Being Prepared For Pet Emergencies
Even the most careful and diligent pet owner can find themselves in the situation where their faithful companion needs some form of medical attention.
Whether it’s through an illness or accident, very many pets will need to see a vet and some point in their lives. And that means it’s not enough just to take close care of your pet - you need to make proper preparations for when the time comes to take your pet to a veterinarian.
It’s not a pretty subject to discuss, and it’s not our intention to worry you unduly. Chances are, if you do need medical attention for your pet, it will be for something non-urgent or minor. But suffice to say you will hardly want to be looking up the number of a veterinary clinic that’s still open during a possible emergency case. You should already have all of the information you need at hand.
This means you should not only have the address and phone number of a vet, but also know when you can just drop by.
It helps if you know the clinic and its staff to some extent beforehand as well – this means you will be sure that your pet will be in safe hands. Visiting once just to reassure yourself that the clinic is equipped to take your pet, and that you definitely know where it is, takes only a short time, but should need to be some only once, and will give you peace of mind.
You also need to be sure that you have reliable transport when you need it. If you don’t have a car, you won’t want to contend with managing a possibly distressed and injured pet on public transport. A pet transport firm will be happy to not only drive your pet to the nearest vet, but may well be better equipped to do so.
Bear in mind that trying to coax a sick Great Dane into the back of your car may be difficult, not to mention messy. A company specialising in pet transportation will have a vehicle that is likely more up to the task than your own or than a cab.
Naturally, you should have the number of a company able to provide this service to hand, in addition to that of the vet.
Lastly, you can equip yourself with medication and first aid supplies that will allow you to give a limited amount of aid yourself. With a handbook and the knowledge of how to use the medical supplies in your home, you’re giving yourself and your pet the best chance of a happy, healthy life together.
