We cherish our pets and want to ensure that they live the healthiest, happiest life possible. It isn’t always easy to tell when your pet needs to see a vet, though, which presents a challenge to this. Your pet can’t tell you when they’re hurting, so you need to keep an eye out for warning signs that they are hurt or feeling unwell and potentially need professional care. How can you tell when your pet needs to see a vet, or worse, needs emergency care? 

Here are some of the warning signs that indicate it’s time to take your pet to see a vet. Your vet will know your pet best, so when you take them to their routine check-ups, you’ll want to have a conversation with them about the particular needs and risk factors and conditions that your furry friend has. 

When Your Pet Needs To See A Vet

There are some things that make you wonder if your pet needs to see a vet or if they’re not really a problem, such as bad breath. It’s always good to go with your gut. If you suspect your pet needs to see a vet, it’s always best to be safe and have it be nothing rather than miss a serious issue and be sorry and have to worry about medical issues later. 

Here are some of the top issues that you should take your pet into the vet’s office for as soon as you notice them. 

• Infections: Eye, ear, yeast. For these, you’ll need to see a vet in-office. They’ll give your vet a type of antibiotic given to treat the infection, which will depend on what type of bacteria is causing it (just like in humans).
• Lumps. These could be nothing, or they could be an indicator of more serious underlying problems, such as cancer.
• Bites, such as from getting into a fight with another animal, will need to be checked in office.
• If they vomit/have diarrhea, you’ll need to have them get checked after 3 days and watch for dehydration.
• Eye appearance – red or cloudy eyes or unusual discharge can be signs or injury or infection or allergies or diseases. If one eye is affected, this could indicate infection or injury. If both are, this could be allergies or other health problems. 
• Abnormal thirst. Sometimes, your pet will drink more than usual due to simple heat or from having exercised. However, if this lasts longer than a day, it could be a sign of diabetes or kidney diseases. 
• Change in eating habits. Either not eating or being unusually hungry are both signs that there could be an underlying health issue and that your pet needs to see a vet. 
• Changes in breathing – panting after physical exertion is normal. Continuous panting is not, and a sure sign your pet needs to see a vet.
• Bad patches or tufts of loose fur can be signs of fleas, ticks, thyroid disease, and other such problems that will need a diagnosis to uncover the cause of and obtain treatment for. 
• They seem more tired than usual or listless, which can be signs of disease, pain, infections, and more.
• Visible signs of pain such as whining are sure signs your pet needs to see a vet as soon as possible. 
• They have a cough that lasts for over a day which can result from any number of factors, from infection to defects in the larynx.
• Noticeable changes in behavior are among the easiest signs to recognize that your pet needs to see a vet, as there could be a medical reason for this. 
• Scooting may be a silly trick in some cases, but in others, it can indicate bowel movement issues, anal gland problems, worms, and urinary tract infections. 

There are a plethora of other instances where your pet will need to see a vet. If you’re ever uncertain, it’s always a good idea to either give your vet a call or take your pet into the office to have them checked out. 

Signs Of Emergencies

If your pet is exhibiting any of the following symptoms, the answer to ‘does my pet need to see a vet?’ is an instantaneous yes, and you absolutely need to contact your vet immediately or take them into emergency care.

• Open wounds
• Bleeding from the eyes, nose or mouth
• Potential poisoning
• A hard and swollen abdomen
• An inability to pee
• Being unable to stand
• Eating toxins, such as chocolate for dogs
• Seizures
• Traumas, such as from getting hit by a car or falling
• Pale gums
• Attempting to vomit without anything coming up 
• Unconsciousness or stopped breathing
• Disorientation
• Inability to deliver puppies
• Sudden collapse
• Labored breathing
• Vomiting blood
• Sudden shaking or whining 

Does Your Pet Need To See A Vet?

Borrett Animal Hospital offers professional veterinary services to keep your furbaby in the best possible health. If you’re wondering if your pet needs to see a vet, please contact us or bring them in. We will help you uncover the cause of your pet’s abnormal behavior and treat it to get them back to their normal selves as soon as possible. 

