Emergency Care for Your Pet’s Limp
In most cases, receiving veterinary care for your pet’s lameness can wait until the following business day. The need to visit your local emergency veterinary hospital right away is indicated by a few conditions as well as limping.
Lameness signs in pets that require emergency care
If your four-legged friend shows any of the following signs, head to the emergency room:
- Dragging a limb
- Not bearing weight on a limb
- Extreme lethargy
- Uncontrollable bleeding
- Excessive swelling
- Excessive vocalization
- Abrupt worsening of a limp
If your pet has minor lameness, as well as worrying signs like vomiting or diarrhea, they may require emergency treatment for the primary cause, and not necessarily the limp.
Lameness causes in pets that require emergency care
Pets can become lame for a variety of reasons, some of which require prompt medical attention. Although a muscle strain or sprain should be taken seriously, you do not need to head straight to the nearest emergency room. However, some conditions do necessitate urgent care, such as:
- A fractured limb
- Paresis or paralysis of one or more limbs
- A deep or large wound that will not stop bleeding
- A venomous insect or snake bite
- A car accident
- A dog fight
Some of these situations may not appear to result in much injury, but internal issues could develop that require treatment. For example, you may think that your pet who was hit by a car and has only some road rash on their legs and a minor limp is fine, but a comprehensive examination may reveal damage to their liver, spleen, kidneys, or bladder, which could require intensive hospitalization.
A pet that has been bitten by another animal is another scenario that frequently necessitates emergency care. Punctures only leave tiny holes behind, but the wounds spread infection very quickly. Additionally, a pet that grabs and shakes your pet can seriously harm the underlying tissues and quickly worsen the situation.
Determining whether your four-legged friend who has become a three-legged pet needs emergency care can be difficult. So, give our team a call to discuss your pet’s condition, and we can advise you whether they need emergency treatment.