Emergency Procedures

An after-hours emergency service is made available to your pets in the event that one of them suffers from a life-threatening sickness or injury. We really hope that your pet will never have an emergency that requires our assistance; nonetheless, the most prevalent types of emergencies we treat include injuries, heart issues, poisoning, and automobile accidents.

Your pet will be examined by one of our veterinarians as soon as you arrive with them. We will make every effort to offer an estimate of the expenses associated with your case; however, please be advised that the prices associated with emergency procedures might vary significantly based on what services and treatments are necessary.

During the time that your pet is being treated at our animal clinic, the veterinarians on staff will keep you informed at regular intervals. In some circumstances, we may be required to send you to a veterinary specialty center or an emergency clinic that is open around the clock. Please get in touch with us so that we can talk about the arrangement we have for after-hours help; it is usually preferable to have this knowledge before you really need it.

How to Make an Emergency Plan for Your Pet and What It Should Include

It is critical to have a plan in place to deal with any form of unexpected circumstance or natural catastrophe that can occur in the area in which you reside. When preparing for an emergency, it’s important to think about whether you’ll need to stay there and wait it out, if you’ll have to evacuate, and whether any members of your family have particular needs that should be taken into consideration.

It is imperative that you include your pet into any and all emergency plans that you devise, so that you do not have to stress about what to do in the event of a catastrophe. Make sure that you give some thought to the following:

Find out where you may go in case you need to flee the area. Having a plan for where you and your pet can go or how to properly transfer them some place they can remain is important since many emergency shelters do not allow pets. For instance, you can:

Do some research on the boarding places in the area you would go to shelter.
Make contact with relatives and friends who may be able to provide shelter for you and your pet.

Take down the names and numbers of people who can be reached at organizations like the ACC. They may be able to direct you to a place where you and your pet can remain together or perhaps offer you and your pet with some support.

Make a plan on how to safely transport your animal companions. Make sure you have a sturdy pet carrier for your cats, birds, and other small pets, and get them used to using it well before you need to transport them in it. You can do this by putting them in the carrier on a regular basis and showering them with treats and praise while they are inside the carrier. You can also crate train your dogs to make moving them easier as well.
If you have an aged or arthritic dog that has trouble getting about, you should make sure you have a plan for carrying them, such as a dog-specific backpack, a carrier, or even a small wagon. If your dog is struggling to move around, you should make sure you have a plan to move them safely. Because even the most normally placid pets might get agitated under stressful situations, it is best to choose carriers that are contained and covered.

Appoint an emergency pet guardian. Have an individual acquainted with your pet on hand who is ready to accept them in the event that you get unwell or are otherwise unable to care for them yourself. Make sure that this person has access to your home’s keys as well as any door codes that may be necessary.

Put stickers indicating an emergency on your windows and doors. Stickers should be used to make it clear to first responders that your house has animals in case of an emergency. Include their names on the list of pets that you have.

Take notes and obtain the necessary documentation for your pet. In the event that your pet goes missing, you should ensure you have many printed copies of images of them. You should also save their microchip number in a secure location (your phone is a great place to keep this information) and their vaccination records in case you need to show proof of immunization in order to enter a shelter.

How to Get Your Pet Ready for Any Kind of Emergency

There are a variety of preventative measures you may take in advance to assist in making your pet better prepared to handle a crisis situation.

Ensure that they are up to date on all of their vaccines. This is of the utmost importance if there is a possibility that you will have to board your pet or stay in a shelter along with them, since it is quite possible that they will be turned away if they do not have all of their vaccinations. Examine the vaccination regimens that we have outlined in our articles for both dogs and cats so that you can determine what your pet need.

Examine the specifics of the microchip. Get a microchip implanted in your pet if they don’t already have one. You need to make sure that the business that implanted the microchip in your pet has the most recent version of your contact information, especially if you have relocated since your pet was microchipped.

Conduct some refresher instruction in fundamental obedience. If you have a dog, we suggest devoting five to ten minutes of your time each day to concentrate on their training, especially on their recall abilities. The knowledge that your dog will always respond when called provides a significant amount of peace of mind and has the potential to potentially save your life. For more particular guidance, have a look at our articles on the methods of positive reinforcement, as well as the general training ideas.

Talk to your pet’s vet about your concerns about their anxiety. In the event that your animal companion suffers from anxiety and you are concerned about how they may react in a dangerous situation, see your trusted veterinarian for guidance. In the event of an unexpected emergency, there are a variety of different sedatives and other drugs that might be of assistance.