As a pet owner, you might wonder what qualifies as critical veterinary care and when your pet's injury is considered an emergency. In this post, our veterinarians in Gaithersburg explain what's involved in animal critical care and discuss what circumstances are categorized as a pet emergency.
What is animal critical care?
Similar to humans, pets have access to emergency hospital services in the event of serious injury or trauma. At some veterinary hospitals, intensive or critical care for animals is a service similar to the emergency wing of a hospital where ambulances take patients.
Generally, critical care is available 24 hours a day in animal emergency hospitals. A pet emergency can be very distressing, so owners must be aware of their options in this situation.
Who can offer critical care to pets?
Critical care is a specialized veterinary service that requires particular qualifications to be performed. Some veterinary hospitals have essential specialists of care trained to care for pets with severe illnesses or injuries that need emergency care.
Our qualified team of critical care veterinarians have the knowledge and tools needed to provide critical care for animals in need. Your vet may assess your pet and decide to keep them overnight or provide detailed after-care instructions for you to follow at home, depending on your four-legged friend's condition.
It's important to remember that not every animal hospital offers emergency or critical care services, as critical animal care requires a specialization.
Therefore, it's crucial to know which a nimal hospitals provide emergency and 24-hour services in your area, especially if your pet is having a medical emergency. Even if you see that an emergency animal hospital offers 24-hour care, it's always best to call ahead to check that a veterinarian will be available to take care of your pet when you arrive.
What to Expect in the ICU
The Animal Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a caring and compassionate environment for critically ill animals, providing advanced monitoring and treatment of injuries and ailments.
During your pet's stay in the ICU, several services are available, depending on your pet's condition. These services include
- CPR
- Arterial Blood Gas Test
- Multimodal Analgesia
- Continuous Chest Drainage
- Long-term Mechanical Ventilation
- Status Epilepticus Treatments
- Transfusion Therapy
- Vasopressor Therapy
- Parenteral Nutrition
- Peritoneal Dialysis
Our critical care team at Veterinary Referral Associates in Gaithersburg will take care to choose the best treatment method for your pet.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.