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Pet Emergency

Anything that concerns you about your pet’s health could be an emergency. If your pet starts exhibiting strange symptoms or has severe changes in behavior, it’s best to get a diagnosis. Call our veterinarian so we can advise you on what to do next. Generally, bring your pet to our vet right away in any of these scenarios:

• Uncontrolled bleeding, or bleeding through the nose, mouth, or anus

• Choking, coughing, drooling, gagging, or a whistling noise

• Strained breathing or conspicuous belly movements with every breath

• Shallow, quick breaths

• Trauma and open wounds after an accident

• Unconsciousness

• Frequent consecutive vomiting, or blood in vomit

• Diarrhea lasting longer than 24 hours

• Eye injuries, red eyes, squinting, or discharge

• A seizure episode

• Losing coordination or appearing wobbly

• Extreme pain, a constant whimper, crying out, or hissing

• Prolonged labor, which is more than 24 hours

• Animal bites

• Ingesting poison

Rattlesnake Bites

In Arizona, rattlesnakes are a part of life. While rattlesnake bites can be deadly, they can be treated if your pet receives anti-venom treatment in time. It’s important that you act quickly. At Dove Mountain Veterinary in Marana, our veterinarian is trained in providing lifesaving care to pets that have been bitten by snakes.

Snake Bite Signs & Symptoms

If you see the snake that bit your pet, remove your pet from the situation as quickly as possible. More often than not, rattlesnake bites happen when the owner is not around to see the attack occur. If you notice that your pet is acting strangely (especially if they’re whimpering or sluggish) or seems to be in pain, look over their body for signs of a snake bite. Telltale signs of a rattlesnake bite include one or two bleeding puncture wounds (the wounds may be swollen or bruised), labored breathing, or trembling due to pain and/or fear.

Rattlesnake Bite: What to Do Next

Once you realize that your pet has been bitten by a rattlesnake, it’s essential that you act quickly. Call your emergency vet for exact advice on what to do next. Be sure to tell the emergency vet that it’s possible that your pet has been bitten by a rattlesnake, so that they can have the proper anti-venom treatment prepared and ready for your arrival to the animal hospital. In the meantime, there are a few things that you can do to help improve your pet’s chances of surviving the bite. Don’t use a tourniquet. Rattlesnake venom stops the blood from clotting and forcing the venom to stay in one area with a tourniquet concentrates the venom, increasing the chance of necrosis of the area. Don’t try to suck the venom out, no matter what advice you may have heard or seen on TV. Once the venom is in the bloodstream, it can only be removed through a chemical reaction with an anti-venom treatment. Do keep the wounded area below heart level, as this may slow the venom from reaching your pet’s heart. Follow any additional instructions given by the emergency vet animal hospital.

Car Accident Injuries

Many pets enjoy riding in cars with their owners. Dogs, especially, love to look out the car window and feel the wind in their faces. No matter how enjoyable it is for your furry animals, they can sustain injuries if they were to get into a car accident with you. There are a few injuries that would require emergency vet care. At Dove Mountain Veterinary in Marana, AZ, we offer state-of-the-art medical care for pets who have been in an auto accident.

Pet Heatstroke

You may marvel at how happily your pet seems to adapt to the great outdoors, especially in the hot Arizona sun. But heat can prove just as dangerous for pets as it can for humans. Excessive heat exposure can lead to an internal temperature malfunction known as heatstroke. At Dove Mountain Veterinary, our Marana veterinarian and staff can provide treatment for pet heatstroke while also priming you in preventative strategies to keep your pet safe from this potentially-deadly emergency condition.

Recognizing Heatstroke Symptoms

Heatstroke is a type of hyperthermia, a condition in which your pet's body temperature soars above the accepted norms. But unlike hypothermia caused by a fever, heatstroke occurs when exterior temperatures are too high for the body to control its internal temperature levels. Short-nosed dogs and cats (Boston Terriers, Pugs, etc.) are especially vulnerable since they lack the longer airway that helps the animal cool itself through panting. Any pet left in a hot, enclosed car for any length of time, or deprived of water and shelter on a hot day, may also fall prey to heatstroke. Watch out for symptoms such as:

• Intense panting or other obvious breathing problems

• Drooling

• Staggering, seizures, or collapse

• Blood diarrhea

• Elevated heart heart

Common Pet Injuries

Many pets enjoy riding in cars with their owners. Dogs, especially, love to look out the car window and feel the wind in their faces. No matter how enjoyable it is for your furry animals, they can sustain injuries if they were to get into a car accident with you. There are a few injuries that would require emergency vet care. At Dove Mountain Veterinary in Marana, AZ, we offer state-of-the-art medical care for pets who have been in an auto accident.

• Muscle Sprains

Muscle sprains are common in low-impact car accidents. A sprain may not seem too serious, however, without the appropriate medical treatment, sprains can result in lameness and reduced mobility in the joints. The symptoms of a muscle sprain include limping, the inability to move the affected limb, and swelling. Fortunately, sprains can be easily treated by splinting the joint and with anti-inflammatory medications. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary to repair the damaged muscle.

• Bone Fractures

Broken bones can occur even if your pets are restrained. Most bone fractures can be treated with a cast or a splint. If it is a serious fracture, surgery may be necessary to place plates and screws to help the bone heal.

• Head Trauma

If your pets are not restrained, they can sustain head trauma. A trauma in the head will need immediate medical attention. Swelling in the brain can cause a seizure, coma, and in worst cases, death. There are a number of symptoms that can indicate a head injury. These include:

• Loss of consciousness

• Disorientation

• Confusion

• Stumbling

• Lethargy

• Fatigue

• Eye movements appearing to be abnormal

• Bleeding from the ears and eyes