All of our emergency doctors are staff members. They do not “moonlight,” they do not serve as “relief” veterinarians and are not assigned other (daytime) duties. Our staff is specifically scheduled for evening and weekend hours.
Upon arrival to our hospital, our emergency and critical care team will triage your pet—we will determine patient status and provide immediate attention if it is required such as treating a bleeding wound or providing oxygen for pets having trouble breathing.
Unfortunately, we do not treat birds or other exotic pets; however, we will direct you to hospitals that do provide such care.
Once the veterinarian has evaluated your pet through history taking and performing a physical exam, a diagnostic and treatment plan will be presented to you. Options for tests such as X-rays and blood work, hospitalization and treatments will be discussed.
Our emergency and critical care service is unique. We make it convenient for your family veterinarian to transfer your pet to one of our specialists for advanced diagnostics and care. Sometimes the diagnosis is available and your pet is being transferred to one of our specialists for advanced care such as spinal surgery, MRI scanning or radiation treatment for cancer. However, sometimes your family veterinarian cannot find a diagnosis and needs help from a specialist to determine the problem. The emergency and critical care team will evaluate, admit and transfer the patient to a specialist the next business day. Once transferred, the specialist and his/her team will be in communication with you regarding your beloved pet.
Regardless if your pet has to stay in the hospital or if your pet is treated on an out-patient basis, we keep your family veterinarian informed. We provide you with copies of records, test results, and a CD with X-rays. We also fax record copies of the visit, and all recorded observations and tests results to the veterinarian.
Services:
Animal Emergency and Critical Care Services offers the finest veterinary services for dogs and cats that are injured or ill. There are veterinarians on premises at all times. If in need, you will find a friendly receptionist, excellent nursing and support staff along with a caring veterinarian here to be of assistance.
The hospital is fully equipped with an Intensive Care Unit, Surgical Suites, Triage area, laboratory, and Radiology suites (2). In addition to routine blood testing, our critical care team also performs blood gas analysis, acid-base analysis, coagulation (blood clotting) testing, and cardiovascular monitoring (EKG, Blood pressure, Central venous pressure).
The emergency service is supported by the critical care team comprised of a board-certified critical care specialist and critical care residents. These team members have or are undergoing specialized training which focuses in critical care. Residents are licensed veterinarians who have completed a year of internship training and are now specializing in the field of emergency and critical care medicine. The specialists and residents add another aspect of knowledge and experience when treating ill or injured pets.
Specialized services offered by the critical care team include post-operative care and monitoring, continuous renal replacement therapy (hemodialysis) for acute renal failure, and short/long term mechanical ventilation.
Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT)
CRRT is based on the same principles as hemodialysis. Blood leaves the patient and passes through a chamber containing a semi-permeable filter membrane through which water, solutes, and toxins are removed. The filtered blood is then returned to the patient.
CRRT has a variety of applications:
- Blood filtration / purification-traditionally applied to patients with kidney failure
- Regulation of fluid and electrolyte balance
- Treatment of sepsis
What to do in case of an emergency:
What is an emergency? We feel that anything which causes a pet owner to be alarmed, enough so to contact us is important. It’s always better to be cautious when it comes to your beloved pet’s health.
1) If you are concerned about your pet, please contact us at 954-450-7732.
2) Remain calm. Alert a family member, friend or neighbor about the situation. You may need help from that person to transport the pet to our hospital.
3) Inform our staff about your pet’s condition over the telephone before you arrive.
Some common emergency tips:
Bufo toad poisoning: These toads cause heart and nervous system problems. Symptoms include: drunken behavior (staggering, falling over), excessive drooling/foaming from mouth, and seizures.
- If your pet is not seizing and is conscious, rinse the mouth with running water by placing a sink sprayer or garden hose in the corner of the mouth.
- Do not try to make your pet drink or force water down your pet's throat.
- Do not give any other liquid or food, use only water.
- If your pet is seizing, unconscious, falling over or becomes very stiff come to the hospital as soon as possible.
- Call our hospital, you may be directed to contact Animal Poison Control (1-888-426-4435, fee charged) or you may be directed to give something to induce vomiting.
- Be prepared to bring your pet to the hospital. Certain toxins and drugs have antidotes which we can administer.
- Always bring the packaging or vial that the suspected substance was kept in. The label will provide information such as the main ingredient and its concentration.
- If your pet's skin was exposed to a chemical or insecticide - bathe your pet using dish soap and water.
- Approach injured pets with caution - they may bite anyone when in pain (including their owner).
- Use plywood, blankets or an ironing board as a stretcher to move your pet if it cannot walk.
- Place clean towels over any open wounds and apply direct pressure to any bleeding wounds.
- Never place a tourniquet unless directed to do so by a veterinarian.
- Call the hospital, you may be directed to remove your pets' food/water.
- Excessive vomiting and diarrhea can cause dehydration which requires medical attention. Be prepared to bring your pet to the hospital.
- Do not give your pet any over-the-counter medication such as Imodium unless directed to do so by a veterinarian.
What are some common household items to avoid?
Dogs:
No grapes or raisins—in some dogs it causes kidney failure
No onions or Kale—can cause anemia
No chocolate or caffeine —can cause tremors and seizures
No sugarless gum or sweeteners—these products contain Xylitol which causes severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
Human pain killers—dogs metabolize these drugs differently than people—only give medication prescribed or directed by a veterinarian
Sago palm—any part of this decorative landscaping, especially the seeds are deadly
Cats:
Lillies—all parts of the flower are poisonous and lead to kidney failure
Degreasers/Antifreeze—(dogs are poisoned too!!), causes irreversible kidney failure/death
Tylenol—one regular strength tablet will kill a cat, it causes their blood to loose its ability to carry oxygen
Spot-on/topical flea killers—some of these products are mistakenly placed on cats when they are labeled for dogs only. Overdose causes tremors and seizures.
