Heart failure, pneumonia, or asthma
Flat-faced dogs and cats (known as brachycephalic breeds) have shorter, squished-up noses that make breathing naturally more difficult. These flat-faced animals have shorter muzzles but more skin and soft tissue on their cute faces, which can cause airways to become partially blocked. Brachycephalic breeds can also have narrowed windpipes, which also causes breathing to be more difficult. Brachycephalic dogs include pugs, French bulldogs, English bulldogs, Cavalier King Charles spaniels, and Shih Tzus. Some cats, like Persians, Himalayan, and Burmese breeds, are also considered brachycephalic.
But it’s not just brachycephalic breeds that experience respiratory problems. Dogs and cats of all breeds can experience heart failure, pneumonia, or asthma. As many as 75 percent of senior dogs have a heart condition, and heart disease (a precursor to heart failure), which can either develop as pets age or be present when they’re born. Asthma is typically caused by some kind of allergen (like pollen, food, or environmental irritant) and is treatable. Animals experiencing heart failure, pneumonia, or asthma will likely have trouble breathing and need to see a veterinarian.
Veterinarians will often give any cats and dogs experiencing difficulty breathing supplemental oxygen. Pets will have to stay in a special crate to receive oxygen and may have to wear a mask. It’s also normal for pets to receive oxygen when they’re under anesthesia during routine procedures like teeth cleaning.
| Potential cost for dogs | $800-$3,000 |
|---|---|
| Potential cost for cats | $500-$2,500 |
Or worse. “Scraps can be a danger of 6, 7, 8 on a scale of 10, versus 2, 3, 4 for chocolate,” said Benson. Fatty scraps can lead to pancreatitis. Turkey bones, if ingested, can splinter or become lodged in the digestive tract.
Its also important to warn houseguests and other holiday visitors. “You and I may know we cant leave our purse or backpack with food or medications in it on the floor,” said Wismer. “But a visitor may not.”
“If she ate 15 Hersheys kisses, that would be a really big dose.” Thats what Cole Wolfson of Pittsburgh recalls emergency vets saying when he and his wife arrived home two days before Christmas to find their 15-pound Chihuahua-Corgi mix Deeka had raided a wrapped box of chocolates left beneath the tree.
Chocolate isnt the only problem. Incidents of accidental poisoning from items including cold medicines, rodenticide and alcohol are elevated during the holiday season. Seasonal plants including poinsettias and mistletoe prompt emergency calls, as do scraps from the Thanksgiving table.
Jennifer Fox started kenneling her dogs on Halloween night after her Labrador retriever, Kodie, ate candy from her kids trick-or-treating stash two years ago. “You turn your back for a second, and hes got his head in it, eating it wrapper and all,” she said. “I didnt know how much hed gotten into, but it turned out, it was all of it.”
Have your pet’s medical record handy
In an emergency, there’s no time to waste. Having your pet’s lifelong medical history on hand may sound like a hassle, but is instrumental to skilled veterinarians deciding which treatments and medicines to administer. At a glance, vets can see what health challenges your precious pet has experienced in the past, and what medications or vaccinations they’re in need of.
Your pet’s medical record includes a record of when they got vaccinations, their weight and length, surgeries, diseases, current medications, and a complete record of every veterinary visit ever taken. Ask your family’s regular vet for a full medical history of your pet. Keep hard copies of any veterinarian records on hand and bring them with you to any emergency veterinary visit.
How to Settle a Dog’s Stomach – 4 Most Effective Methods
Sometimes dogs get into things they shouldn’t. For example, occasionally, puppies or dogs eat toxic foods, chemicals, or entire indigestible objects. When this happens, your dog may need to vomit up the product it ate to prevent further problems.
But, before searching for “How to induce vomiting in dogs,” online, it’s just as important to know when not to make your dog vomit. In some cases, making your dog vomit can make things worse.
So when should (or shouldn’t) you try to help your dog vomit? How do you do it? We provide a step-by-step guide on when and how to make a dog throw up.