List of common Emergency conditions pet owners needs to be aware:

• Bloat or Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV) : Bloat is commonly seen in Great Dane, Greyhound, Setter breeds and other deep chested dog breeds weighing more than 90 pounds. Seek veterinarian help by bringing your dog to First Coast Vets for emergency care to treat the Bloat condition.
• Seizures and Convulsions: Watching your dog experience a seizure is both frightening and disturbing, especially if it is unexpected. There is collapse, involuntary movement, and often loss of consciousness followed by a period of daze and disorientation. Prolonged seizure activity constitutes an emergency. If you notice that your pet is experiencing any seizure activity or convulsions do not hesitate to call us or bring your pet in right away. After evaluating your pet our team at First Coast Vets administer anti-epleptic drugs like Diazepam (Valium), Phenobarbital and may prescribe Keppra.
• Dog Bite or Animal Bite Wounds: Any bleeding wounds and lacerations from bite injuries are true veterinary emergency conditions. Call us for urgent care to treat your dog or cat wounds and address the pain and infection associated with wounds and lacerations.
• Blocket Cat: Male cats are prone for urinary tract obstruction. If you notice that your cat is making frequent trips to the litter box and straining to urinate you need to consider that as an emergency condition.
• Heat Stroke: In hot and humid summer months in Florida heat stroke is commonly encountered in veterinary emergency medicine. Brachycephalic or smushed and flat faced dog breeds like English BullDogs, Pugs, French BullDogs and Boxers are easily prone for heat stroke.
• Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar in toy breed puppies like Yorkshire Terrier, Chihuahuas, Maltese is common especially if they are runt of the litter.
• Dyspnea, Asthma & Difficulty Breathing: Dogs and Cats experience breathing difficulties from pneumonia, asthma and Congestive Heart Failure (CHF). If you notice that your pet is experiencing any trouble breathing, consider this as an emergency and call us for Emergency Vet services.
• Vomiting & Diarrhea: Frequent vomiting and diarrhea, especially blood in it can lead to dehydration. You need to seek veterinary emergency care to address this problem right away.
• Blood in the urine and straining to urinate: Dogs and Cats can develop urinary bladder stones and urinary tract infections. If you wait too long to address this problem it can lead to kidney failure which is an emergency and life threatening condition.
• Poisoning in Dogs and Cats: Ingestion of common household plants, cleaning chemicals, chocolate, onions, garlic, grapes, overdose of prescription medications, accidental ingestion of human prescription drugs, recreational drugs like mariguana or weed are very toxic to dogs and cats. Call our veterinarian at First Coast Vets for immediate care or call local poison control or ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661
• Snakebite: Snakebite is a complex and serious problem. The severity and type of damage done by venom depends on the type of snake involved, the age of the snake, and the size of the pet who was bitten. The vast majority of pets who are bitten by a snake will survive, but medical attention is vital to ensure the best outcome. If your pet is bitten by a snake, assume the bite is venomous and seek veterinary attention quickly by calling First Coast Vets or just Walk-in for urgent veterinary care for snake bite cases.
• Insect Bite and Bee Sting: Sting or bite from insect or spider can cause local swelling, itching and sometimes allergic reaction where you notice hives, facial swelling, vomiting and difficulty breathing or even collapse. Call your local vet at First Coast Vets for urgent medical care if you notice your pet has any symptoms of aß bee sting, spider bite or insect bite.
• We are here to treat various other veterinary emergency conditions like paralysis, shock, vaccine reactions, nose bleed, hypothermia, bone fractures & injuries, drowning & near drowning in the pool or lake, difficult birth (dystocia), pyometra cases and choking.