Doctor

When to call the Doctor …

If an animal is seriously ill or injured it needs critical care immediately.

Bring your pet in to see us if any of the following occur:

  1. DIFFICULTY BREATHING. Noisy breathing, blue tongue or gums, abnormal panting, gasping for air, or very shallow breathing.

  2. UNSTOPPABLE BLEEDING. Apply pressure with a clean cloth. Do not use a tourniquet.

  3. INABILITY TO URINATE OR DEFECATE. Continuously straining with little or no result. Blood in stool or urine, or pain.

  4. HEATSTROKE. Heavy panting, extreme weakness, a body temperature above 104 F.

  5. BLOATED OR DISTENDED ABDOMEN. With or without vomiting.

  6. INABILITY TO DELIVER KITTENS OR PUPPIES. Has labor contractions for more than 2 hours, or more than 15 minutes of labor with fetus, or membranes protruding.

  7. LOSS OF BALANCE, UNCONSCIOUSNESS OR SEIZURE. Tremors, staggering, convulsions, sudden blindness, fainting, tilting of the head, or sudden change of disposition, such as unusual withdrawal or aggressiveness.

  8. PAIN. Especially continuous pain.

  9. MAJOR TRAUMA OR INJURY. If your pet has fallen, been hit by a car, or has suffered wounds anyplace on the body, but especially to the eye, chest or abdomen, or has broken bones.

  10. SHOCK. If your pet shows signs of weakness, collapse, shallow breathing, rapid heartbeat, or has a bewildered appearance, or pupils that are dilated or pinpoints.

  11. POISONING. If you believe your pet has either eaten or come in contact with poison, call first, then bring the container with you if you have it, or the commercial name or chemical name with a list of ingredients. Common poisoning: insecticides, snail bait, antifreeze, rat poison, over-the-counter drugs (Tylenol, ibuprofen), prescription medications (blood pressure, antidepressants) and chocolate.

  12. VOMITING AND/OR DIARRHEA. Violent episodes, continuous, or contains blood.

  13. LAMENESS. Continuous, not bearing weight on limb, or swollen limb.

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