Emergency Care

Animal Doctor provides emergency care for the Junction City and Manhattan area. We accept referrals and provide second opinions.

Emergency care may be required for many situations or events, including infections, traumatic injuries (dog bites, fractures, wounds, trauma), lameness, dehydration, and chronic debilitating diseases, such as renal failure or cancer.

Description: Emergency care can include diagnostic testing (blood, urine, stool, x-rays, ultrasound), hospitalization, intravenous or subcutaneous fluids, or injections of pain/anti-inflammatory medications or antibiotics. It may also consist of surgical repair of lacerations, or surgical exploration to remove a foreign body from the stomach or intestine.

Symptoms: Any number of symptoms may be seen, depending on the emergency. You may see gastrointestinal symptoms if there is infection or inflammation in the case of gastroenteritis, or a foreign body in the stomach or intestines. Lacerations, dehydration, inappetence, and pain are other possible symptoms.

What questions do we ask?

Any vomiting or diarrhea seen? When did it start?
Any history of eating inappropriate things?
Any changes in appetite?
Any changes to urination or thirst?
Any history of lethargy or change in behavior?
Any history of lameness? Limping? In which leg(s) and when did it start?
Any chronic illnesses we should be aware of?
Is your pet taking any medications?

Wounds:

Did you see what happened to cause the laceration?
When did it happen?
What have you done at home to help?

What are the steps we take to treat your pet?

We will obtain a complete medical history and perform a thorough physical examination. Based on the initial symptoms, blood, urine, and stool testing may be indicated, as well as x-rays or an abdominal ultrasound. Your pet may be hospitalized if dehydrated, weak, or declining. Your pet may have surgery if there is a laceration, or a possible foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract.

Animal Doctor Emergency Care potential treatment plans?

Oral medications

Oral antibiotics
Oral anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs)
Oral additional pain medications (Gabapentin, Tramadol)
Oral antinausea medications
Oral antiseizure medications
Activated charcoal administration if toxin is ingested

Injections

Antibiotics
Anti-inflammatories (NSAID’s)
Subcutaneous or intravenous fluids
Sedation for surgery (laceration repair, surgical exploratory)
Antinausea medications
Antiseizure medications

Topical Medications / Treatments

Ointments or lotions to apply to wounds if indicated
Cold laser treatment to repaired lacerations or surgical incisions
Hospitalization

What are the risks if an emergency is left untreated?

Any laceration could become infected and not heal properly, and it also causes pain to your pet. A foreign body left in the stomach or intestines can be deadly by causing a blockage, then perforations, then peritonitis and death. Toxin ingestions left untreated can lead to organ failures, GI ulcerations, neurological symptoms (seizures), and possibly death. Infections if left untreated can lead to pain, sepsis, dehydration, and death. Other inflammatory issues, lameness, ear infections, etc. if left untreated can ultimately cause pain and could result in permanent deficits / lameness/ deafness.