Run-ins with wildlife
Encounters with wild animals need to be taken seriously by pet parents, says Dr. Schuilenberg. “Especially with a raccoon, if there's physical contact between the two animals, wounds or anything like that, then your pet should be seen just to make sure that they're not going to get an infection or to make sure they're not going to get rabies or distemper.”
Leptospirosis is another concern when a pet comes into contact with a raccoon. Ensuring that your bestie is up to date on all their vaccines will go a long way to protect them from the kinds of diseases they can acquire from local wildlife.
If your pet is overdue for a vaccine and has contact with a wild animal, take them to their regular clinic right away so that your vet can assess the situation (emergency vet offices, says Dr. Schuilenberg, typically do not stock vaccines so your own vet is the best person to visit in these situations).
Skunk spray, too, can be harmful to your pet’s health and require more than a simple bath (or six) to deal with the situation. “Directly into the eyes or mouth is something you should probably be treating urgently,” says Dr. Schuilenberg. “Dogs can actually become anemic from skunk spray that gets absorbed into the bloodstream. It can actually destroy red blood cells.”
Vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation
When is an upset stomach simply a routine part of pet parenthood and when is it a reason to book a visit to the vet? This is where understanding and observing your pet’s routines and behaviours plays an important part.
Vomiting
For dogs who spend time outdoors and are inclined to ‘taste test’ items they find on the street or in the park, vomiting might be a monthly or otherwise occasional occurrence. Dr. Schuilenberg advises pet parents to look for changes in their pet’s behaviour which may indicate a problem.
“Pet owners know their pet best. So if you see these changes in trends, then that might be cause for concern.” Going from one instance of an upset stomach per month to two per week means it's time to visit the vet, as are multiple vomiting episodes in a single day.
“There's a difference between vomiting and regurgitation,” he says. “Regurgitation is passive. They eat too fast and their body decides it didn't sit right and it just comes out. They're not like using their muscles to get it out. Whereas vomiting is like, ‘I am actively trying to push something out of me.’
“One episode of vomiting is not a big concern to me but when we start vomiting multiple times, one of the big things I always think about is a foreign body,” Dr. Schuilenberg explains. “They’ve ingested something that their body is like, ‘This isn't supposed to be here, I'm trying to reject this thing.’ And so they'll vomit over and over again, and it's hard for them to hold food and water down. That, to me, definitely is an emergency.”
Dr. Schuilenberg advises cat parents to pay extra attention to upset stomachs. “Most cats are indoor cats. Dogs are going outside and sticking their face in everything while cats are inside. If you're not changing anything in your house, if they haven't gotten into anything, then it's a little bit more suspicious. Like, why would your cat start having diarrhea [or be vomiting]? The same rules apply, but the timeline is a little bit shorter [to see the vet].”
Diarrhea
Short term diarrhea is something that pet parents can try to handle at home but should be dealt with by a vet if it lasts more than a few days.
If your pet’s energy levels are normal and they’re eating and drinking on schedule but are experiencing soft stools, Dr. Schuilenberg says that pet parents can try feeding what vets dub the ‘bland diet.’ This diet consists of boiled, boneless, skinless chicken and white rice with no oils or other cooking agents added.
“Unless your pet has an allergy to chicken, I think it's usually a safe bet to start feeding that. Cut out their treats, cut out their regular food and just feed that for a little bit. It's easy to digest and it helps to calm things down.”
Keep in mind that this diet isn’t nutritionally complete and should only be used for two to three days. If your pet continues to have diarrhea, it’s time to see the vet.
Blockages
Constipation is a serious situation that should be handled by your vet. “That obviously can only go on for so long,” says Dr. Schuilenberg, “because things are going in but nothing's coming out. It can cause a lot of problems.” If your pet is struggling to poop or cannot poop at all, head to your vet clinic for help.
Hairballs, says Dr. Schuilnberg, can be caused by a deficiency in fibre in your cat’s diet. In theory, the hair your cat ingests while grooming itself should come out the other end but there might not be enough fibre in their food to make this happen.
If hairballs are a regular occurrence for your cat, it could mean that they need to see a vet. “There is definitely a line we would cross and say ‘Okay, your cat’s having three hairballs a week, that's probably not normal. That's just way too many.’
Cuts, wounds, and physical injuries
Dr. Schuilenberg recommends a vet visit for “any sort of physical trauma – anything like a broken nail, cut paw, or any sort of cut on their body.” This is so that pet parents can avoid infection and further irritation of an injury.
Keeping a pet first aid kit on hand to deal with the initial injury is a smart strategy and can help you soothe and calm your pet while you organize a vet appointment.
“Have a first aid kit — and honestly a lot of the human ones probably are fine — with some sort of gauze or wrap,” recommends Dr. Schuilenberg.
“And some medical tape or something that's not too sticky, something that you can place like a temporary bandage. We see a lot of dogs with broken nails, so having something where you can stop the bleeding and prevent it from contacting any surfaces. After that, you need to see your vet but this is something that you can sort of temporarily help with.”
Other items to keep in your kit include Polysporin (do not use hydrogen peroxide, he says), cornstarch or styptic powder to stop bleeds, and a cone to keep your pet from further aggravating their injury.
Pets can injure themselves when we’re not present and some might try to conceal or hide the fact that they’re hurt. Keep an eye out for limping, swelling, or holding a paw in the air.
“If your pet is suddenly not weight-bearing on one leg, not putting it down whatsoever, that should be seen pretty quickly,” says Dr. Schuilenberg. “Because if they're not using it, then it's very painful. Big dogs are really prone to an ACL [knee joint ligament] tear, and they will hold their leg almost fully up. So things like that are urgent.”
Nosebleeds are not normal for animals and should also be looked at by your vet. “Another sign,” he adds,” would be if your pet is suddenly holding its eye shut. Then I would worry that they may have scratched their eye and those injuries can go from not so bad to a lot worse pretty quickly. The eye is a very sensitive organ.”
Low energy and lethargy
Dr. Schuilenberg says that pet parents should monitor their animals for any sudden and uncharacteristic changes in their behaviour or routine.
These are often signs that something is off and might require attention. Things to look for are a lack of energy or enthusiasm for their favourite toys or activities, a lack of appetite, and general listlessness or weakness.
“Anything that's very acute and sudden, like your pet all of the sudden has no energy to do anything, they're laying down, they're really weak or anything like that, I think that's an emergency.”
