If your pet exhibits any of these symptoms, please seek help right away:
- abdominal swelling or bloating
- birthing problems (no puppy or kitten in 60 minutes)
- breathing difficulty- rapid, noisy or labored breathing
- difficulty urinating- do not delay even 1 day with a male cats, seek help immediately
- cold exposure
- diarrhea with bleeding
- eye disorder
- fainting or collapse
- head tilt
- heatstroke (car temps on a mild (60's) sunny day can reach 120 in minutes)
- hind limb paralysis or weakness
- pain- pets are not always vocal, often they are quiet, less active or interactive, or do not do regular activities normally, call if you are unsure
- poison ingestion, any and all label information is crucial
- prolonged diarrhea
- prolonged fever- below 100.5 or above 102.5
- prolonged loss of appetite, less than 2 days in the very young or old
- prolonged or heavy bleeding
- repeated vomiting or retching without passing anything
- restlessness or inability to settle down
- seizures lasting more than 3-4 minutes or repeated seizures within 24 hours
- snake bite
- trauma of any kind, even when there are no visible injuries
- weakness or lethargy- not getting up to eat or drink, go outside or use the box, or not getting up to greet you
- vaccine reaction- please note that a normal response to vaccination includes malaise, low grade fever, reduced appetite or energy and sometimes discomfort at the site. If these symptoms seem severe, last more than 24 hours or are accompanied by signs of a hypersensitivity reaction within 72 hours, seek veterinary care immediately, do not delay. Dogs may become overly excited, immediately vomit or defecate, have difficulty breathing and/ or collapse. Cats may scratch or rub their faces with intense itch, salivate or drool, vomit, have difficulty breathing and/ or collapse. (True hypersensitivity is as rare in pets, as in people.)
- vomiting with blood
- white, bright red, bluish, brown or yellow gums
Dr Allen may or may not be available to help in an emergency. If you do not hear right back, do not hesitate or delay in seeking veterinary care. Dr Allen is notified upon your request and updated by the emergency hospital and is then available to consult with you and the doctors in the care your pet may need.
Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital, 413- 665-4911
141 Greenfield St (Rt 5/10), South Deerfield
Tufts Veterinary Hospital, 508-839-5395
Emergency Services, 508-887-4623
55 Willard St, North Grafton
http://www.tufts.edu/vet/fhsa/
Boston Road Animal Hospital, VCA, 413-783-1203
1235 Boston Rd, Springfield
http://www.vcahospitals.com/boston-road
Angell Animal Medical Center, 617-522-7282, press 1
350 South Huntington Ave, Boston
http://www.mspca.org/vet-services/angell-boston/emergency
Animal Poison Control Center, 1-888-426-4435
Animal Eye Care of New England, 413-397-3540
14 Sandy Lane, Whately