How to Recognize an Emergency

The Animal Medical Center (212-838-8100) maintains a state-of-the-art facility to provide compassionate and expert care for pets that need emergency and critical assistance. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We never close.

What is an emergency?

At The Animal Medical Center, we consider it an emergency when a pet:

• Collapses or becomes very weak
• Has severe diarrhea or repetitive vomiting
• Bleeds
• Has loss of appetite persisting for more than 24 hours
• Has lethargy persisting for more than 24 hours
• Cannot urinate or defecate
• Breathes rapidly, shallowly, or with difficulty
• Develops a severe cough
• Ingests a poison
• Sustains trauma (hit by an automobile, jumps from a window, or other cuts or injuries)

What should I do if I believe there is an emergency?

Seek immediate veterinary care because true medical or surgical emergencies cannot be handled adequately at home.  In addition, be sure to:

• Transport your pet as gently as possible
• Avoid putting your face or hands in or near a pet's mouth or feet (pain may cause it to inadvertently bite or scratch)
• If you believe that the pet has been poisoned, bring the label or container of the suspected substance with you to the emergency room
• If your pet is bleeding excessively from a cut, apply a clean cloth or bandage over the cut using consistent pressure