Most pet owners know that winter brings with it a whole host of safety risks for their pets and additional things they need to be aware of. Through utilizing winter tips for dogs and cats, you can make sure that you are helping your pet stay happy and healthy all winter long. Here are ten winter tips for dogs and cats that will help you out.

#1. Provide Outdoor Shelter

If you let your pet outside, it’s essential that you give them shelter so that they can have a protected space to go to that will keep them sheltered from drafts and snow while still being able to be outside.

#2. Ensure They Have A Warm Sleeping Area

Floors can get very cold in the winter, so you want to make sure that you provide your pet with a nice warm space they can snuggle up in. 

#3. Check Your Car Before You Drive

Cats allowed outside will often gravitate towards cars for warmth and shelter. Before starting your car, check your tires for any cats resting on top of them, and knock on the hood, to get any animals hiding under it to move away. You may also honk your horn, as the sound will startle any animals hiding under your car that you might not be able to see away. 

#4. Adjust Their Diet

You’ll want to make sure that you’re adjusting your pet’s food according to their needs, which may change in the winter. If you allow your cat outside in the winter, you may increase the lean protein in order to account for the necessary boost in calories since they’ll burn more from heightened activity and trying to stay warm. Conversely, if you keep your pet inside, they might need less food in the winter in order to prevent weight gain. 

#5. Provide Fresh Water Daily

Frozen water is not fresh water. Check your pet’s water boals daily to ensure that they have good, fresh water to keep them hydrated. Eating snow can lower your pet’s internal temperature and won’t give them enough to keep them from getting dehydrated. Without fresh water, your pet may be tempted to drink from puddles or gutters, where they could end up ingesting antifreeze and other harmful chemicals. 

You may consider an electric water bowl or one that is deeper and thicker, to help keep water from freezing. 

#6. Research How Long Is OK For Them To Be Outside

Before letting your dog or cat out, check the weather, including the wind chill factor. It may be too cold for them to go out. One of the biggest dangers winter brings with it for pets is the low temperatures, so you want to ensure that your pet isn’t outside for too long, as this can lead to frostbite or hypothermia.

Signs of frostbite include skin that stays cold and is pale or gray, pain when you try to touch your pet’s ears or paws, and in severe cases, blackening of affected areas. Signs of hypothermia include a lack of appetite, shivering, a weak pulse, and lethargy. If you notice any signs of frostbite or hypothermia, contact your veterinarian immediately.

#7. Towel Dry When They Come In

Changes in temperature can make your cat have itchy skin when they come from the cold outside to the warm interior of your home. Drying them with a towel will help to prevent this. You’ll also want to pay special attention to your pet’s paws. Salt and other ice melts can be irritating to the pads of your pet’s paws, so wiping them off when they come inside will help keep them in good condition. 

#8. Be Very Careful With Antifreeze

Antifreeze is poison to pets, so one of the most essential winter tips for dogs and cats is to make sure that your antifreeze is stored and secured properly, so that your pet can’t get into it. You also want to make sure that your car isn’t leaking any, so that your pet doesn’t end up ingesting it.

#9. Be Prepared

You never know what winter might bring with it or when you may end up being snowed in. Preparation is one of the best winter tips for dogs and cats, as making sure your have extra food and can handle whatever the weather may bring will help stave off potential issues that could be avoided with extra preparation. 

Do You Want To Learn More Winter Tips For Dogs And Cats?

Borrett Animal Hospital wants to help you keep your pet safe, happy, and healthy all winter long. We can provide you with additional winter tips for dogs and cats, as well as other pets and large animals. For any questions, please contact us at Borrett Animal Hospital today!

Colic can be terrifying for a horse owner. The majority of horses that colic can be treated and recover, but some don’t. This condition is one that you must call a vet for as soon as you suspect your horse may have it, due to how serious it can be. Here’s what you need to know about how to tell if your horse has colic. 

What Is Colic?

