Veterinarians List 5 Commonly-Seen Dog & Cat Ailments Requiring Immediate Medical Attention
A veterinarian asked his fellow vets to share the commonly-seen dog and cat ailments that require immediate medical attention, and it's an important read.
On October 16, 2024, Dr. Adam Christman and Dr. Matt Schiffman shared a video asking fellow vets for advice, and it's really important information. Take a look!
In a joint video posted to Instagram, the veterinary professionals discussed the ailments and events that always warrant pet parents to schedule a visit.
"What is something that you should not wait on, and be seen right away and bring them to the veterinary hospital," Dr. Christman told the camera before turning the lens on his co-workers.
Straining to Urinate
Veterinarian Dr. Kate Boatwright said that if your cat is straining to urinate, it should be taken seriously.
"They should definitely not wait if your cat is straining to urinate, especially if they're not producing any urine in the litter box," she explains.
Paralysis
Veterinary Neurologist Dr. Gaemia Tracy shared that if your dog is experiencing paralysis, it's important to be seen. In the clip, they show an example of a dog who lost feeling and control of their hind legs so you can see what it looks like.
"If your dog cannot walk, they should be seen by a vet immediately," Dr. Tracy shared.
Bloody Diarrhea
Veterinarian Dr. Matt Schiffman advises pet parents to have their dogs seen as soon as possible if they have this issue.
"If your dog is having a blowout, bloody diarrhea, that is a medical concern," he shared. "You should go to the vet ASAP."
Any Respiratory Difficulty
Boarded veterinary criticalist Dr.Adesola Odunayo explains that if your dog or cat are struggling to breathe, that's a serious issue.
She notes that a visit to the vet should happen if there's "any sort of respiratory difficulty." She adds, "If your dog or a cat is breathing funny, coughing, or just acting differently when they breathe, that is an emergency, and you should see a veterinarian right away."
They Experience a Seizure
Veterinary neurologist Dr. Neil Mittleman explains that a dog or cat experiencing a seizure is a medical concern that's important to get to the veterinarian.
"We never wanna wait when you're seeing a patient have a seizure," he noted, adding that this can be true for any "seizure that lasts more than five minutes, two or more back-to-back without return of consciousness, or three or more in 24 hours."
He says those are "always an emergency, even if we have a history of seizures, but especially for patients who have first-time seizures, you wanna get to your vet as soon as possible."
🐶 SIGN UP to get "pawsitivity" delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends 🐾🐾
In the video's comments, pet parents thanked them for sharing important information, and some chimed in with personal stories of their pets and thanked the veterinarians for their advice.
"Yes, yes, and yes... Poisonous Snake bites, GDV, HBC, any kind of bait ingestion, and the list goes on!" one person wrote, stressing that these five things aren't the only ones that necessitate quick medical attention.
"My dog was squinting, closing her eye, and a little bit of drainage. She had a scratched cornea," one pet parent shared. "My other dog's tail was flaccid. I've got him to the vet, and he had herniated his discs. Thank you for all this information! It's so hard to tell sometimes."
"Thank you. I did not know these," another person admitted.
"Do NOT wait on these!" Dr. Christman stresses in the comment section.
🐶 SIGN UP for Parade’s weekly pet newsletter for more inspiring and entertaining stories about our furry and feathered friends 🐾
Trending Stories
