Small Animal Emergencies

After Hours Call (859) 268-7604

Some signs that warrant you getting up in the middle of the night and getting to an emergency vet ASAP include:

  • Difficulty breathing, which may be manifested as blue gums, coughing of foamy, pink frothy liquid, panting constantly, or stretching the head and neck out while breathing
  • Constant coughing and inability to rest through the night
  • A distended, “bloated” abdomen
  • Non-productive retching (which is classic for gastric-dilitation volvulus or “GDV”)
  • Anxiety or restlessness (often a sign of pain or a GDV)
  • Pale gums (which is often seen with internal bleeding or anemia)
  • An elevated heart rate (> 160 beats per minute at home)
  • A respiratory rate of > 60 breaths per minute at home while resting
  • Crying out in pain
  • Jaundiced (yellow gums)
  • Not being able to move or walk
  • or dragging of the back legs
  • Extreme lethargy
  • Any significant amounts of bleeding
  • Any trauma
  • Any poisoning or toxin ingestion
  • Vomiting more than two or three times
  • Abnormal vaginal discharge
  • Abnormal odor from your dog
  • Fever
  • Squinting, bulging, or painful eyeballs
  • Straining to urinate, making multiple trips to urinate, squatting to urinate without producing any urine
  • Collapse
  • Anything that makes you worried
  • Tremors or seizures
  • Any abnormal behavior that you’re worried about (e.g., acting aloof or particularly clingy)

We utilize Bluegrass Veterinary Specialists + Animal Emergency for our after hours emergency services.  They are located at 1591 Winchester Rd # 106, Lexington, KY 40505.