Colic is abdominal pain in horses that ranges in severity from mild to an emergency. In some cases, you may not even notice that your horse has colic because it can be a stomach ache that goes away quickly. In others, colic can be serious, requiring surgery, or in the worst of cases euthanasia. Since it can be so severe, you should seek veterinary help as soon as you start to worry that your horse is colicking. 

Symptoms 

Though colic has multiple forms, symptoms tend to be similar. Some signs that your horse is colicking include:

• Pawing
• Looking at, kicking, or biting their abdomen
• Rolling or wanting to lie down
• Depression
• Not eating or drinking
• Lip curling
• Lack of or infrequent bowel movements
• Excessive sweating
• Stretching out, as if to urinate
• Abnormally high pulse or fast respiration rate
• Sitting in a dog-like position
• Lying on their back
• Absent or infrequent digestive sounds

Causes

Colic can have a number of causes, so vets tend to focus on identifying the type. The three main types are: Intestinal dysfunction, intestinal accident, and intestinal inflammation.

Intestinal Dysfunction

This is the most common type, typically caused by bowel problems. This can be brought on by gas, by decreased motility, by food, by their bedding, or by sand. Intestinal dysfunction cases can typically be treated once and then your horse will be well on the road to recovery. 

Intestinal Accident

Though all colic cases should be treated seriously, this type of colic is generally more serious than intestinal dysfunction. This kind results from displacements of a part of your horse’s digestive system, entrapment, or twisting. These can cut off the blood supply to part of your horse’s system. These types can need surgery to heal. 

Intestinal Inflammation 

These kinds of colic tend to come on through stress, infection (hence their name), parasites, medications, and more. Intestinal inflammation can generally be treated medically, though more serious cases may require surgery. 

What To Do If Your Horse Has Colic

If you notice any of the common symptoms of colic, put your horse in a safe area, take all food away, and contact your vet. You’ll also want to get vital signs, like the color and moistness of their gums, their temperature, their pulse, how fast they’re breathing, the most recent bowel movements, and their gut sounds in order to tell your vet when you call them. They’d also want to know about any recent dietary or exercise changes, the horse’s medical history, and if they are in a breeding program or pregnant. 

Your vet will want this information in addition to the symptoms that you noticed so that they can know the severity of your horse’s case and how fast they need to get out to you. In some cases, the vet may not need to come out immediately, but in others, they will get to you as soon as possible. 

While on the phone with your vet, they’ll give you recommendations on what to do while you wait, such as whether to allow your horse to eat and if so, what they can have, whether to walk them around and how much or how little, whether or not to let them lie down or roll. 

Treatment

Once the vet gets to you, they’ll examine your horse and ask questions about the horse’s lifestyle and overall history. Their examination can go beyond checking your horse visually and extend into blood tests and other such things in order to get as much information about what is going on with your horse as possible in order to determine the colic they have and what treatment would be best. 

Depending on what the vet finds and how your horse is, your horse may either need to be taken in for hospital treatment or surgery, or your vet will be able to treat them where they are. If your horse doesn’t need to be taken to an equine hospital, treatments may include fluid therapy, laxatives, pain relievers, and/or sedatives. 

Your vet may also make recommendations for what to do in regards to feeding, exercise, and medication while your horse recovers, which are important to abide by.

Prevention

A good way to try to prevent colic is to be aware of your horse’s habits and maintain their health. A good rule of thumb is to make any changes gradually, no matter if it is in regards to feed or activity levels. Your horse’s system needs time to adjust to new feed and their body needs time to adjust to increased or lowered activity levels. Making any changes gradually reduces your horse’s risk. 

It’s vital to maintain their health, both as a general necessity and to stave off colic. Following your horse’s worming and vaccination schedules, making sure they always have access to clean water, and keeping where they live clean of manure will help your horse stay healthy and happy. 

Do You Have Questions About Colic?

With how serious colic can be, it’s important to call a vet if you notice any warning signs of your horse colicking. Borrett Animal Hospital can help you keep your horse healthy or get them back to health. For more information about colic, contact us at Borrett Animal Hospital today!