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Providing Emergency Cat and Dog Exams in Colorado Springs, CO
A full physical examination of your dog or cat is essential to their treatment at our emergency animal hospital. While an illness or injury itself might be obvious, understanding the underlying issues and how to treat them will facilitate a much better outcome for your pet. Our emergency vet in Colorado Springs takes a thorough approach to handling a wide variety of emergencies, from poisonings to broken bones and everything in between. While we very much hope that you and your pet will never require our services, we are glad to be available if you need us on nights and weekends.
Why Cat and Dog Exams are Necessary
The physical exam helps to guide our imaging and treatment options for your dog or cat. Pets cannot tell us how they feel or where they are hurting; it is up to our skilled emergency team to find the answers. Pet exams give us a strong foundation on which to build a viable treatment plan, and help us better understand your pet’s current situation.
How We Perform Physical Exams
Whether they are sick or injured, your pet will be treated with great care and gentleness by our team. The exam will involve a thorough visual check and if possible, careful palpation of the abdomen for signs of pain and other abnormalities. It is also essential that we check your pet’s heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, and body weight. These measurements, along with the overall physical, can provide us with a surprising amount of information about your dog or cat’s health. It will also help us figure out the safest course of treatment.
If your pet experiences any of the following, (not a complete list), please seek emergency vet care immediately:
Anxiety or restlessness – often a sign of pain or ‘bloat’ (GDV)
Continuous coughing
Crying out in pain
Distended, “bloated” abdomen (GDV)
Difficulty with labor/delivery
Excessive bleeding
Extreme lethargy
Frostbite, hypothermia
Heat exhaustion or stroke
Labored breathing
Lameness in any limb or dragging of the back legs
Pale gums – which is often seen with internal bleeding or anemia
Rapid heart rate
Poisoning or toxin ingestion
Snake bite
Vomiting or diarrhea more than two or three times
Vaginal discharge
Squinting, bulging, or painful eyeballs
Straining to urinate or defecate
Trauma – hit by car, fall, involved in a fight
Tremors or seizures
Any abnormal behavior that you’re worried about – e.g., acting aloof or particularly clingy
If your pet experiences an emergency during the day, please go to our 24-hour hospital, Powers Pet Emergency & Specialty.
Powers Pet Emergency and Specialty
Open 24/7
5886 Tutt Blvd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80923