How Do I Prevent Pet Emergencies?

What is preventive care for pets?

Taking your pet to their family vet for preventive care is key in avoiding pet emergencies. Just as the name implies, preventive care is meant to prevent your pet from becoming ill or injured.

Preventive care visits (also known as wellness visits or annual exams) usually consist of:

• Vital signs
• Lab work
• Physical exam
• Diet and lifestyle review
• Preventive medication recommendations
• Review of existing health concerns

Keeping up with your pet’s routine family vet visits can promote their overall wellness and prevent emergencies in a few ways:

• You’ll catch issues early. Your pet’s annual exam and lab work can reveal conditions like parasite infections, deficiencies, early signs of disease and more. By catching these problems early, you can treat and manage them before they potentially reach emergency-level concern.
• You’ll gain more insight into your pet’s health. Your family vet will get to know your pet’s unique medical needs and talk to you about their individualized care recommendations and possible health risks.
• You’ll discuss vaccines and illness prevention. Your pet’s family vet will recommend vaccines and preventive medications to decrease the chance of your pet contracting common illnesses and parasites.

If your pet experiences a medical emergency, your family vet can also follow up on your pet’s health and talk with you about how to avoid future emergencies.

How can a healthy diet and exercise prevent emergencies?

Similar to advice you likely hear about your own health, maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly are critical for your pet’s well-being.

Here are a few ways a healthy diet and exercise routine can help your pet avoid the ER:

• A healthy diet can promote a healthy weight. Keeping your pet trim can help them avoid illnesses like arthritis, diabetes and heart issues.
• Nutritious food offers many benefits. A complete and balanced diet can keep your pet’s body strong and help their internal organs function properly.
• Exercise is good for the heart. A regular exercise regimen can help promote healthy muscles and bones and a strong heart.
• Fewer table scraps, less risk. Frequent table scraps can be bad for your pet’s gut and some of these foods can even be hazardous for their health.

Your pet’s family vet can provide tailored guidance for your pet’s diet and exercise based on their unique medical needs and anatomy.

How do I pet-proof my home?

Many pet emergencies can happen within your home. If you look carefully, there may be hazards around you that could cause a trip to the ER.

Here are a few steps to pet-proof your home to avoid an emergency:

Remove household dangers for pets

Many household items can create a pet emergency. Some are more obvious, like rat poisons or human medications, and others can be as simple and innocent as a piece of string or some pretty lilies on the counter.

Familiarize yourself with some of the common household dangers for pets, and either remove these items from your home or move them to a place where your pet can’t access them.

Be careful in the kitchen

If you’re in the kitchen fixing a meal, chances are your pet is close by and waiting for the opportunity to catch a tasty snack. While some people foods are fine for pets in moderation, there are others that can be incredibly toxic or harmful, like:

• Chocolate
• Alcohol
• Grapes and raisins
• Xylitol (often found in sugar-free gum and candies)
• Yeast dough

Other kitchen dangers include bones, corn cobs and some fruit pits, which can cause intestinal damage when swallowed.

Be mindful of dangerous spaces

Restrict your pet’s access to spaces in your home where they could possibly become injured or consume something toxic. This may include:

• A garage if it contains fertilizers, pest control products, antifreeze or garbage cans
• A staircase if your pet isn’t comfortable getting up and down on their own
• A pool or waterfront property if water safety measures aren’t in place
• Sharp corners and unsteady furniture
• Staircases or balconies where your pet could fall from a higher level
• Outdoor spaces with sharp objects or items toxic to pets such as cocoa mulch or plants like lilies
• Non-fenced-in yards, where pets may have access to streets, wildlife and other neighborhood dangers

Check your pet’s toys

Your pet’s toy bin can also have potential emergencies hidden inside. Follow these toy safety rules to avoid a major health concern:

• Make sure your pet’s toys are size-appropriate. A large dog can easily swallow or get tiny toys or balls designed for smaller pets stuck in their throat.
• Get rid of worn out or damaged toys. If your pet tears apart a toy, the smaller pieces inside can become hazardous if ingested. (Just ask Griffin, a Doberman who accidentally swallowed a squeaker.)
• Be careful with bones. Some bone-style dog toys or long-lasting chews can splinter or create internal issues if consumed.

What else can I do to prevent emergencies?

Fortunately, there are a few other steps you can take to avoid emergencies beyond your pet’s preventive care, healthy diet and exercise, and pet-proofed home.

Consider these three tips for keeping your pet safe and understanding their risk factors:

1. Train your pet

The benefits of training your pet extend far beyond simply learning tricks like “shake” or “speak.” When your pet is well-trained, they’re more likely to listen to your commands and communicate with you more effectively during a dangerous situation.

For example, if your pet slips out of their leash on your walk and there’s traffic around you, you’ll want them to come to you when you call them. Or, if they approach a dangerous object, saying “stay” or “leave it” could prevent them from getting hurt.

Leash training is just as valuable as obedience training. When your pet is close by your side when you’re out and about, they’re less likely to wander off and end up in harm’s way.

2. Understand your pet’s genetics

Certain breeds of cats and dogs are prone to health problems that can quickly become medical emergencies. For example:

• Short-nosed pets like French bulldogs and Persian cats are particularly prone to heatstroke.
• Deep-chested dogs like German Shepherds and Weimaraners are more likely to get GDV.
• Short-legged dogs like Dachshunds can develop knee or back problems due to their anatomy.

Talk to your family vet about your pet’s breed (and family history, if you have this information available) and ask about potential risks and signs to look out for as they age.

If you don’t know your pet’s genetic makeup, consider purchasing a DNA testing kit like Wisdom Panel to gain more insights.

3. Know your surroundings

Many pet emergencies can be regional due to increased risk factors like extreme weather and exposure to harmful substances or animals.

Take a moment to consider your surroundings and situations like:

• Weather extremes: Does it get extremely cold or hot where we live?
• Insects and parasites: Are fleas or ticks active in our area?
• Predators: Are there dangerous animals around like venomous snakes or coyotes?
• Terrain: Are there natural features near us like sharp rocks or steep cliffs?
• Allergens: Are there common irritants in my environment like pollen or mold spores that could cause a severe allergic reaction?
• Standing water: Could my pet drink from a water source like a puddle or retention pond, which may contain parasites?

By understanding your environmental risk factors, you can take steps to protect your pet from potential emergencies.

For example, if you live in places with extreme heat, protect your pet’s paws from the scorching pavement by only walking during cooler hours or after sunset, and provide them access to plenty of water and climate-controlled places.

When you travel to new places with your pet, research the environment and bring the necessary supplies to keep your pet healthy.