When Should You Seek Emergency Care?

When should you take your pet to an emergency care facility? Obviously, problems like trauma, seizures, severe vomiting or diarrhea need immediate attention. But what about minor problems? How do you know if you should take your pet to the hospital in the middle of the night or wait until your veterinarian opens?

A good general guideline is - if in doubt, seek emergency care. Many serious conditions may appear as a minor problem. Your pet can't always communicate how much pain he or she is in. So, if in doubt, seek emergency care.

General guidelines for emergency care are:

• Any pet that has been hit by a car
• Seizures
• Unconsciousness
• Lacerations
• Difficulty giving birth (not producing a puppy or kitten after 30 minutes of hard labor)
• Suspected ingestion of toxins
• Ingestion of human prescription drugs
• Repeated vomiting
• Diarrhea

• Straining or inability to urinate
• Any puppy or kitten with vomiting or diarrhea, even if minor
• Unexplained pain
• Not eating, lethargic
• Respiratory problems
• Weakness
• Difficulty walking
• Bleeding that won't stop
• Ingestion of antifreeze requires immediate attention