When our pets aren’t feeling well or are injured, it can become easy to panic and jump to the worst-case scenario. In an emergency, it’s important to remain calm, assess your pet’s condition, and determine whether they need immediate, potentially life-saving attention from a medical professional. That said, there are often scenarios in which a pet may need urgent or same-day medical attention that is not necessarily a life-threatening or dire emergency. Knowing if the issue is an emergency or urgent starts with evaluation.
In uncertain cases, your pet will often be evaluated via triage, their vitals checked, and technicians will assess how your pet can best wait the time until a doctor is ready to see them. This should be seen as a comfort to worried pet owners who may not know whether their pet is stable or in active distress, and should not be seen as dismissive of pet owner’s concerns.
Generally speaking, if you are in doubt as to whether your pet needs to be seen or is in need of immediate intervention it is always best to bring them to your nearest Emergency Room for evaluation. Technicians and Doctors are not permitted to speculate to a pet’s condition without seeing the pet, so the sooner you are able to bring them in, the sooner you and your pet can both receive some peace of mind or help if need be.
Emergent: Seek Immediate Care
The conditions that TruVet considers in need of immediate stabilization or life-saving attention are:
- Difficulty or labored breathing
- Unresponsiveness or collapse
- Active or repeated seizures
- Cardiac arrest
- Severe trauma (hit by car, falls, bite wounds with shock)
- Profuse or uncontrolled bleeding
- Heatstroke
- Bloat (GDV)
- Straining or inability to urinate
- Toxin or poison ingestion
- Severe allergic reactions (facial swelling, hives, collapse)
- Difficulty giving birth (dystocia)
- Severe pain with sudden onset
- Pale or blue gums
- Sudden paralysis or inability to stand
These conditions may be considered life threatening or fatal and require immediate attention from medical professionals. They will be prioritized by their level of severity in the lineup.
Urgent: Stable Pet, Same Day Care Needed
Some conditions do still warrant urgent or quicker medical attention, but are considered stable enough to wait for a doctor to become available to examine them. Some examples of urgent or non-emergent conditions are:
- Chronic vomiting or diarrhea
- Pain or limping
- Minor cuts, lacerations, or bite wounds
- Minor eye injuries or sudden eye redness
- Foreign body ingestion (toys, socks, bones)
- Urinary accidents or changes in urination
- Sudden behavioral changes
- Lethargy
- Coughing or sneezing
- Ear infections causing significant pain
If your pet is deemed stable enough to wait our current wait time to see the doctor, it doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t need care that same day. Technicians will evaluate your pet and discuss with you whether the condition is mild enough to wait for the next available appointment with your primary veterinarian, or if your pet should be seen immediately and added to our patient queue.