Pets need healthcare just as their owners do, including potentially needing emergency medical care and treatment. Emergency vet visits can be as stressful for pets and their owners as emergency room visits are for people. Here are four things you should know about going to the emergency vet.
1. It Tends To Be More Expensive Than Preventive Care
Emergency vet visits tend to cost more upfront and in general than preventive care or checkups.
For many people, this can be intimidating, but there are options you can access if you think the cost is prohibitive or has too much of an impact on your budget.
You can get emergency vet bill assistance, loans, temporary credit, breed-specific financial aid, and payment plan options from the vet.
2. Wait Times Can Vary
Unlike a regular vet visit where you schedule an appointment and then may wait a few minutes for your vet to be taken to an exam room, wait times can vary widely at an emergency vet clinic.
The variability is due to multiple factors, including how busy the clinic is and the severity of your pet’s emergency.
If your pet is experiencing a serious emergency, then you can expect immediate care. Otherwise, your pet will be triaged, and you’ll be asked to wait.
Try to be patient and remain calm. Make sure you bring things to keep you and your pet occupied in the waiting room.
3. Prepare for Emergencies in Advance
You never know when an emergency medical situation may arise for your pet, so try to prepare in advance as best you can. Write down the phone numbers of your local emergency vet clinic, your regular veterinarian’s emergency line, and poison control in an easily accessible area
. Learn and practice how to safely get your pet ready to travel to the emergency vet and provide basic CPR and first aid for him or her. Make sure you know how to get to the clinic ahead of time.
4. Only Certain Symptoms Constitute Emergencies
While any medical issue may seem like an emergency to you, the reality is that only certain situations and symptoms require trips to emergency vets.
If you believe your pet has ingested something poisonous or if he or she is bleeding heavily, has an open wound, is bloated, is experiencing gastrointestinal distress, had or is having a seizure, or is showing signs of severe pain, then you should go to the emergency vet.
You should also go to the emergency vet if your pet loses consciousness, cannot urinate, has difficulty standing or breathing, appears disoriented, has any kind of eye issue, or has experienced recent trauma.
Even if a pet is acting normally after falling or being hit by a vehicle, you should go to the emergency vet to be safe.
It’s always good to prepare in case you ever need to take your pet to an emergency vet, but you should also make sure you get your pet regular preventive treatment. Not only can you catch conditions before they become serious, but your vet may also have recommendations on good emergency vet services in your area.