Big Trucks, Stray Bullets, Porcupines, And Pets: A Few Emergency Vet Visits With Dogs
Dogs are lovable animals, but they get themselves into a lot of trouble sometimes. In fact, there are three very common incidents in which you may need to take your dog to an emergency pet hospital. All three of these incidents are dangerous and painful to your pet, and can prove life-threatening.
Dogs and Big Trucks
Whether your dog got behind a big truck backing up or ran into the road in front of an oncoming big truck, neither is good. If your pooch survives, he/she is likely to have a lot of soft tissue damage, some broken bones, and possibly organ damage if the bones have broken and pierced the organs. An x-ray will reveal to the vet just how serious your dog's condition is, and the vet can then present you with the findings so that you can decide what to do next. Usually surgery is an option, unless the injuries are so extensive that it does not look like the vet can stop all of the internal bleeding and damage in time. If you hurry to the animal hospital right away, there is still a chance your dog might make it through.
Dogs and Stray Bullets
Dogs that wander off their home turf are in danger of being shot. Sometimes it is an angry neighbor that has warned you about keeping your dog in your yard and then shoots your dog intentionally. Sometimes it is stray buckshot that pierces your dog's body and head when the dog gets too close to the range of a hunter's shotgun spray. Either way, all of the shot or the bullets need to be removed and the damage repaired if your dog is to survive.
Dogs and Porcupines
Porcupine quills are exceedingly painful, but no matter how many times your dog decides to chase a porcupine and get slapped with a faceful of quills, he/she may never learn his/her lesson. The problem with the quills, however, is that they are barbed, and they will continue to pierce deeper and deeper into the flesh if the dog tries to lick or chew them, or he/she just moves and shakes too much. Then the quills can cause an infection unless removed completely and the wounds flushed with peroxide. It sometimes takes a vet and two vet techs hours to remove all of the quills in one dog's face, neck, head, chest, and paws! They will have to sedate your dog to get out all of the quills.
If you find yourself with a pooch in a predicament, contact a local emergency pet hospital such as Animal Emergency Clinic for help.
