***Warning: graphic content – pictures depicting emergencies discussed will be held until the end of the blog***
If you haven’t heard or experienced it, here in the US, we are having an onslaught of new patients and cases in veterinary medicine and people are experiencing extremely long wait times or even being rejected from places because there is simply no room/time to see the animals. I work at a general practice full time, and pick up emergency shifts at the local ER, as well as have access to tens of thousands of other vets’ perspectives on my groups on Facebook. One night, when I got to my shift at the ER – after working a full day at my regular job – by 6pm, I was pickup up cases that had been waiting since noon. In the first hour that I was there, FIFTEEN more cases showed up. We were telling people that wait times could be 8-12 hours! There were only three doctors there with one about to clock out. There were also very few assistants/techs to help us – I counted 5 total – 2 techs, 3 assistants and two of those had to come in on their day off.
This was absolutely insane! How could they mess up this scheduling? How could they be so careless with hiring staff that we get to this point?? In frustration, I finally asked someone what on earth was going on?? That’s when they informed me that everyone was getting so burned out that they were all quitting. They were also having trouble hiring anyone because of the workload and hours. This COVID pandemic has somehow increased pet ownership exponentially and, in doing so, has run the vet industry ragged. That is a whole other discussion, but today, I want to talk about the most common “emergencies” we see and explain how to avoid them so that you are not only not having to wait at the ER for 8 hours to spend $1500, but you are also not taking up staff and doctors’ time when they could be seeing other emergencies that were not so avoidable.
- Spay/neuter you dog (unless you are a very careful and meticulous breeder)before the age of 12 months.
- Pyometra – during heat cycles, female dogs can produce a lot of mucus in their uterus, then, when they don’t get bred and go quiet for the next 6 months. If ANY bacteria gets introduced into the system (including bacteria swimming up the blood trail from their heat) this excess fluid/mucus accumulation provides an optimum breeding ground for that bacteria. As most cervixes close up tight after the heat cycle, this can lead to a sealed sack of purulent material (Pus) and infection. This causes the dog to get VERY sick and can lead to systemic infection and/or death if not treated immediately. Surgery being the treatment of choice, there is WAY more risk to this spay than a routine spay as typically the dogs are dehydrated, toxic, feverish, some can be septic, and then when you get into surgery some of these uteruses literally look like a giant summer sausage in the abdomen – just hugely distended with pus – and if any of that pus escapes during surgery or is already leaking, the dog’s chances of survival will fall even more and much more expensive aftercare will be needed. Literally any non-spayed female dog on the schedule that is sick, lethargic, or vomiting is assumed to be a pyometra until proven otherwise. – Cost of routine spay (depending on town) – $150-500 Cost of emergency pyometra surgery – $800-$5000
- Dystocia – So you thought Princess Fiona was the perfect dog and you just wanted one litter from her to show your kids the miracle of life – or , like others on the Doodle mania wagon, you thought you’d make some cash by slapping a cute “breed” name along with a hefty price tag on the puppies. When the time comes, she has two healthy, beautiful puppies and then nothing for 7 hours. You didn’t have her radiographed to do a puppy count whether out of ignorance or to save money, so you have no idea how many she’s supposed to have, but she still looks pregnant. You decide to take her into the emergency clinic. Now, you find out there’s 5 more puppies and she needs emergency C-section, and the 5 remaining puppies are dead. Estimated profits before the C-section at $1500/puppy – $10,500. Profits after emergency surgery and spay because most places give you a discount to spay at the same time: $-2000.
- Conclusion: if you absolutely insist on puppies, get patient checked by a vet before her due date – ensure the puppies are alive, and get an estimated count. Save money and prepare for a C-section just in case. Don’t breed for profit – you’re not helping the breed become better. Evaluate your breeding stock before you breed to check for genetic diseases. Good breeders will tell you they don’t make much money (if any) breeding dogs – they do it to better the breed and ensure physically and mentally healthy animals.
- Neuter – okay, this doesn’t necessarily cause too many emergencies.. as long as the dog is kept in a fence. Intact males will wander if they smell a bitch in heat and can get into all sorts of other trouble as discussed next.
- Keep. Your. Dog. In. A. Fence! (or otherwise contained)
- HBC – vet lingo for hit by car – could be anything from some bruising to instant death and everywhere in between. Broken bones (legs, ribs, spine), internal bleeding – come to us coughing up blood, abdomen full of blood, ruptured diaphragm – abdominal organs floating around in the chest.
- Dog/animal attacks – your dog wanders, gets into fights or gets attacked by other animals – I’ve literally had to sew a dog’s throat back together.
- Gunshots – dogs wander into a hunter’s territory, chases away their deer, gets shot. Dog goes onto a farm, chases some sheep/goats/other livestock (it is completely legal and encouraged in most states to shoot a dog chasing livestock). Dog goes onto someone else’s property even, if someone feels threatened or is just a jerk, shoots your dog.
