Emergencies are every pet owner’s worst nightmare. Fortunately, many common pet-related emergencies we see at Sixes Animal Hospital at BridgeMill can be easily prevented through careful preparation and diligent supervision. Learn seven strategies to help your pet avoid catastrophe and enjoy a safe and healthy life.
#1: Secure your property and supervise your pet
Many escape-related injuries, such as being hit by a car, falling from a height, becoming lost, and being attacked by another dog, cat, or animal in the wild, can be prevented by simply securing pet areas and monitoring your four-legged friend’s activity. Keep doors, gates, and windows closed or locked, and check them regularly to ensure they’re in good working order. Inspect fencing and other restraint items, such as crates, pet gates, and exercise pens, for gaps, damage, or weakness and reinforce them promptly to prevent accidents. Supervise your pet’s outdoor time to prevent boredom-related behavior that may lead to escape such as digging, jumping, or climbing.
Finally, ensure your pet wears a collar with up-to-date identification tags. Microchipping offers pets permanent identification that can’t be lost or removed. Proper identification increases your pet’s chances of a safe return home if they become separated from you.
#2: Pet-proof your home
Accidental poisonings, choking, and electrical shock can lead to life-threatening emergencies. Prevent these unnecessary events by pet-proofing indoor and outdoor spaces, including garages, yards, and sheds. Ensure all hazardous and poisonous items are stored out of your pet’s reach on elevated shelves, inside closed cabinets, or in lockable containers. Enclose exposed electrical cords with protective covers. Tie up loose blind cords and other string hazards that could entrap your pet. Early intervention can be life-saving if your pet is exposed to a toxin. Seek immediate veterinary attention at Sixes Animal Hospital at BridgeMill or your nearest veterinary emergency center.
#3: Limit your pet’s outdoor time during extreme temperatures
Exposure to excessive heat or cold can quickly cause life-threatening conditions in pets, resulting in heatstroke or hypothermia. Protect your pet by limiting their outdoor time during extreme temperatures and high humidity. Ensure your pet always has access to fresh water during the warm months and never leave your pet inside a parked car, no matter the temperature. When winter winds blow, keep your pet warm with an insulated jacket or coat and monitor them for early discomfort signs such as shivering, limping, or refusing to move.
#4: Recognize common pet illness signs
While some pet health signs are obvious, others can be easy to overlook or mistaken for unusual behavior. Understanding when to seek prompt veterinary care ensures early illness detection and can minimize the likelihood of emergency intervention. Contact Sixes Animal Hospital at BridgeMill if your pet is experiencing troublesome signs such as:
- Appetite loss
- Decreased or increased thirst
- Respiratory distress such as panting at rest, and quick, noisy, or difficult breathing
- Elevated heart rate
- Bleeding from the eyes, nose, mouth, or urogenital region
- Distended or bloated abdomen
- New or unmanageable seizures
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Increased urination or house soiling
- Lethargy or weakness
- Unproductive vomiting or heaving
- Unexplained personality change such as sudden aggressive, anxious, or fearful behavior
- Dilated pupils
- Squinting
- Unusual swelling of the face or body, including hives or masses
#5: Learn and understand your pet’s breed-specific risks
Many dog and cat breeds are predisposed to specific inherited or structurally related health issues that could be life-threatening. Whether your pet is purebred or mixed, familiarizing yourself with each of their breed’s associated health risks can help you take proper precautions to ensure your pet’s safety, including lifestyle modifications and screening tests, and know how to recognize an impending crisis and seek immediate care. Stay vigilant for these common breed-specific conditions:
- Gastric dilation volvulus (GDV or bloat) in large-breed and deep-chested dogs
- Heatstroke and respiratory problems in brachycephalic (i.e., flat-faced) breeds
- Glaucoma
- Epilepsy
- Heart abnormalities such as cardiomyopathy and congenital defects
- Degenerative myelopathy
- Hip and elbow dysplasia
- Bleeding disorders such as Von Willebrand’s disease
#6: Stay current on your pet’s routine veterinary care
Routine physical examinations and wellness care, such as vaccinations, screening tests, and spaying or neutering, are the easiest and most impactful ways to prevent common pet emergencies. Regular care helps our team identify hidden health issues that, if left untreated, could result in life-threatening complications.
#7: Be prepared for pet emergencies
Put together a pet first aid kit and learn basic pet first aid procedures, such as how to respond to choking, bleeding, or pain, how to provide initial care for a pet with heatstroke or hypothermia, how to perform pet cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and how to safely transport an injured, sick, or convulsing pet. Being prepared not only increases the likelihood that your pet will have a positive outcome but can help you stay calm in a crisis.
No one likes to think about pet-related emergencies, but planning and preparation can give you peace of mind, empower you to provide for your pet’s health and welfare, and ideally avoid preventable heartbreak. If you have additional questions about preventing common pet emergencies or potential risk factors for your pet, contact the Sixes Animal Hospital at Bridge Mill team.
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