Our fur-friends can not tell us when something is wrong. They show us signs, or clues; we must play detective to figure out what is going on. I wrote an article awhile back that goes over 12 of the top reasons I have told people to RUSH to the Vet. Not make an appointment, but rather, go right now.
I tend to be the type of person to advise people to be cautious. If I had your pet's chart and medical history in front of me, then I might not suggest you come right in. Every pet is different and a full medical history will indicate whether the problem at hand is acute (sudden onset) or chronic. In chronic conditions, medical advice will sometimes be to observe the pet for a certain amount of hours and then re-evaluate. And, most acute conditions require medical attention asap.
However, being that I don't have your dog in front of me, nor his/her history, we are going to share this disclaimer: If this is a true medical emergency, seek help NOW. Check websites later. ;)
Here's snippets from the article...
by JA Marino
Squinting-If your dog is squinting and cannot open his or her eye, you must get to the veterinarian ASAP. This could mean a few things such as a scratch on the cornea, glaucoma, or a melting ulcer. You need not worry about what these things are, you need to call the vet, grab the dog, get in the car and GO.
Vomiting-If your dog is vomiting repeatedly in a short period of time, this is serious. When you call your vet, be sure to mention if your dog typically eats things it shouldn't (socks, toys, stuffed animals, etc.) as well if they could have ingested foreign material or liquid such as plants, pesticides, etc. In the unusual case that they could have ingested a toxin such as marijuana or other drug, you MUST tell your vet or they can not treat your dog and he could very well die.
Difficulty breathing-If your dog seems to be having trouble breathing, his/her tongue is blue, call your vet on the way there. They need immediate care.
Seizures-If your dog is having a seizure, which is most often indicated by suddenly falling on to their side, paddling, urinating and/or defecating, salivating, disorientation, call your vet immediately. You should not try to handle your dog during the seizure. Try to pad the area around them but do not put yourself too close to the dog as it may bite out of confusion and being disoriented. Try to keep track of the duration and frequency of the seizures, because your vet will need to know this information. As soon as the seizure passes, which can be anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes or so, transport your dog to the vet. Be sure to pad the car well, and be mindful that another seizure could results in urination or defecation where the dog lies in your car.
Bloody diarrhea- If your dog is having bloody diarrhea this can be a minor symptom or an indicator of something far more serious. Call your vet right away and be sure to save a stool specimen so that the veterinarian can examine it under a microscope.
Trouble urinating-If your dog is going out to urinate and seems to be straining or not releasing any urine, there may be an infection, blockage, stones or other problem at hand. Call your veterinarian immediately and if you can, catch a urine sample to bring in to the veterinarian for a urinalysis. Refrigerate the sample if you are unable to bring it in immediately. Note the time that you collected the specimen.
There are 6 more reasons on the original article, here: Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/5288221
As I said, in some cases a pet's prior medical history may indicate that you should wait and observe. Remember, for MOST animals (and people) a trip to the doctor can be quite stressful. When a pet is unhealthy, for whatever reason, stress may exacerbate symptoms. So, if your dog has a previous history with whatever ails them at the moment, make a call to the Vet and seek professional medical advice immediately. When in doubt, just go!
And, to reiterate, ACUTE symptoms tend to be RED FLAGS and need to be addressed as soon as possible. For example, a healthy, happy 10 week old puppy should not be lethargic-ever. Certain symptoms such as blood in the urine, stool or vomit, indicates EMERGENCY. Even if it is a 15 year old cocker spaniel with a history of soft stool, mucuos or bloody diarrhea... each instance is critical in an elderly pet.
Bottom line, be AWARE of your dog's behavior. Make note of times and durations of unusual behavior or activity. Be cautious about over heating your dog, leaving them outside in extremem temperatures, running or playing. Yes, you want them to have a happy life, so let's work together to make sure it is also healhty!
Blessings,
Joy
No comments:
Post a Comment