Health Crises With Pets and What You Should Do
October 21, 2011 
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Because your pet is an important member of your family you should be prepared for any injury or illness they might experience. Being prepared for an unexpected emergency can be of benefit to your pet in the period before seeing the vet. As well as being informed and educated on what to do in the event of a pet emergency, it’s wise to ensure that you keep up to date with your pet insurance payments – just in case.
You can prepare yourself by being able to recognize the signs of this common problem.If, for whatever reason, your pet’s mouth is blocked, choking will occur. Both dogs and cats are curious by nature and can easily get something stuck in their mouth. They are likely to try swallowing all sorts of things such as bones, balls, and pieces of wood.
Choking can result not only from a rope or collar being too tight but also from a swollen throat caused by an allergic reaction to something. Some of the signs to look for include gagging, difficulty swallowing or breathing or pawing at their face. Before anything else make sure that there’s nothing, perhaps a collar, that’s constricting the neck.
If you can see a foreign object in the animal’s mouth, take it out. If this doesn’t work, you can lift and suspend a small pet with its head pointed down. With larger animals you can keep the head down by raising the rear legs. Sometimes a sharp hit with the palm of your hand between the shoulder blades can work, but by no means should you try this unless you know what you are doing. Even if you have successfully removed the item, you should have your pet examined by your vet. That way you can make sure there aren’t any internal injuries.
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The most important thing to remember is to put pressure upon the area that your pet is bleeding from. The blood flow can be reduced or stopped by putting a clean towel on the wound and applying gentle pressure. By raising the area you can limit the loss of blood. You should wrap the area in a towel and secure it in place with tape. You should then seek vet treatment and advice immediately.
The first thing to do is not to panic. Make a careful examination of your pet before taking them to the vet. You want to try to remember what – if anything – happened before the collapse, how long it lasted and how your pet acted afterwards. All of these things will help the vet to determine the cause of your pet collapsing.
Listen for a heartbeat from the dog’s left side if it loses consciousness. Your pet must be handled with due caution. They may be confused, aggressive or disoriented. Pain or fear could cause your pet to snap at or scratch you. Just make sure you seek medical assistance for your pet as soon as possible.
Bones are normally fractured or broken only when some major injury has been sustained. Falling heavily or being hit by a car are amongst the causes. Rest and reassurance are required if you think your pet may have a broken or fractured bone. If there is an open wound, cover it with a clean cloth.
To avoid being bitten or scratched by an injured pet in pain, take appropriate precautions. Go immediately to the vet with your pet in a box or crate. Don’t try to splint or fix the fracture yourself because if the limb is not placed properly it could cause additional injury to your pet.
Limping can be caused by all sorts of things. These causes could be anything from something severe like a fractured bone to a minor sprain. The first thing to do is to examine your pet to see if the limping is caused by something in their paw such as a thorn or a splinter. If your pet seems to be limping intermittently, keep them confined and limit their activity.
If the lameness lasts less than 24 hours, there’s no need to visit the vet. Remember you should never give any type of medication to your pet without consulting with your vet first. The kinds of medicines that can be bought over the counter for human use can be very dangerous for pets.
Of the many pet health emergencies that you might encounter these are just a few of the most common. Unfortunately there are many situations such as these where you may need to check the terms of your pet insurance policy carefully. Always remember how vital it is that you don’t panic. A calm and rational consideration of the situation will enable the correct treatment to be provided. You should always seek help from a vet for your pet if you are unsure as to what you should do.
Stephanie Andrew writes, edits and publishes articles for SEO consultants ePage Solutions, whose clients include the UK’s only not-for-profit pet insurance and horse insurance company, Animal Friends. All AFI’s net profits are donated to animal charities and welfare organisations around the world.
You can get a quick online quote for your cat, dog or horse insurance, or give the friendly and knowledgeable sales team a call on 0844 55 70 300. All the staff at the call centre in Wiltshire, UK, are animal lovers too, and will be happy to advise you on purchasing a policy which best suits your needs.
