What if your pet has a medical emergency?

By: Kaylarie Gallerie

Accidents happen. Maybe someone in your family dropped a piece of gum containing xylitol and Spot happened to be right there to gobble it up. You might only have minutes to spare before your pet becomes seriously ill. So what do you do, who do you call?

Your Vet Knows Best

Your veterinarian knows your pets medical history so they can give you the best advice for your specific pet. The vet may give you instruction on what to do on your own or ask you to bring your pet right in if it is severe enough. This is what they do! It’s not all just vaccines and spay/neuter.

What If You Can’t Reach Your Vet?

One option is to contact your local emergency animal hospital. They may be able to give you over the phone advice, or opt to have you bring your pet in. Keep in mind that emergency pricing may apply.
You might find that you are not close to an emergency veterinarian, so what can you do? There are two animal poison control centers in the US. These resources are open 24hrs a day 7 days a week. They do charge a fee for their services.

What else can you do?

As a pet owner it is important to know basic pet first aid. Here in the greater Coachella Valley area we are fortunate to have K9 Parent Training in Palm Springs and Enlighten Dogs Training Center in Cherry Valley. They teach pet CPR and first aid in tandem regularly. Information on their next upcoming class on March 23rd can be found here.

Other Important Information

After seeking medical help, there may be other steps you choose to take depending on what type of issue you are handling.

The FDA regulates drugs, supplements*, food and medical devices for animals. If you have a problem with an FDA-regulated product, send a report to the FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator or call 1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332).
*Not all supplements are regulated through the FDA

In the event of your pet having an adverse reaction due to a vaccine, after contacting your vet, submit a report to the USDA online Adverse Event Reporting System.

You Are Your Pets Greatest Advocate

No one knows your pet better than you! The slightest change in your pets behavior might be a signal to tell you that your pet does not feel well. They can’t tell us what’s wrong so it’s up to us to be there for them. Give your pet a regular once over. Check their teeth, paws and private areas to make sure you don’t see any changes. If you only pat their head and back, be sure to give them a full body rubdown looking for lumps, bumps or anything that seems out of ordinary. Regular maintenance can oftentimes save us from bigger mishaps down the road. It’s also important to keep a pet 1st aid kit on hand for minor pet issues.

My hope is that you save this page and reference it in case of emergency. Also, follow our social media for more pet tips and events!