- Diarrhea/vomiting/foreign bodies – you swear your dog couldn’t have gotten into anything because you keep your trash locked up, but the dog is not in an enclosure. So, they could have wandered to find a rotting carcass, someone else’s trash, compost pile, animal feces, discarded drugs, rat poison, antifreeze, etc.
- Traps – I have seen dogs and cats get lost and when they are finally found, their leg is crushed or strangulated, and rotting in a small game trap.
- Porcupine quills – yes, it’s possible for a porcupine to wander into your yard, especially if you have invisible fencing, but it’s far more likely that your dog (or cat) wandered into the woods and found this prickly friend.
- Vaccinate your animals –
- Parvo is a horrible virus that attacks the small intestines, stripping tissue off and causing horrible bloody diarrhea and vomiting and is 100% preventable with vaccines. And yet we see numerous puppies a year that need to be hospitalized and can take 5-10 days to fully recover – if they recover. They will be hooked up to IV fluids and medications while we try to get on top of their intestines melting and prevent infection traveling to all the organs and causing a horrible septic death – all because vaccines were too expensive or inconvenient, or whatever ridiculous reason we are given. And we have all seen numerous parvo cases where the owner bought vaccine at a farm supply store. Just go to the vet. Just do it. Vaccine $30 (with 1-3 boosters depending on age of presentation) Parvo treatment $1000-5000 depending on length of stay
- Distemper – more rare now, but severe neurologic (can’t walk, breathe, etc) symptoms – very rarely recover.
- Lyme – very big in parts of the country and getting worse – mostly tired acting sore/painful animals, but sometimes they go into kidney failure – grave prognosis
- Lepto – a bacteria spread by urine from other animals – your pet picks it up from drinking from water on the ground – rivers/lakes/streams/puddles. Causes severe renal and liver failure – poor prognosis.
- Rabies – 100% FATAL!! and 100% preventable. That is all.
- Look at/touch your animals occasionally. No, you are not a vet, but you can certainly keep track of something not looking right about your pet before it gets to the point of a 1am emergency. I can’t tell you how many “this 7lb tumor just grew over night and is now open and bleeding” or “I don’t know how his collar got embedded 2 inches into his neck” or “we just noticed his ear melting off his head” etc.
- Get established at a veterinary office – so many ER clients end up there because they have a semi-urgent problem, but they don’t have a primary DVM so they are stuck going to pay for a $1000 visit (usually they decide to do this at 9:30pm for some ungodly reason).
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Thank you for a most educational blog for this month. I miss you on the Incredible Dr Pol.
Watch after yourself!
Your dedication to your family and other people’s animals is truly inspiring. Your the ideal example of how a parent can inspire their children to achieve greatness.
Hi Dr. Emily:
Another item to add in addition to spaying/neutering is to keep your pets indoors. They will be safer and happier. We keep our cat inside at all times and she enjoys chilling out on her various perches.
Glory be! We may have had our faults, but I am glad that we have always had a vet. Even through many moves, graduate school, children… I cannot imagine putting an animal through what some of these must have suffered. Thank you for educating us.
Those pyo pictures…wow, amazing that the pets survived! This was a great blog entry! It is next to impossible to get your pet in to see a vet here…wait time is 2 months, and we have no emergency clinics. My neighbour drove 5 hours west to the next closest clinic to get his new puppy’s vaccinations on schedule. Your points are all good pieces of advice.
We used to live in east central Nevada. It was the same there. You were lucky if you could see a vet M-F, 8-5. No way could you see a vet off hours even if it was a dire emergency. Had to drive 4 hours and to a different state to get emergency help.
Awesome blog. I’m close friends with a vet and the animals ppl bring in are sickening. I don’t understand how u can have an animal and not seek medical care when needed. I don’t know how you vets, asst and techs don’t throat punch ppl on a daily. I work in human medicine and it’s not much better, but at least my pts make their own choice to not been seen til it’s to late. Poor animals have no say.
Thank you for all you do, stay strong, and keep mentally healthy!! Best of wishes to you Dr. Em.
This is why I don’t have a pet. ( I so want a cat). Because I can’t afford it.
Those poor animals.
Thnak you for this column and the photos! Such importnat info to circulate and circulate.
Would you approve if I recirculated it – with proper credit to you, of course. I won’t if you’d rather I didn’t.
Thank you.
Thank you for this!
Thank you for this! Very educational!
Wow, tough photos. We’ve been with our vet for over 20 years. So glad they’ve been there for us and guide us as needed. Thanks Dr. Emily.
Thank you so much for this post. I’m appalled at how so many people treat pets. I rescued 3 beautiful beagles and 5 cats that had horrible starts to life but now are living the dream! Each of them has their own very different “problems” and I spend an awful amount of time just trying to help them deal with the PTSD they will have forever! I’m disabled and money is tight but I still take care of my furbabies. Too many people need some straight talk and I thank you very much for giving it!!
