Dog Emergency Care at Columbia Pike Animal Hospital and Emergency Center
If you think that your dog has an emergency, you can call us or go online to make an appointment. Numerous dog emergencies need to be addressed as soon as possible.
Abdominal and Internal bleeding are always an emergency. How will I know if my dog has abdominal or internal bleeding?
Abdomen or internal bleeding into the abdominal cavity is one of the most common emergencies we deal with daily. A couple of things to look for at home: your dog might pace around due to changes in blood pressure or be very lethargic and stay in cold places, essentially just laying down on the ground. You will notice the abdomen acutely getting bigger. You can check the gums as well; they will be pale, almost like a white wall. A dog can experience tachypnea or very rapid breathing.
What are the symptoms of foreign body ingestion or anaphylactic shock in my dog?
Common symptoms for a dog include vomiting, diarrhea, and hematochezia or a lot of blood in the stool. Many dogs experience these clinical symptoms due to the ingestion of a foreign body or anaphylactic shock because many dogs will have inflammatory mediators released, which momentarily affect the gastrointestinal tract and cause signs of vomiting and diarrhea, as well as collapse. Many dogs don't realize they're not supposed to eat socks or underwear, which is why they often experience vomiting.
What kind of emergency treatment can I do for my dog at home?
We usually recommend having something like Benadryl. However, many emergencies cannot be addressed at home. It's better to bring them to qualified professionals. We deal with many life-threatening emergencies here, and the sooner they are addressed, the better the outcome for your pet. In other words, the faster you bring them to us, the faster we can diagnose and start treatment, resulting in the best outcome and survival rate.
CPR on a Dog
CPR on a dog is a very involved process, usually requiring at least five to seven people. CPR includes the placement of an intravenous catheter, intubation of the pet, and chest compressions, very similar to human beings. After the emergency protocol is implemented, we will start using emergency drugs like atropine, epinephrine, and dopamine. You can do both. Our advice is to bring your dog to us and, while you're on the way, give us a call so our emergency team can prepare. We can take your dog immediately to the back and start implementing emergency protocols.
If you have questions, we would love to answer them for you. Please give us a call at the office at (703) 256-8414, or you can email us at [email protected]. Our staff is always here for you.