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Would you be ready to take your dog or cat to an emergency animal hospital if you had to do it in the next five minutes? Here are some things you can do to help make that stressful situation a bit calmer for you and your animal.

Angell Animal Medical Center is open 24/7/365 (directions & contact information are in the link).

Be Ready to Go

First, you should know where the nearest 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital is located and have a transportation plan and route in mind to get there. We are car-free city dwellers and, over the years, have taken taxis, rideshare cars, and accepted offers from kind friends to bring our dogs to the ER.

When traveling, we always check for the nearest veterinarian and emergency hospital. It's not a bad idea to develop a habit of noticing any signs for veterinary services when you’re on the road. You just never know when you will need one.

Do your best to slow bleeding, stabilize injured limbs, and prepare to deal with gastric upsets on the way to get help. (Photo courtesy of the American Veterinary Medical Association.) 

First Aid

If your furry friend is hurt or sick, you’ll wish you knew some basic first aid and a bit about caring for a sick dog or cat. Do some reading on these topics ahead of time and consider adding a pet first-aid kit and a Pet First-Aid app to your smartphone. Or, take a course in pet first aid.

Do your best to slow bleeding, stabilize injured limbs, and prepare to deal with gastric upsets on the way to get help. We recommend that anyone with pets keep a package of puppy piddle pads on hand. These highly absorbent, disposable pads can save hours of cleanup and help reduce stress. Having had a carsick dog in the past, we have a prepacked “barf kit” that holds a few pads, paper towels, a bottle of water, and plastic bags for trash.

Poppy was on the way to the ER for a sore paw, but we covered the car seat and protected it in case the ride upset her tummy.

Moving a Hurt or Sick Animal

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) suggests calling the clinic before you leave so they can be ready for you. They may also be able to give you suggestions for the best way to care for the cat or dog until you get there. 

Your next challenge is moving a hurt animal to a vehicle and keeping everyone safe on the way to the hospital. The AVMA begins its advise on this topic with this warning, “Never assume that even the gentlest pet will not bite or scratch if injured. Pain and fear can make animals unpredictable or even dangerous. Don't attempt to hug an injured pet, and always keep your face away from its mouth. Although this may be your first impulse to comfort your pet, it might only scare the animal more or cause them pain.”

You might want to improvise a muzzle for an injured animal as long as they are not vomiting. You can use gauze, a bandana, or scarf for this purpose. Small dogs and cats can be wrapped in a towel or blanket and carried or placed in a soft carrier. A blanket can be used to make an emergency stretcher for a large dog.

In research done with Angie's List members, 65 percent have experienced a pet emergency. We know that we have made a lot of emergency veterinary visits during our years of having canine companions. 

An animal emergency is the time to accept the help of others in your animal community. Especially if you are facing transport alone. Again, this is best arranged ahead of time. You can set up a reciprocal arrangement with a friend to assist one another, if needed, for an ER run.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino, Top photo courtesy of MSPCA.

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)