Providing Your Pet With Quality Emergency Care

Protecting your pet from a traumatic injury can often be challenging; unfortunately, accidents do happen and when accidents do happen, it is often difficult for pet parents to make quick, rational decisions. A traumatic injury means your pet has experienced a wound or physical injury resulting from violence or an external source, such as being hit by an automobile. Traumas are typically unexpected and require immediate attention from a veterinary clinic or animal hospital. Here are some of the common types of traumatic injuries, signs of an emergency and how to transport injured pets.

Common Causes of Traumatic Injuries

Traumatic injuries occur when you least expect it. For instance, if you are taking your pet for a walk and they break from you and then get hit by an automobile. Common causes of injury and trauma include:

• Lacerations from sharp objects
• Jumping from a moving vehicle
• Being attacked by another animal (domestic or wild)
• Being hit, stepped on and/or dragged
• Falling from a high place
• Being in a vehicle during an accident
• Weapon injuries, such as gunshot or stabbing

Signs Your Pet Should Get Emergency Medical Treatment

If your pet experiences an accident such as trauma, insect sting, heatstroke, choking, poisoning, or other serious situations, they should be taken to an animal hospital right away. Some of the signs that indicate your pet should be seen by an emergency veterinarian include:

• Difficulty standing
• Seizures
• Rapid breathing
• Rapid or weak pulse
• Sudden or extreme change in body temperature
• Excessive bleeding
• Loss of consciousness
• Apparent paralysis
• Possible broken bones

How to Transporting an Injured Pet

First and most importantly, you have to remain as calm as possible. Keep in mind that even though your pet is generally calm and friendly, if they are injured they may become aggressive, so it is important to protect yourself from injury as well.  

Dog injuries- If your dog gets injured, approach them calmly and slowly, kneel down and call your pet by name. If the dog shows signs of aggression, step away and call for help. However, if your dog is calm, make a stretcher using a piece of cardboard or a blanket and gently lift the dog onto it. Be careful to support the neck and back in case there are injuries to the spine. Either transport your dog to the nearest animal hospital or veterinarian clinic.

Cat injuries- It is important to approach your cat calmly and slowly. Carefully place a towel or a blanket over the cat to prevent scratching and/or biting. Carefully lift the cat and place them a box or their usual carrier. Be careful to support their head and avoid twisting their neck in case there are injuries to the spine.

Once you have your pet safely secured and are comfortable transporting them to the veterinarian, contact the animal hospital to find out if there is anything you should do during transport, such as apply pressure to wounds or secure a possible broken bone. For more information, contact an animal hospital like Parkview Animal Hospital.