Fortunately, the majority of the time, our pets lead relatively healthy lives.  The decision about whether or not an illness or injury requires veterinary care can sometimes be challenging for pet owners.  For example, dogs out hiking can get cut by sticks or thorns.  Dogs playing in the dog park can sometimes get in a tussle and appear to only have a small wound or two.  Occasionally a dog or cat can simply be out in the back yard and come in with a swollen or sore eye, or worse a swollen face.  However, what appears to be a small cut from a hike or a fight in the dog park can in fact be a more serious wound, like a puncture wound or penetrating injury.  A seemingly sore eye could actually be a wound to the cornea.  A slightly swollen face might be an allergic reaction.  All of these possibilities can be much more serious or even life threatening. 

Veterinarians recognize the difficulty owners have in determining when their pet needs to be seen.  The following list can help pet owners in this decision process. It is adapted from the American Veterinary Medical Association's "13 Animal Emergencies that Should Receive Veterinary Consultation or Care".  If your pet exhibits any of the signs or symptoms listed below, or if anything seems out of the ordinary for your pet, please call your veterinarian's office either to be seen or for a phone consultation:

1) Bleeding that is pulsing or severe, or does not stop within 5 minutes

2) Choking, difficulty breathing or nonstop coughing and gagging

3) Bleeding from nose, mouth, rectum; coughing up blood, or blood in urine

4) Inability to urinate or pass feces (stool), or any pain associated with urinating or passing stool

5) Any Injury to your pet's eye(s)

6) You suspect or know your pet has ingested something poisonous (such as antifreeze, xylitol, chocolate, rodent poison, etc.)

7) Seizures and/or staggering

8) Fractured bones, severe lameness or inability to move leg(s)

9) Obvious signs of pain or extreme anxiety

10) Heat stress or heatstroke

11) Severe vomiting or diarrhea - more than 2 episodes in a 24-hour period, or either of these combined with obvious illness or any of the other problems listed here

12) Refusal to drink water for 24 hours or more

13) Unconsciousness

14) Swelling of the face

15) A wound that has the possibility of being deeper than it appears (i.e. bite wounds or penetrating wounds)

While this is not a comprehensive list of all the possible scenarios your pet may encounter, it is a good guideline. The best way to know if your pet needs to be seen by a veterinarian is your knowledge of your pet and its normal behavior patterns along with your gut instinct. You are your pet's best advocate in determining when a situation warrants immediate medical attention.

Acknowledgement: Thank you to Patricia McHan, RVT for review.