Date: 28 May 2021
The introduction of our 24 Hour Vetcare emergency service for our clients has been a massive success and our experienced emergency vets have seen some amazing cases. We have treated hundreds of sick and injured animals from south London and surrounding areas.
Here is our list of the top 10 most common emergencies that we have faced during this time and some tips which may be useful to help your pets stay away from the emergency room
1. Toxicities
This has been by far one of the most common emergencies that we have faced since the start of 24Hour Vetcar. From grape and raisin poisonings in dogs, lily poisonings in cats to rat poison and chocolate poisonings, people’s pets have managed to get hold of lots of things that are seriously harmful to them. Please keep dogs away from grapes and raisins, and cats away from lilies. One case of this has been Miss Marple.
Sweet Miss Marple managed to sneak some tasty chocolate cake. But luckily her quick-thinking owner brought her in to see the team. Our experienced team safely induced emesis, ensuring that none of the cake was absorbed. Please keep an eye on your precious pets and make sure that human treats are kept well out of the way.
2. Parvovirus
We have seen a very significant surge in parvovirus. This has been the case across the whole of the UK, including London and Kent. This is due to the massive increase in the numbers of new puppies and inadequate vaccination protocols. Please ensure all dogs vaccinations are up to date. to learn more on Parvo and how you can keep your pet protected from it, read our guide ‘Parvo and my pet‘. Or if you’re worried about your dog, please call the surgery.
3. Foreign bodies
Animals, especially dogs can quite often find themselves in incredible danger due to ingesting something they shouldn’t (foreign body). Items such as chews, toys and in once case at 24 Hour Vetcare a corn on the cob. We had the most handsome boy, Monty came in in our first month as he had his owners worried after he had eaten a corn on the cob. So they brought him into our 24 Hour Surgery.
Monty was admitted for hospitalisation and x-rays. Due to the high risk of a gastrointestinal blockage, it was decided the safest thing to do was to surgically remove the corn on the cob via an emergency exploratory-laporatomy.
4. Upset tummies
There has been a large number of cases of patients being brought in as their owners have noticed they are vomiting and have diarrhea. These patients can often quickly become dehydrated, causing them to become weak and at risk of greater illnesses. It is essential that pet owners ensure to feed a good quality diet to their pets and don’t change over the diet too often, care with raw diets
5. Caesarian sections
We all love meeting new puppies. Since the introduction of 24 Hour Vet Care we have been delighted to help deliver and meet a lot of gorgeous new puppies. Please call us if you have any concerns with the whelping process as it can become extremely exhausting and stressful for both the mother and the puppies without much warning. When you have a pregnant dog, be prepared with our number in advance.
This month we had the lovely Chanel come into the surgery.She was having difficulty giving birth to her adorable puppies! Luckily her owners noticed that she had been straining for too long and her and her puppies were becoming more distressed. Our 24hr VetCare team was on hand last night and able to assist. She was induced into anesthesia and a C-Section was performed by our fantastic night team vets Alan and Carmen! She is now the proud mummy to 3 girls 1 boy Frenchie puppy!
6. Road traffic accidents and fractures
These accidents are very difficult to mitigate against. Any pet or animal involved in a road traffic accident should be checked over by a vet straight away. By keeping your cats indoors at night you can help reduce the risk of harm to them by means of a road accident. It is vital to ensure your pet is microchipped as we often treat strays that have been hit by cars and microchipping helps to reunite them with their family.
7. Bites, cat bites and fox bites
With the return of the warmer weather in the UK, it is common to see some pets come in with bites from other dogs, cats and on rare occasions, foxes. It is so important to get any bites checked over by a vet as soon as possible as the extent of the injury is not always clear and could lead to the rise of infection.
Pip was rushed into Streatham Hill Vets as an emergency after she was attacked by another dog! Sadly, the dog had bitten her ear which resulted in a large wound. Our amazing vet, Felicity flushed the wound to clean it and stitched it up under general anesthetic. Pip was very brave and was soon fully recovered and back to her usual self.
8. Breathing problems
Any animal with breathing problems needs to be seen as a matter of emergency. We have seen dogs and cats who have had marked breathing problems. With cases of breathing problems coming more and more common, we are now preparing to install two additional new dedicated oxygen treatment cages to help treat these patients.
9. Kennel Cough
There has been somewhat of a spike in kennel cough, possibly as a result of the new influx of pandemic puppies. We recommend that all dogs receive their kennel cough vaccine. This can be done at the booster and helps to protect against this debilitating disease. Please speak to one of our wonderful team on how you can get your dog vaccinated.
10. Blocked Bladder
This condition occurs when cats cannot urinate due to a blockage of the urethra, which drains the bladder. If you have a male cat that is having trouble urinating then call us immediately for urgent care. This can become rapidly fatal.
24 Hour Vetcare is based out of our main hospital Streatham Hill Vets which has just been voted London’s Best Vet 2021. 🏆 This is conveniently located within driving distance from our other London surgeries.
There are lots of great benefits of our new 24 Hour Vetcare service, including being:
🐾 Based out of our multi-award-winning Streatham Hill Hospital
🐾 Continually staffed by our extremely experienced permanent Vet team
🐾 Happy to help all, whether you are a client or not
🐾 Open and operating 24-hour care, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
🐾 Easily accessible, with plenty of free parking
Please remember that we are always here for you and your cherished pets. With 24 Hour Vetcare, you can have peace of mind that we are here for you whenever you need us. We hope that you won’t need to visit for an emergency, but if you do, our wonderful Vets will be ready and waiting to help your pets.
If possible, please give us a call in advance on- 0208 674 3525 so that we can prepare for your arrival.
Don’t forget, you can still book regular appointments online.
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