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Emergency Care
The most important thing you can do in any emergency situation is to stay calm.
If an emergency occurs when Vetcetera is open (Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Tuesday and Thursday from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM) call us at 570-345-3250. Tell our receptionist that you have an emergency. Emergencies always take top priority with your doctors.
For emergencies occurring at night, on weekends, or on holidays please contact:
Valley Central Emergency Veterinary Hospital
610-435-5588
Click for map to VCEVH
If you suspect the emergency may be caused by exposure to poison, please call:
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
888-426-4435
www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc
The best advice in most pet emergencies is to contact help immediately — either our office during regular hours or Valley Central after hours.
It is important not only to know when to call for help, but also what to do until help becomes available.
The following list displays some of the most serious and time-sensitive situations. Any one of these conditions may be life threatening, depending on severity:
- Breathing difficulty
- Cardiac / circulatory problems
- Massive bleeding
- Shock from any cause
- Severe allergic reactions
- Penetrating wounds of the chest or abdomen
- Loss of consciousness
- Poisoning/exposure to toxins
- Seizures
- Burns
- Heat stroke
- Bite and fight wounds
- Continuous vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Urinary obstruction (straining to urinate with no effect)
Animals, frightened and often in pain when found in emergency situations, should be moved with extreme caution. In addition to preventing injury to handlers, further injury to the pet must be avoided.
Whether your own pet or a stray, avoid getting bitten when attempting to help an injured animal. Failure to exercise caution could result in your own injury or exposure to rabies.
Normal Vital Signs for Pets
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Dogs |
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Cats |
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Temperature |
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100.5-102.5° |
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100.5-102° |
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Heart Rate |
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80-130 bpm |
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110-160 bpm |
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Respiratory Rate |
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~22 |
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~26 |
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Gum Color |
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pink |
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pink |
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A note about Valley Central Emergency Veterinary Hospital:
VCEVH is located just off I-78 in the Lehigh Valley, about 40 minutes from Vetcetera. We enjoy a good working relationship with the staff there and feel very comfortable in referring our patients to them. They serve as specialists for complex internal medicine and surgery cases during the day as well as an emergency center at night.
In the event your pet is seen at VCEVH we will keep as close a contact with them as you wish. If possible, we will work to have your pet transferred back to us as soon as possible for follow-up care. If not possible, we will always be available to discuss your pet's medical condition and your concerns.
We would prefer that you never find yourself in a situation where you have to take your pet to VCEVH. Yet it is important to be prepared.
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