As a first-time dog owner, it can be difficult to know what symptoms warrant taking your dog into the pet hospital for immediate treatment instead of scheduling a regular appointment with your vet. Here is a quick guide to when you should take your dog to the nearest animal hospital.
Open Wounds
If your dog has any open wounds, ranging from a deep cut, a broke bone or a serious burn, you need to take your dog to the vet immediately. An open wound could have a lot more going on than meets the eye. Plus, an open wound can easily get infected by environmental debris and your dog is not going to be able to leave the wound alone. This is a situation where you need to seek medical help for your dog right away.
Seizure
There is no good reason for your dog to ever have a seizure. A seizure in a dog looks a lot like it does in a human. You dog may fall over or stop moving. Their body will shake. Their eyes may roll back in their head and they may drool from the mouth.
While your dog is experiencing the seizure, try to keep any objects that their body may hit when it is convulsing away from them and make sure they can breath. As soon as the seizing stops, take your dog to the vet. If it continues, pack them up and take them in as quickly as possible.
A seizure could cause both nerve or brain damage in your dog if not treated and addressed right away.
Crying Out
If your dog starts crying out and making loud, painful sounds without stopping, don't ignore your dog. Take your dog to the vet right away, even if you can't spot something wrong just by looking at your dog.
Your dog would not be acting out in distress if they were okay. A vet at the animal hospital can do a more thorough inspection and find out what is really wrong.
Swollen Or Bloated Abdomen
The size of your dog's belly should not change. If, in a matter of hours or over the course of a day, your dog develops a bloated abdomen that is much larger than it normally is, you need to take your dog in for treatment right away.
A bloated abdomen is generally signs of an internal problem with your dog's digestive system. A bloated abdomen can also restrict blood flow to the part of your dog's body. Your dog may also throw up or act really agitated as well. By acting quickly, you could save your dog's life.
If any of the four situations above happen to your dog, you should not wait for your vet to open to seek treatment for your dog. You should immediately take them to the nearest pet hospital or an emergency vet clinic such as Stroudsburg Animal Hospital.
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