Emergency Care for Pet Injuries

Dogs and cats mean a lot to their loving owners. Sometimes a pet’s needs require emergency care from a veterinarian. At Confederate Ridge Animal Hospital in Fredericksburg, we have the professional skills to treat pets when they need swift attention.

Animal Bites

On occasion, cats fight cats and dogs fight dogs. Or, your animal may be bitten by a wild animal. Perhaps you see a puncture wound that is accompanied by bleeding. In a fight between two cats, the wound is likely to be small with the tissue closing easily over it, entrapping bacteria.

This can lead to an abscess. When small dogs fight, the wounds are not always obvious either. We know that chickens fight too. Whether you see a wound or not, an evaluation by a vet after a fight is a wise decision.

Trauma

Accidents may cause trauma—a head injury, bone fracture, joint dislocation or disruption to internal organs—in your pet. Precipitating incidents include being hit by a car, being in a car that is in an accident or falling downstairs.

Accidental Poisoning

Homes can be warehouses for items that can sicken your pet. The lily is life-threatening to cats who eat it. English Ivy can cause vomiting, diarrhea, drooling and stomach pain in dogs. Household chemicals, the owner’s medications and a whole list of other products also pose problems.

Ingesting Harmful Objects

Some dogs like to put no-no objects such as glass shards, rocks or sand in their mouths. Cats are sometimes partial to tackling string or yarn.

Leg Problems

The cranial cruciate ligament keeps a dog’s knee stable. However, dogs that are overweight, older or that engage in strenuous exercise only weekly are prone to CCL tears. A pet that limps, exhibits leg swelling, licks its foot, cannot walk or bleeds from the foot has a leg issue.

Call Confederate Ridge Animal Hospital Today

When your pet needs emergency care in Fredericksburg, contact a veterinarian at Confederate Ridge Animal Hospital. Reach us online or by calling 540-441-0302 to discuss how we can help your pet.