As an animal lover, taking good care of your animal is important. However, we may not always know what to do when our pets have a medical emergency. Fortunately, there are steps we can take when our pets are acting strangely. Animals that are acting strangely or are injured should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. During these times, pet owners should be prepared.
Animal care during animal emergencies such as hurricanes, tornadoes and fires is essential. By following these tips, you can ensure both your and your animal’s safety during such emergencies.
Emergency care during an animal emergency
Pet emergencies are fortunately rare, but it’s possible. While accidents do happen, most of the time, pet emergencies can be predicted. You can take steps to prevent an emergency, but when they do happen, it’s important to know how to respond to the situation.
If a pet catches an illness or injury that requires immediate medical attention, you’ll want to know what to do to get them help. Finding a veterinarian who provides immediate care for animals in emergency situations can be difficult, however, and not every pet owner has a pet insurance plan that can help. If you’re worried about your pet, there are plenty of resources that can help. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) provides lists of emergency animal hospitals by state, and you can also call your local pet hospital to see if they provide emergency care; many do.
Animal Emergency Care
Animals are a valuable part of your family, but accidents happen. In addition to ensuring they have high-quality food, shelter, and veterinary care, you’ll also want to ensure that you have an emergency plan in place in case the unexpected happens.
Your pet’s safety is a top priority. Unfortunately, a pet emergency can happen at any time, day or night. When an emergency does arise, you need to know what steps to take to ensure your pet’s health and well-being.
Give medical attention to an animal
When you bring an animal into your home, you assume responsibility for their care. The animal will need basic vaccinations, worming treatments, and parasite control. It will also need regular veterinary care, including routine exams, dental cleanings, and surgeries. When an animal becomes ill or injured, you need to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Although you may belong to a pet emergency clinic, it may not be open outside of normal business hours, and urgent care and emergency rooms can be expensive.
An animal emergency needs immediate attention. The smallest delay can have dire consequences. Animals can die, or suffer permanent injury. Newly adopted animals need special attention, too.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are an important part of ensuring the health of our pets. For dogs and cats, the core vaccinations that are commonly recommended are Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, and Rabies. These vaccines are administered as a series of shots over the course of several weeks. Although the core vaccines are designed to protect your pet against serious illnesses, additional vaccinations may be recommended based on your pet’s lifestyle and exposure to other animals. It is also recommended that all dogs over six months of age receive a canine Influenza vaccine.
As winter turns to spring, pet owners are reminded that pet vaccinations must be up-to-date in order to keep them healthy. Pet owners should get their animals vaccinated at least once a year by a veterinarian.
In summary, animals need our help during emergencies. They need our attention and care to help mitigate some of the trauma they experience. If an animal is lost, in an accident or is injured, animal pet owners should call the law or 911, and report their lost or injured animal to the local authorities. Animal owners should also contact animal control agencies immediately and report their animals. Animal owners should also contact local animal shelters and adoptable dogs and cats. Animal owners should deactivate their pets’ microchips so that emergency responders can return the animal back to its owner. Animal owners should practice disaster preparedness and should know what to do after a disaster.