What Are Animal Emergencies?

Here are 13 animal emergencies that require immediate veterinary consultation and/or care:

*Severe bleeding or bleeding that doesn't stop within five minutes

*Choking, difficulty breathing or nonstop coughing and gagging

*Bleeding from nose, mouth, rectum, coughing up blood, or blood in urine

*Inability to urinate or pass feces (stool), or obvious pain associated with urinating or passing stool

*Injuries to your pet's eye(s)

*You suspect or know your pet has eaten something poisonous (such as antifreeze, xylitol, chocolate, rodent poison, etc.)

*Seizures and/or staggering

*Fractured bones, severe lameness or inability to move leg(s)

*Obvious signs of pain or extreme anxiety

*Heat stress or heatstroke

*Severe vomiting or diarrhea – more than two episodes in a 24-hour period, or either of these combined with obvious illness or any of the other problems listed here

*Refusal to drink for 24 hours or more

*Unconsciousness

The bottom line is that ANY concern about your pet's health warrants, at minimum, a call!

Source: American Veterinary Medical Association