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Pre-Surgical Information
Spaying or neutering your pet is a big step! There is a lot to consider
when we are planning your pet’s surgery. Here is some information to help
you make wise decisions.
Click here . . .
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Special LibraryOur Special Library
is a collection of informative articles on a variety of health topics.
Click here . . .
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Discharge InstructionsClick here for
information on how to care for your pet at home.
Click here . . .
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How to tell if it is an emergency.
So you think you might have an emergency, and you are
wondering if you need to have an emergency exam.....
The first thing to remember is that it is impossible,
illegal, unethical, and probably immoral to diagnose
over the phone (at least it is not fattening). To
make a diagnosis, the doctor needs to take the history,
make observervations, collect data, take measurements,
form impressions, and then put it all together to decide
what the problem is. It takes nearly all the senses:
sight, touch, smell, hearing, (but thankfully not
taste), to get all the information we need. Often
it also takes labwork. Medicine is both an art and
a science, and neither art nor science happen over the
phone.
The Point: I can't tell you if your horse is going
to be okay until tomorrow or not over the phone. I
need to examine the horse first. If you had
a terrible stomach ache, and you called your doctor and
he told you to just take two aspirin and call him in the
morning, would you feel that you had gotten a good
diagnosis? Would you still worry that maybe you
have appendicitis? Would you feel any better than
you did before you called?
So When is it an Emergency?
Below is a list of problems that may very well be
serious and need immediate attention. The
underlined headings are links you can click for more
information. While this is not an exhaustive list,
it may get you started.
Colic Colic means
abdominal pain. When horses have abdominal pain,
they show it by doing things like not eating (a big
change for some horses), lying down, rolling, kicking at
their side or stomach, looking at their flank, sweating,
or trying to urinate repeatedly. They sometimes
have a painful expression. They become less interested
in what's going on around them. When you see this
kind of behavior, I recommend having them examined ASAP.
DO NOT give banamine or any other drug without checking
with the veterinarian first, because it makes it nearly
impossible to tell whether the colic is severe or not.
Cuts anywhere near a Joint or Tendon Wounds,
even small wounds, near a tendon or joint can be very
serious, and even hours can make a difference. Any
wound that is more than skin deep, especially puncture
wounds, that is near a joint or tendon needs to be
examined sooner rather than later.
Uncontrolled, Severe Bleeding
Apply a tight wrap and have the patient examined as soon
as possible.
Down and Can't Get Up Bad things
happen when horses are down and can't get up.
These are true emergencies.
Green Stuff coming out the Horse's Nose
This can be a sign of "choke," or esophageal
obstruction. The danger here is esophageal
perforation or pneumonia from snorting the gree stuff
into their lungs. These need to be seen right
away.
Emergency Policy
There is a $78 after-hour fee in addition to regular charges for all after-hours work. We do not allow charges for after-hours work.
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