Emergency Services: Warning Signs for New Bedford Pet Owners

It is important to recognize when your pets need emergency veterinary care. Make sure that you know a Southeastern Massachusetts veterinarian who can provide you with emergency services. Anchor Animal Hospital in Dartmouth is a veterinary clinic that also operates as an emergency veterinary hospital, serving New Bedford pet owners and pet owners from all around the South Coast area. Whether your dog, cat, pocket or exotic pet is in need of a regular check-up or emergency services, you can count on Anchor Animal Hospital to provide you with the level of care that is required to meet their needs.

Learning to identify the signs of serious conditions in our pets can be crucial. They can’t tell us when they don’t feel well, but there are things that we can look for that will help us know when we need to bring them in for a visit at the local emergency veterinary hospital. The rest of this article will feature the warning signs that New Bedford pet owners can use to identify when their pets need emergency help.

BREATHING
If you pet is having trouble breathing, make sure to take them in to see your local Southeastern Massachusetts veterinarian right away. Some signs of breathing trouble can be seen as making choking sounds, wheezing or taking open-mouth breaths. Causes of breathing problems can be something stuck in the throat, allergic reactions, as well as heart and lung disease. Contact your vet and see if you should bring them into the emergency veterinary hospital. At your next check-up, ask your vet what you need to look for to check your pet’s gums to ensure that they are getting enough oxygen.

APPETITE
Another indication that your pet might need help is to notice whether their appetite has changed over a period of 24-hours. Increased stress due to visitors or fireworks in the neighborhood during the holidays could cause a lack of appetite, but most pets will begin to eat again after the stress has gone away. If your pet is refusing food, it could be a sign that there is a serious illness at work. Dehydration and lethargy can follow, which can be even more damaging. This is especially true in cats, which store and convert energy differently than humans and other animals. Instead of processing fat stores during periods of starvation, a cat’s body releases the fats to the liver, which can result in a non-functioning liver.

HYDRATION
Any changes that you see in your pet’s drinking habits and urination can be a sign of dehydration. It can also indicate a urinary blockage or urinary tract infection. Other diseases related to changes in drinking habits and urination include diabetes, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, urinary stones and kidney problems. If you see any changes in your pet’s drinking habits and urination, contact your vet at the local animal hospital in Dartmouth.

VOMITING
Some pets will have occasional vomiting which is not considered to be a medical emergency. All it can take is eating something that doesn’t agree with them or ingesting grass and other plants from the backyard or dog park to cause irritation. However, if the vomiting is more frequent, happens multiple times in a short space of time or if there is blood present in the vomit, this can indicate a very serious condition. New Bedford pet owners should bring vomiting pets in for a check-up at the emergency vet hospital right away. It can indicate a blockage, trauma, reactions to a toxin, problems with medications or irritations to the stomach, gastrointestinal tract or the esophagus. Vomiting can quickly lead to dehydration.

DIARRHEA
Another common yet potentially serious symptom that should not be ignored is diarrhea. In most cases, diarrhea is not a serious medical emergency, but if it continues or if there are any strange colors in your pet’s diarrhea, it could be a sign of bigger problems. Blood in the stool can mean blockages, ulcers, hemorrhages, infections and other serious conditions. Contact your Southeastern Massachusetts veterinarian with any questions and be ready to bring your pet in for an exam if the condition warrants it.

OTHER SIGNS
Some other serious symptoms to watch for and act on immediately include seizures, episodes of collapse, extreme or unusual lethargy, paralysis of legs, pain, swelling of the abdomen, and bulging or extremely red eyes can be indications of serious conditions. Toxin ingestion, electrolyte imbalances, heart condition, dehydration, metabolic issues, bloat, internal bleeding, neurological disorders, injuries or trauma, infections, hypertension and glaucoma are just some of the illnesses and diseases that can exhibit these symptoms. When in doubt, call your Southeastern Massachusetts veterinarian or bring your pet into the emergency veterinary hospital right away for an exam. Do not wait and hope the situation changes, make a phone call and ask questions or act on your instincts.

Anchor Animal Hospital in Dartmouth
If you live in the South Coast region, which includes Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, bring your pets in for check-ups and emergency services at Anchor Animal Hospital in Dartmouth. We are a general veterinary clinic and an emergency veterinary hospital, providing a wide variety of services to cats, dogs, pocket pets and exotic pets throughout the region. Give us a call at 508-996-3731 to schedule an appointment or to find out more about our services.