Dog Emergencies

Title: Dog Emergencies
Author: Miss Debra Rae

You know your dog. You know when your dog is just not feeling
well. But when is it necessary to get them to an Animal
Emergency Hospital? First, stay calm and focus. If you panic, so
will your dog. Be gentle, loving, and compassionate. Your dog
knows you'll do your very best to care for them.

The following is a list of symptoms and/or situations that
require an Animal Emergency Hospital room & Veterinary care
pronto!

*Difficulty breathing, noisy respiration, gasping for air or
shallow breathing.
*Blue tongue.
*Bleeding from anywhere that doesn't stop. (get a clean, lint
free cloth; apply some pressure and go to the E.R.)
*Hypersensitive or a bloated belly.
*Your dog tries to go pee or poop and can't or they're in
obvious pain when they go.
*Uncontrolled urinating or pooping in an otherwise potty
trained dog.
*Bloody pee or poop.
*Heatstroke.
*Heavy panting that doesn't stop.
*They're obviously weak; your dog can't get up or falls down
when they get up.
*Fever--104 degrees Fahrenheit is a canine fever.
*Difficulty in labor or delivery of puppies.
*Contractions lasting more than an hour.
*Labor pain lasting longer than 15 minutes.
*A puppy fetus or its membrane is showing.
*Any seizure, tremors, coma, staggering, convulsions or sudden
blindness (running into things).
*Head tilting or snapping at imaginary objects.
*Sudden & severe behavior
changes--withdrawal/depression/aggression.
*Chronic crying/whimpering or obvious pain.
*Any major trauma: vehicle accident, fall, porcupine encounter,
gun shot wound, broken bone, venomous/poisonous snake bite.
*Rapid heartbeat.
*Disorientation, having a bewildered look, your dog doesn't
recognize you.
*Pupils are dilated.
*Exposure to poison: fertilizer, herbicide, certain plants
*Ingestion or exposure to common household cleaning supplies
like cleanser, pine cleaner, borax, window cleaner, and bleach.
(bring the suspected poison container or plant to the E.R.)
*Puncture wounds from a dog fight or running into a sharp
object. (these wounds can go deeper than you think & injure
internal organs. They also become infected easier than a scrape.

*Prolonged vomiting or diarrhea--especially if there's any
blood.
*Refusal to eat or drink for more than 1 day.
*Limping; can't put weight on a leg.
*Green goopy stuff/crustiness in or around their eyes.
*Swelling or redness around the eyes or snout (dogs sometimes
eat a bee, hornet or wasp and must be seen immediately).
*Redness or hotness of ears: Especially if they're scratching
or have constant head shaking (ear infections, mites and fox
tails happen fast).
*Any chronic, severe itching or patchy red spots on the
skin--self mutilation is soon to follow & can cause more
infection.
*Your dog is acting really weird.

If you're unsure of what's going on with your dog and if it's
an emergency, call your Veterinarian (many Veterinarian's handle
all their own emergencies) or call the nearest Animal Emergency
Center/Hospital.

Often times, at an Animal Emergency Hospital, you can speak
with a highly trained veterinary technician, triage intake
worker or the Veterinarian. These incredibly dedicated people
will help you assess whether your dog needs to be seen
immediately, sometime today, or if it can wait until tomorrow.

If you have any doubts, call a Veterinarian. Whatever you do,
remember you're caring for a family member who doesn't
understand what's going on. Your dog is scared and confused. Be
calm. Be brave and do the very best for your cuddly canine. The
rewards are endless.

About The Author: Miss Rae has been a poet & writer since
college at UW, class of 1996. Click on over to her site for all
your dog's needs from training programs to nutrition to choosing
a vet, dental health and books galore. Visit
http://www.goodpoopy.com/index.html.

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