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What To Do During Pet Emergencies

What To Do During Pet Emergencies
One of the most important benefits of having pet insurance is the coverage you get for visits to emergency veterinary facilities (pet ER rooms). Such visits can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars and you may have to pay upfront in full before you can get the necessary care for your injured dog or cat.
Being prepared by being insured is one key element of dealing with pet emergencies, but what about the rest? What steps should you take when an emergency is upon you?

Out Of Hours Veterinary Care
You can’t control when or where your pet may fall and break a leg, get bit by a poisonous snake, suffer a cut or major bruise, or suddenly fall ill to the point it’s life threatening. It may happen when the vet’s office is closed or be so severe that surgery is needed not just an ordinary vet visit.

In that case, you need to call up your vet or a known facility in your area that offers round the clock emergency veterinary care – for many vets only work weekdays from 9 to 5. And when you take advantage of 24/7 medical services for your precious pet, that kind of extra-mile care is going to be reflected in the bill as well. Again, getting your pet insured pays off big here.

When you make the emergency call, have pen and paper ready so you can take down any directions for driving there or for caring for your pet till you get him to the ER. Someone will be able to give you this kind of advice over the phone, but your pet may need medications, surgery, and specialist care only available at the pet ER, so don’t think you necessarily just need advice and don’t have to actually go.

Once At The Pet ER
Once you and your injured pet arrive at the pet ER facility, waste no time in informing personnel of your arrival if they don’t meet you right at the car door. Expect an immediate initial evaluation to determine how risky a condition your pet is in, but also expect he or she may need to wait awhile for care.

If you called ahead, the ER staff should have an idea of what to expect and have some equipment and medicines already prepared when you arrive. However, if things are a bit busy, treatment has to go in order of urgency. The sickest pets in the most precarious conditions have to be seen first.

In some cases, your pet might be immediately admitted to receive oxygen therapy and/or pain relievers. There may be some tests that need to be run right away too. Actual treatment of the main issue sometimes still has to wait till after other pets in more severe condition have had their turn.

It’s important to realize that in most pet emergency facilities, you will be asked to submit payment and to show your pet insurance card / information if your pet is insured, before any major treatments will be administered. Thus, if you don’t have the cash on hand for a major operation that’s needed, lack of pet insurance could put the life of your pet in jeopardy.

To learn more about how pet insurance can help you cover the costs of pet emergency veterinary visits, contact Flagler County (FL) Insurance Agency today for a free consultation!