As a pet owner, you may be curious about what qualifies as critical veterinary care and when your pet's injury is considered an emergency. In this article, our veterinarians in Franklin explain what animal critical care entails and discuss what conditions classify as a pet emergency.
What is animal critical care?
Just like humans, pets have access to emergency hospital services in the event of trauma or serious injury. In some veterinary clinics, intensive care for animals is a service similar to the emergency wing of a hospital where ambulances take patients.
Critical care is generally available 24 hours a day in animal emergency hospitals. A pet emergency can be very distressing, so owners must be aware of their options in this situation.
Who can offer critical care to pets?
Critical veterinary care is a specialized service that requires particular qualifications to be performed. Some veterinary hospitals have essential specialists of care trained to care for pets that are seriously ill or injured and require emergency care.
At Pet Vet Battlewood, our qualified veterinarians are equipped with the knowledge and tools to provide critical care for animals in need. Depending on your pet's condition, your vet may keep your pet overnight or provide detailed after-care instructions for you to follow at home.
It's important to note that not every animal hospital offers emergency services because critical animal care requires a specialization. Therefore, it's crucial to know which animal hospitals provide emergency and 24-hour services in your area, especially if your pet is having a medical emergency. Even if you learn of a 24-hour emergency animal hospital, it's always best to call ahead to ensure that a veterinarian is available to take care of your pet when you arrive.
What to Expect in the ICU
The Animal Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a caring and compassionate environment for critically ill animals, providing advanced monitoring and treatment of injuries and ailments.
During your pet's stay in the ICU, several services are available, depending on your pet's condition. These services include
- CPR
- Arterial Blood Gas Test
- Multimodal Analgesia
- Continuous Chest Drainage
- Long-term Mechanical Ventilation
- Status Epilepticus Treatments
- Transfusion Therapy
- Vasopressor Therapy
- Parenteral Nutrition
- Peritoneal Dialysis
Our critical care team at Pet Vet Battlewood in Franklin will take care to choose the best treatment method for your pet.