Dealing With A Pet Emergency
If you have a pet in your home, you most likely have a regular veterinarian that you take your pet to for preventative care. If you have an emergency with your pet, you need an emergency animal hospital, especially if it is after normal business hours and your regular veterinarian is not open.
Finding an Emergency Veterinarian
When you have an emergency with a pet, you may need to find an emergency hospital right away. Your regular veterinarian may have an after-hours answering service that can page the vet, or they may recommend a hospital or clinic for you.
Often, a search online will help you quickly find a place to take your animal, but if you take some time to search out the closest animal hospital before you need them, it will save time and may result in a better outcome for your pet.
Emergency Care
An emergency with your pet is a lot like an emergency with a person. If your dog or cat is not eating and acting like they are sick, you don't really need an emergency hospital, but if they are injured in an accident or have suffered some trauma, they do need emergency care.
A pet that is vomiting, is sick, and will not eat or drink may also be an emergency. You need to decide if the pet can wait until your vet is open or whether you think your animal needs medical care right away. You can call and ask the animal hospital if they think you should bring your pet in or not, but in most hospitals, they will see your pet if you feel they need to come in and have medical care.
Insurance and Charges
Some pet or animal hospitals actually have the ability to bill your pet insurance if you have any. If you do not have insurance for your animal, you will need to pay the bill for the care at the time you take your animal in at most hospitals. If you do not have the money to pay for the care at the time of the service, talk to the hospital about your options.
Many places may allow you to pay for the care in installments so your pet does not have to go without the critical care they need. Your veterinarian or the animal hospital can give you information about pet insurance, but it is best to have the insurance before you need it.
For more information, contact emergency animal hospitals in your area.
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