Thanks for this Angel Dr. Thomas ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I wish all pet parents had to read this. Shows an extremely frustrating side to your job. Those poor fur babies . God bless you for all you do. Love you.
I’d love to share this.
Go for it!
Thankyou for the advice. My 20 lb dog took me to the million dollar vet for a foxtail in his throat. The cat took my daughter because he would not eat or drink for about 5 days and for 5 days we couldn’t get in to the dr. That was very expensive. And you’re right, take care of your pets. Ours sleep with us so they are loved so much. Love you Dr Emily
I often watch Doc Pol and find myself yelling at the TV “quit just letting your dog out the back door to run loose.” Your just asking for trouble. Put up a fenced area where your dog can run loose. It can just be a dog run, not the whole yard.
Use your own judgement but cats have decimated the song bird population. And if you think your cat is not a problem, because it’s been declawed, think again. We watched our declawed cat catch a bird with no difficulty. Fortunately hubby was right there and got the bird away from the cat. Bird flew away.
Wow. this was an excellent article.. i watch Dr. Pol all the time and i am amazed at how long people wait to bring a dog or cat, or any animal for that matter, into the vets with a real emergency which should have been looked after immediately.. and i know that you, as a vet, see this type of thing all the time… i miss you on the show, but i continue to watch.. hope all is well with you, Tony and the kids…take care and be safe…
You are a wonderful vet and so educational as well!!! We miss you up here !!
Love alexandra rosebush Michigan!!
Thank you for this eye opening blog! Every potential pet parent should read this and take it to heart. I had no idea vets have seen such an increase in emergencies –
Good info. I have heard about crazy wait times for vets in our area. Some offices took on hundreds of new patients. Insane.
It is good animal care professionals, such as yourself, work as they do. Thank You. Maybe one day society will catch up with you.
Thank you for this post, especially the part about checking your pet regularly. When I watch the vet shows it always boggles the mind when people say a huge tumor just showed up or the problem came up weeks before and they are just going to the vet. Every day I am checking my dog while we play or cuddle to make sure he doesn’t have any weird bumps or bugs or anything…..just like I would check myself…..but maybe people don’t do that either.
I just saw a show where a medium sized dog ate several large boot socks. Are we not picking up dirty clothes? I can’t imagine the cost of retrieving those items from his stomach.
Great article! I agree that people should pay more attention to their pets than they do. I can tell you where every lump and bump is on both my dogs. I know their eating/sleeping/bathroom habits like I know my own. I know what meds they are on and how often they take them. If you aren’t going to put that kind of energy into taking care of whatever pet you have, then maybe you should re-think owning an animal. They depend on you for their care.
Thank you for sharing the good, bad and ugly of a day in the life of a vet. It is so apparent that many people who acquired pets/dogs during the pandemic, have not given enough thought to what comes after you become a pet owner. Even here in Canada, vets are so very busy. I can’t imagine how heartbreaking it is for you to deal with some of the cases that you had photos of. Please take care of yourself and thank you for sharing the last photo of your dog and your daughter in the river. It looks wonderful.
Wow, just wow! Thank you for sharing this with us. Always considered myself a responsible pet owner, but this has really shed a new light on how important preventative treatment is.
Emily,
Thank you for sharing and spreading awareness.
Thank you Dr Emily. I have watched Dr Pol and all the other shows for about ten years now. I’ve watched how pets have been treated the ailments but the shows have been sanitized. Thank you for showing the gross pictures. I have done all the right things for my many dogs and cats. I have wondered why my vet is suddenly so popular and hard to get in when there’s been a problem. It’s the same difficulty getting into my pcp! Thank you again.
Hey Doc Emily….I have followed you for a couple of years and enjoy your entries and view of life. This is by far the best blog you’ve posted. I have a couple of spays to schedule!!
Thank you!!
Thanks for sharing these very common sense ways to prevent emergencies. Sadly, some people who own animals simply can’t afford proper care on a routine basis, and they’re hoping that whatever the problem is… it will just go away. I wish some of the vet shows on TV would talk about the costs. Maybe it would help folks understand that prevention is much less expensive than cure.
This was very educational. Thank you for sharing the information! Blessings to you and yours
Thank you for the good advise. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for being so inspiring for me! You make everything look so easy but I know it is not. I decided to apply to vet school last year because of you and I am starting in the fall. In my country students apply to universities after high school (age 18-19). I am 27 now but it is never too late to do something useful with your life. I think being a veterinarian is so rewarding when one sees the progress the animal makes and saving lives is amazing in my opinion.
I wish you and your family much happiness and health!
Thank you!
I have a wonderful vet Dr Dean Stringfellow he helped my Bobcat fight kidney failure till it was time for him to cross the Rainbow Bridge he came in on a Sunday afternoon to help him I’ll always be grateful for the care he showed us . Thank you for what you do Dr Emily ❤️