According to the AVMA, 36.5% of American households have dogs as pets and 30.4% of American households have cats as pets. With this many people having pets, there is bound to be a need for emergency animal hospitals. You may be pondering the question, “When do I need to take my pet to the ER?” Well, there are many scenarios where you should consider taking your pet to an emergency animal hospital, many of which a hospital could save your pet’s life. Read on to find out the most common scenarios are.
Your pet gets into food they should have
Dogs and cats are curious creatures. Unfortunately, they cannot eat all of the food that humans do without getting sick. For example, dogs cannot have chocolate, grapes or Xylitol (found in sugar-free gum). If you notice your dog has gotten into chocolate, grapes, or sugar-free gum during your veterinarian’s business hours, call your vet first. They may recommend keeping an eye on your pet to make sure they do not seem out of the ordinary. They may also recommend inducing vomiting if it is known that the food was consumed recently. Do not just assume that your pet will be fine and avoid calling your vet, however, as symptoms can present themselves hours after consumption. If symptoms do present themselves, your vet may recommend bringing your dog into the animal vet, or a 24 hour pet hospital if it is after hours.
Your pet is throwing up or looks lethargic
If you are asking yourself, “When do I need to take my pet to the ER?” this is one of those times. If your pet is consistently vomiting and you are unsure why, this may be a sign that they are severely sick. If you are unable to explain why your pet is throwing up, you should call your veterinarian. Similarly, if your pet seems lethargic and is having trouble walking, you should call your vet.. If it as after hours, you may want to call a 24 hour animal hospital. They will likely give you instructions to again keep an eye on your pet and watch for more severe signs of illness. If these symptoms present, you should bring your pet to the ER.
Your pet is severely physically injured
If your pet happens to get severely physically injured, either during your vet’s hours of operation or after hours, you should bring your pet to an animal hospital. The sooner you get your pet to an animal hospital when severely injured, the better.
On average, the typical dog owner spends an average of $378 on vet visits per year, while the average cat owner spends $191. While vet bills can be expensive, many times it can be worth it to save your pet’s life. If you find yourself asking the question, “When do I need to take my pet to the ER?” You probably should pack up the car and take them. If you are still apprehensive, call your vet or a vet at the animal hospital and describe your pet’s symptoms/illness.