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AskVet: Frequently Asked Questions
IS YOUR PET IN AN EMERGENCY/LIFE THREATENING SITUATION? If your pet displays any of the following take it to the vet IMMEDIATELY as it could be a lifethreatening situation and waiting until the next day could mean that it might not survive:
➔ Respiratory distress
◆ Openmouthed breathing (cats)
◆ Respiration rate over 40 breaths per minute while sleeping/resting
◆ If you can hear/feel crackles and pops over its chest area with every breath
➔ Collapse
➔ Unresponsiveness
➔ Seizures/epilepsy
◆ Your pet may fall over, walking in the air, does not respond when its name is called, repeats the same motion over and over again, etc can be one or more symptoms
◆ Any seizure that lasts longer than one minute will cause permanent brain damage, so treat them as early as possible. If in doubt, go to the vet. Also take a video to show the vet if someone is free to do so.
➔ White mucous membranes
➔ Your cat/dog is trying but unable to urinate
➔ Your dog is dry retching/trying to vomit but can’t, has abdominal discomfort, loss of appetite, and/or general unhappy demeanor (especially if you have a large deepchested dog breed like a German
Shepherd Dog, Golden Retriever, Labrador, Great Dane, Rottweiler, Greyhound, etc)
My pet needs to see the vet but I can’t afford it! What should I do?
(Money, cost concerns, care credit)
If you are based in the US, apply for Care Credit ( http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/ ). It is basically a credit card that you can use for veterinary medical expenses that gives you credit with 0% interest for one year. Be sure to pay it off within a year though, because interest rates afterwards are very high. > Visit http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/ for more information and to find a provider near you.
There’s something wrong with my pet’s eye. What should I do?
(Eye, injury, trauma, cut, problem, swollen, red)
Eye injuries will need to be seen by your local vet or eye specialist ASAP. There are many problems that we can’t diagnose over the internet because they need to be physically examined. A lot of major injuries can’t be seen easily and will need staining to be able to see the lesion. For example, the area around the eye may be swollen and there’s a cut on the eyelid, and you may think that is the issue, but there could be an ulcer/laceration on the cornea which can be quite serious and can’t easily be seen without the proper instruments. Another common eye problem is glaucoma, which can’t be detected without a tonometer and is rather painful, so will need to be diagnosed by your vet. > Go to the vet ASAP.
My pet has a skin problem. What is it?
(Skin problem, growth, sore, injury, lump, bump, wound, itchy)
Skin lesions are nearimpossible to diagnose over the internet. Even in person, diagnostic tests like skin scrapings, tape preps, etc, often need to be performed in order to get closer to a diagnosis. The most accurate way to diagnose what the skin lesion may be is to have your vet perform a biopsy.
> Please take your pet to a vet to have the problem looked at.
Why is my pet dragging its bum on the ground?
(Dog, cat, rubbing, scooting, dragging, bum, bottom, behind, rear, ground, carpet, floor, odour, anal, glands, worms, parasites, infection)
Your pet may have full anal glands
, where they are unable to express them the normal way due to many different factors. Usually they are expressed when solid faeces pass through the anus, thus squeezing out the glands as they defecate. Soft faeces, diarrhoea, aging (muscles weakening), and stress are common causes of full anal glands. They could also have a parasite infestation
. Worms are very common parasites that can cause scooting. > Simply take your pet to the vet for an examination, diagnosis and treatment.
