When is it an Emergency?
Take Our Canine Quiz
- Which
plant is NOT toxic to
your cat:
a) Lilies
b) Mistletoe
c) Bachelor Buttons
d) Poppies
Correct Answer: c
Lilies can cause severe kidney failure, Mistletoe cause heart problems and intestinal upset, and Poppies depress the central nervous system of cats.
- When should you worry? Your cat:
a) just vomited undigested food
b) vomited for the fourth time today and seems listless and lethargic.
c) threw up a hairball.
d) threw up, and you see signs of blood.
Correct answers: b and d.
The important thing to do is distinguish vomiting from regurgitation which is a natural response to eating too fast. Vomiting may be more serious, especially if accompanied by other symptoms. If vomiting occurs more than once a day or has signs of blood in it your pet should be checked by your veterinarian.
- Your cat seems to be choking. You should seek emergency help when:
a) it sounds like a hairball is on the way up.
b) his mouth is wide open and he's making no sound.
c) he seems to be regurgitating and taking big swallows.
d) he collapses.
Correct answers: b and d.
If your cat can't make noise, he probably can't breathe and could possibly die without immediate veterinary attention. The good news is, life-threatening choking is very uncommon in cats. Most of the time cats are able to expel a foreign body on their own.
-
Which
human medications can be toxic?
a) acetaminophen (Tylenol)
b) ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
c) acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)
d) birth-control pills
Correct answer: All.
If you see your cat ingest Tylenol, IT IS AN EMERGENCY! Ibuprofen and ALL other HUMAN NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are also toxic. Birth-control pills contain 2 potential toxins (estrogen and iron). Any time an animal ingests a pill (even one) it can be harmful or even worse fatal. No matter what, contact your veterinarian immediately to see if there are any further steps that should be taken.
- You should take your cat to your veterinarian if she has severe bleeding from:
a) a cut pad
b) a broken toenail
c) the rectum
d) the nose
Correct answer: All
Any bleeding that doesn't stop within 5 minutes should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. However, any time there is bleeding it should be checked by a veterinarian within 24 hours.
- Your cat jumped off the refrigerator. Which of these scenarios requires a visit to the veterinarian?
a) she won't bear weight on one of her legs
b) she's walking with a slight limp
c) she shook one foot violently, glared at you and walked away with a normal stride
d) one leg is now at an irregular, or funny angle
Correct answers: a and d
A limb that doesn't bear weight needs to be examined. There are many reasons for limping, from a compound fracture to a broken nail or torn footpad. Even mild limping that does not resolve within 48 hours, or gets worse, should be checked by a veterinarian.
- Which of the following is the most serious?
a) your cat has gone three days without a bowel movement
b) your cat keeps straining in the litter box with no urine produced
c) your cat has three loose bowel movements a day
Correct answer: b.
Elimination problems of any kind can be a serious problem for your cat. Constipation for more than a day or two can lead to more serious intestinal and colon problems. Loose bowel movements or diarrhea can be a sign of a parasitic or bacterial infection. However a cat that is unable to urinate can actually die within 24 hours. Even though your pet should be examined by a veterinarian for all three conditions, an immediate examination is critical if your cat is straining to urinate to determine if there is an obstruction.
For more information on potential hazards for your cat visit:
Household and other Toxins
CANINE QUIZ:
-
Your dog ate the medication you dropped. Which drugs could cause problems?
a) birth-control pills
b) tranquilizers
c) ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin)
d) acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Correct answer: All.
There are three factors that are used to determine the toxicity of any medication: The type of medication, the amount ingested and the size of the animal. Any time an animal ingests a pill (even one) it can be harmful or even worse fatal. No matter what, contact your veterinarian immediately to see if there are any further steps that should be taken.
- You see your dog licking the driveway and realize it is antifreeze.
How long can you wait before taking him to the vet?
a) 4 hours
b)12 hours
c) 24 hours
d) get his butt to the vet NOW!
Correct answer: d.
Antifreeze poisoning is serious. If treated within 4 hours for a cat and 8 hours for a dog prognosis is usually good. If delayed treatment or if left untreated antifreeze ingestion will be FATAL in 24-48 hours.
- Your dog was struck by a vehicle. He should be examined immediately by your veterinarian if:
a) he walks with a limp
b) you see no injuries
c) he seemed fine, but now is lethargic
d) he's panting
Correct answer: All.
The most critical are any breathing difficulties, and any uncontrollable bleeding. However internal injuries often aren't immediately obvious, and even if seemingly unhurt, your dog should always be examined. In additional many times trauma injuries do not appear until many hours after an accident therefore many veterinarian will recommend hospitalizing your pet for observation for at least 12-24 hours.
- Which is more serious if
swallowed?
a) a Penny
b) a Nickel
c) a Quarter
d) a $100 dollar bill
Correct answers: a
Any time a foreign object is swallowed your pet should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. However, even though the $100 dollars may hurt your wallet more the penny is the most dangerous because it contains the heavy metal zinc.
- Your dog's been hurt and is bleeding. Seek help if:
a) it's a deep cut, still oozing after a half-hour
b) you over-clipped a toenail; your dog is yelping
c) his gums are pale
d) you applied pressure and the bleeding stopped
Correct answers: a and c.
Pale gums can indicate blood loss. . Any injury that bleeds for more than five minutes requires medical attention (even a bleeding toenail). If a dog loses too much blood too quickly the results can be fatal.
- Your dog was playing in the backyard and injured himself trying to jump a fence.
It's serious if:
a) he won't walk on one leg now
b) he's walking with a limp
c) he limped briefly, then the limp disappeared
d) one leg is now at a funny angle
Correct answers: a and d.
A non-weight-bearing or abnormally positioned limb could be fractured or dislocated and needs immediate care. A weight-bearing but painful limb may be able to wait until morning as long as your dog is not whining or showing other obvious signs of pain, such as not wanting to perform regular tasks like going outside to use the bathroom. Even mild limping that does not resolve within 48 hours, or gets worse, should be checked by a veterinarian.
- Uncle Joe gave your 10-pound dog some of his
chocolate. It is only dangerous if it was:
a) 1 ounce of milk chocolate
b) 2 ounces of dark chocolate
c) three or four chocolate-covered almonds
d) four minutes after you told Uncle Sam not to feed your dog anything
Correct answer: b.
The rule: The darker the chocolate the more toxic it is. For a 10-pound dog, it takes about 10 ounces of milk chocolate to be harmful BUT it only takes 1 ounce of baking chocolate-to be toxic. Call your veterinarian immediately if this should occur.
- Your playing catch with your dog with a rubber ball. You should panic and seek help
if:
a) the ball hit his head; he yelped but continued playing
b) the ball seems to be lodged in the back of his mouth
c) he catches better than you
Correct answer: b.
Soft rubber balls can easily become lodged in the upper airway of medium-large dogs. An obstructed airway is a true critical emergency; fortunately, it's highly uncommon. Call your veterinarian for instructions on how to properly dislodge the ball.
