Animerge is a fully staffed veterinary emergency and specialty hospital. We are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for your pet’s medical emergencies and specialty cases. No matter what, we’re here to provide the highest level of medical care possible for every patient.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Summer Treat Recipe for Dogs
Are you looking for a nice summer treat for your dog? This can be as easy as stuffing a Kong and freezing it! Just remember to feed your pet their cool treat outside because it can get a little messy as it defrosts.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Monday, July 8, 2013
Dangerous Substances for Pets
At the APCC, we are often asked “what’s the most dangerous substance my pet could be exposed to?” People are often surprised to hear that some of the most dangerous substances are the everyday things we can easily overlook. Albuterol is aperfect example, since it is in the inhalers used by many of the 26 million Americans living with asthma. But albuterol is also highly toxic to pets, and can even cause death if ingested in large enough quantities.
Recently, the APCC assisted Dr. Andrea Freeman at Animerge on a remarkable and fortunately non-fatal case of albuterol poisoning. We thought it might be helpful to share this story with others.
The day before leaving for vacation, Martina was frantically doing last-minute errands, packing for herself and her children, and preparing lists for the pet sitter. Though hurried, she noticed that Bella, her food-loving Labrador, finished neither her own dinner nor your Yorkie’s leftover scraps. It was the first sign something wasn’t right.
Later, when the 80 pound pup had to be coaxed outside for a walk the family knew something was wrong. As they piled into the car to take Bella to the vet, they noticed Bella’s rapid, shallow breathing. The normally exuberant dog who loves car rides needed to be lifted into the vehicle. At the vet, diagnostic tests were unable to determine the cause of Bella’s lethargy. Dr. Freeman and the staff provided excellent supportive care, but without a clear sense of what was causing her symptoms, they sent Bella home for additional monitoring.
But four hours later Bella was back in the emergency room in much worse condition – her bloodwork was concerning, she had an increased and abnormal heart rate, and was having trouble walking.
Dr. Freeman called the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and spoke to one of our veterinary toxicologists, Dr. Irina Meadows. Dr. Freeman had a hunch that Bella may have ingested a toxin, but Martina’s family couldn’t think of anything. They were, after all, very careful about keeping known harmful substances out of Bella’s reach.
Still, Dr. Meadows trusted Dr. Freeman’s hunch, and asked the owner if anyone in the home was asthmatic. Martina ran to the room of her 10-year-old son. His albuterol inhaler that had been laying in an open suitcase was missing. Martina looked under her own bed, where Bella stores her favorite toys, and discovered the inhaler – still in the box – with a gaping puncture in it.
They had found the toxin and not a moment too soon. Dr. Meadows relayed critical care information to Dr. Freeman who administered treatment immediately. Bella soon began showing signs of improvement, and 48 hours later was back to normal.
This story had a happy ending in no small part because of the fast action and thinking of Martina and her family, the team at Animerge, and the APCC toxicology staff. But it could have easily ended on a different and sadder note had Bella’s illness gone undiagnosed much longer.
The lesson? Next time you think about how to protecting your pet from poisonous substances, make sure to consider common household items (like inhalers) as well as more well-known toxins (like bleach or insect repellent). And, if you have any questions, you can always contact the ASCPA Animal Poison Control Center. We’re here to help.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/aspcaapcc?hc_location=timeline
Recently, the APCC assisted Dr. Andrea Freeman at Animerge on a remarkable and fortunately non-fatal case of albuterol poisoning. We thought it might be helpful to share this story with others.
The day before leaving for vacation, Martina was frantically doing last-minute errands, packing for herself and her children, and preparing lists for the pet sitter. Though hurried, she noticed that Bella, her food-loving Labrador, finished neither her own dinner nor your Yorkie’s leftover scraps. It was the first sign something wasn’t right.
Later, when the 80 pound pup had to be coaxed outside for a walk the family knew something was wrong. As they piled into the car to take Bella to the vet, they noticed Bella’s rapid, shallow breathing. The normally exuberant dog who loves car rides needed to be lifted into the vehicle. At the vet, diagnostic tests were unable to determine the cause of Bella’s lethargy. Dr. Freeman and the staff provided excellent supportive care, but without a clear sense of what was causing her symptoms, they sent Bella home for additional monitoring.
But four hours later Bella was back in the emergency room in much worse condition – her bloodwork was concerning, she had an increased and abnormal heart rate, and was having trouble walking.
Dr. Freeman called the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and spoke to one of our veterinary toxicologists, Dr. Irina Meadows. Dr. Freeman had a hunch that Bella may have ingested a toxin, but Martina’s family couldn’t think of anything. They were, after all, very careful about keeping known harmful substances out of Bella’s reach.
Still, Dr. Meadows trusted Dr. Freeman’s hunch, and asked the owner if anyone in the home was asthmatic. Martina ran to the room of her 10-year-old son. His albuterol inhaler that had been laying in an open suitcase was missing. Martina looked under her own bed, where Bella stores her favorite toys, and discovered the inhaler – still in the box – with a gaping puncture in it.
They had found the toxin and not a moment too soon. Dr. Meadows relayed critical care information to Dr. Freeman who administered treatment immediately. Bella soon began showing signs of improvement, and 48 hours later was back to normal.
This story had a happy ending in no small part because of the fast action and thinking of Martina and her family, the team at Animerge, and the APCC toxicology staff. But it could have easily ended on a different and sadder note had Bella’s illness gone undiagnosed much longer.
The lesson? Next time you think about how to protecting your pet from poisonous substances, make sure to consider common household items (like inhalers) as well as more well-known toxins (like bleach or insect repellent). And, if you have any questions, you can always contact the ASCPA Animal Poison Control Center. We’re here to help.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/aspcaapcc?hc_location=timeline
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