Dog Emergency Care
Do veterinarians normally offer "24 hour" or emergency care?
Depending on where you live in the United States, your veterinarian may or may not have 24/7 availability to you, so before that emergency happens, it's always important to know whether or not your veterinarian is going to be there in the middle of the night to see your dog and if they're not, where they recommend you to go. Keep those numbers next to your phone, as well as numbers for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, too. They're good numbers to have right on hand.
What are the warning signs that my dog needs to see a vet?
You know your dog better than anyone else. So, if all of the sudden you're realizing your dog just doesn't seem as energetic and he used to be bouncing of the walls; if your dog seems to be lethargic; if he is vomiting for more than twenty four hours, or you see blood in the vomit; if he has diarrhoea that just is not under control; or your dog just seems very depressed, then those are perfect times to get your dog to the veterinarian. It is better to be a little bit overly cautious than wait to late.
What is the best way to transport my injured dog to the vet?
When your dog is injured, all bets are off. Your dog would probably never think of biting you when it was not injured. However, when your dog is injured, it hurts and you just happen to be in the way so you need to be very careful. If it's a smaller dog, you can go ahead and put it in a cardboard box, for instance. A larger dog, you may need to actually bundle it up in some big towels or blankets, so you don't have a good chance of being bitten. This also helps to protect the dog. Keep those areas that might be injured from moving around and being injured more.
What medical supplies should I keep at home for my dog?
Since dogs have really become a part of the family, you can use the same first aid kit that you have for the family on your dog or cat. There are things that you need to add to it to make it a bit more pet-friendly too. You may want to have something like a styptic pencil to stop some bleeding, and muzzle material. Your pet would never think of biting you, but when it's hurt you may need to put a muzzle on it. It's a great idea to go to your local chapter of the American Red Cross and take a pet first aid course.
What do I do if my dog swallows poison?
It's always best to try to keep your dog from ever being exposed to any poisonous objects, but dogs love to eat first and think later, so if you find that your pet has accidentally swallowed some type of poison, then number one: check the label. Is it something of such a nature that you should try to induce you dog to vomit? The most important thing is probably to get your pet to your veterinarian as quickly as possible. If you're in an area where you can't do that right away, make sure that you have the number for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center by your phone.
How can I tell if my dog has an allergy?
Allergies can manifest in dogs in many different ways, in many more ways than you and I would experience. Your dog may have itchy eyes, itchy ears, runny nose, or it may be chewing on its paws or licking it's tummy. All of those can be signs of allergies. Indeed dogs can be allergic to everything you and I are, and then some more.
What is "rabies"?
Rabies is a viral disease and it's often spread to a dog through a bite, either from another dog, or from a wild animal depending on where you live in the United States. It can be from a bat, as a dog thinks it's a little bird that it can play with but can end up being exposed to rabies by it. Raccoons and foxes are all sources of Rabies as well. Rabies is also a somatic disease, which is a disease that can be spread to people. Therefore it is very important that you make sure your dogs and cats are vaccinated for rabies.
What is "parvovirus disease"?
Parvovirus is an intestinal viral disease. It oftentimes affects the very young animals, the older debilitated animals, or a pet that's never been vaccinated for it. It's usually spread through an oral-faecal transmission; an animal being exposed to some infected faeces. It will usually manifest itself by having some vomiting, some very bloody and nasty diarrhoea, and a very weak debilitated animal in general. If you see any of these signs, no matter what the cause, get your pet to the veterinarian.
What do I do if my dog has heatstroke?
If your dog gets heatstroke, the problem lies with you or I. We ran that dog too much, or we had that dog exercising at a time when it was too hot or too humid. Your dog wants to keep up with you, so we need to be the smart one and say we need to take a rest. Signs that you may see to indicate your dog is suffering from heatstroke, is a dog that all of a sudden seems to collapse. It's tongue hangs out and it becomes very weak. If you can take its body temperature, it'll be higher than the normal 12 and a half, and it may even be up to 14. Get some cool water, get your dog into a shaded area, pour the cool water over your dog's body, let it drink some water and get to your veterinarian. Heatstroke is a very important issue.
What is "kennel cough"?
Kennel cough is a disease that is not going to kill your dog, but in the middle of the night when it has this dry, hacking, croupy cough, you just kind of go crazy. There are vaccines that can help protect your dog. Oftentimes your dog can get kennel cough when it's in a kennel, in a shelter situation, or even just in your local dog park where all these dogs are put together. It is transmitted through the air, and your dog gets a croupy little dry cough. It's something that can be prevented, many times with vaccinations.
