Posts in Category: Pet Emergencies & First Aid
Are You Prepared to Handle a Pet Emergency?
Although none of us want to consider a sudden illness or injury to befalling our pets, ignoring the possibility that they will get sick or hurt reduces your ability to handle a pet emergency. We can help you recognize the signs that your pet needs immediate help, and give you some pointers on what you can do for them until you can get to a veterinary hospital.
Continue…Disaster Preparedness for Pet Owners: Are You Ready?
In honor of Disaster Preparedness Month in September, Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital wants to challenge our readers. How knowledgeable are you about disaster preparedness for pet owners? Are you ready if something were to happen?
Continue…Keeping Your Pet Safe in a Disaster
No one wants to think that a catastrophic event will touch their lives or the lives of those they know and love. It’s important to have a safety plan in place before disaster hits. Preparedness makes safety possible in many cases.
Continue…Diarrhea in Dogs: When is it an Emergency?
Dog diarrhea is not fun for you or for your canine companion. Diarrhea might be a quick remedy. However, chronic diarrhea can require more treatment. Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital wants to help you determine if your dog’s diarrhea is cause for concern:
Cause of Diarrhea in Dogs
Diarrhea is caused by malfunction of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Here are a few reasons your pet might have diarrhea:
Infectious diarrhea: Can be caused by Viral (Parvo, distemper, coronavirus—NOT COVID-19), anthelmintic parasites (roundworm, hookworm, whipworm), protozoal parasites (giardia, coccidia), bacteria (clostridium, leptospirosis, salmonella, E.coli), or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
Trauma: a foreign body, penetrating wound, toxin exposure, or ulceration
Autoimmune: Inflammatory bowel disease
Vascular infarction: blood clot blocking blood flow to the GI tract
Last, but not least:
Iatrogenic: Dietary indiscretion, stress, chocolate, or overfeeding
Human Food: A Lead Suspect
While it might be tempting to give your dog a bite of lasagna, foods high in salt or fat can lead to diarrhea. Human bodies are accustomed to this diet, but we assure you: your dog is not.
Try feeding your dog some fruits and vegetables such as apples (no seeds), green beans, and carrots instead of a piece of a pizza slice or turkey breast from your sandwich.
How Your Veterinarian Can Help
If your pet has diarrhea, your veterinarian at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital will be able to help you determine the type and the cause of the issue. We can walk you through the difference between large-bowel diarrhea and small-bowel diarrhea and find the best treatment option to get your dog feeling like his normal self.
When to Visit the Vet
We know, there is nothing cute about this, but acute diarrhea episodes often resolve on their own. Try giving your dog a bland diet for 48 hours.
However, if the episode is lasting longer than 48 hours or you see blood in the stool, or your dog loses their appetite or begins vomiting, call us for an appointment.
Chronic diarrhea is another reason to visit.
Your veterinarian can help you determine if the cause is from any of the following:
- Parasites such as whipworms
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency
- Hyperthyroidism or other metabolic condition
- Cancer
- Dysbiosis
We are available to treat pet emergencies during the following times:
- Monday–Friday: 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Saturday: 8 a.m.–1 p.m.
Please call us before coming at (210) 681‑1391 so we can prepare to treat your pet.
For Emergency Veterinary Care After Hospital Hours
When you have a pet emergency after our hospital has closed, you can call our number for emergency information. Our recording provides contact information for nearby emergency facilities that can help you get the treatment your dog needs.
Did Your Pet Have a Stroke?
Any type of medical emergency affecting your pet is frightening and confusing. If your pet collapses, is struggling to breathe, or is bleeding, trying to get them help quickly while wrapping your head around what’s going on is undeniably difficult.
Strokes do occur in our four-legged companions and it is not as uncommon as you might think. However, most pet owners are unaware of the signs of stroke, their pets’ risk, and what can be done to minimize risks.
The team at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital want to educate our readers on stroke in pets to better protect your pet.
Continue…Snake Bites: Don’t Wait, This Is a Real Pet Emergency
Snakes are as ubiquitous in Texas as country music and BBQ. Luckily, of the four types of venomous snakes found here, the coral snake, copperhead, rattlesnake, and cottonmouth (also known as the water moccasin), are rarely aggressive without provocation.
Through an understanding of snake habitat and behavior, pet owners can help their best friends avoid a painful, and potentially life-threatening, pet emergency.
Continue…Pet Insurance: Weighing the Costs and Benefits
For most of us, the idea of going without health insurance is unsettling, as we can expect to have situations in our lives that require medical attention. While these aren’t pleasant to consider, we know that health insurance helps cover unexpected medical costs and ongoing preventive care.
As our pets continue to experience increased longevity and a higher quality of life, pet insurance is becoming more and more appealing. Insurance not only allows pet owners to have more control over their pet’s medical needs, it also improves the annual care required to prevent diseases.
On Call: Treating Pet Wounds at Home
We love our pets and consider them members of our family, and when they are injured it can throw us into a tailspin. Do we rush to the vet, or can we treat some wounds ourselves safely?
Treating pet wounds at home, provided the wound is minor, is something any pet owner can and should do. At Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital, we believe in empowering pet owners with the skills they need to safely take care of their pets’ minor bumps and bruises at home whenever possible.
Treating Pet Wounds
The main objective when it comes to treating pet wounds is to stop the bleeding and prevent infection. The sooner a wound is cleaned and treated, the less likelihood it will become infected and cause bigger problems for your pet.
Pancreatitis in Pets
Indulgences in some forbidden people food, antibiotics, and obesity are all possible causes of pancreatitis in pets. Pancreatitis is defined as an infection of the pancreas and can cause serious health repercussions.
The function of the pancreas in animals, is like that of the human organs, it produces enzymes and insulin. Pancreatitis in pets should be noticed as soon as possible, and treatment given, when any of the following symptoms are noticed. Continue…
Keeping Your Pet Safe During and After Floods and Disasters
Record-breaking rainfall, rising lakes and rivers, and mass flooding over the past few weeks have been on everyone’s mind. Tragedies of lost lives, homes, and personal possessions have weighed on our hearts, whether personally affected or not. For many loving pet owners, fears were realized with missing or injured family member pets. For those unaffected, we may wonder how we can better protect pets during floods and disasters.
Emergency Preparedness for Floods and Disasters
As you may have learned in Scouts or through taking basic first aid, being prepared is your best line of defense in an emergency situation. Yet fewer than 20% of all households have a disaster plan or kit. Fewer still have plans that include the family pets. Continue…