Emergency care often begins with the owner’s initial telephone call. Instructions are given to the owner on first aid, life-saving tips and transport procedures. The medical unit at The Cochin Pet Hospital will be ready, for the animal in critical condition that arrives. The primary survey, or triage, requires a quick and accurate assessment and decision regarding the stability of the animal. As life-threatening airway, breathing, and circulation problems are identified, immediate treatment is initiated. Once the animal has been stabilized, a more systematic and organized approach to the history and physical examination (secondary survey) and more specific diagnostic and therapeutic procedures aimed at the underlying cause can be done.
Emergency & critical care
Emergency patients present special challenges because their underlying disease processes can cause immediate life-threatening problems that require rapid and aggressive intervention. In addition, the full extent of the animal’s illness, injuries, or toxicity may not be evident for some time after initial presentation. Problems can arise from an acute illness, toxicity, or injury; from a chronic illness that has decompensated; or from an unexpected complication of a concurrent illness. The golden rule of emergency medicine is to treat the most life-threatening problems first.
