Emergency Care at Hilltop Animal Hospital
When emergencies happen it can be a scary time for you and your pet. Having a familiar location and face can help you through these difficult times, which is why we encourage you to use Hilltop Animal Hospital as your first resource for your sick pet. We do not turn away any sick animals and if you feel your pet needs to be seen before you are able to get an appointment we promote a “come in now” policy. If possible, it is best to call before coming in so that a team member can advise you on your particular emergency.
Conditions that require your pet to be seen immediately include:
•Collapse, lethargy, or unresponsiveness
•Difficulty breathing or respiratory distress
•Swollen face or hives
•Blunt trauma, such as being hit by a car or a hard fall
•Seizures
•Toxin ingestion (chocolate, medications, household cleaners, illegal drugs)
•Vomiting, diarrhea, or not being able to keep down food
•Limping or broken bones
•Bleeding lacerations or open wounds•Unproductive labor (dystocia)
Additional information regarding common veterinary emergencies can be found here:
www.avma.org/public/EmergencyCare/Pages/animal-emergencies.aspx
Some of the equipment that we have on-site to help manage emergencies are:
•In-house chemistry, blood gas, blood count, and lactate analyzers
•Intravenous fluid and constant rate infusion pumps
•Oxygen therapy
•Digital radiographs (x-ray)
•Ultrasound to asses fluid within body cavities and fetal heart rates
•Anesthetic monitoring including ECG, blood pressure (oscillometric and doppler), oxygen saturation (SpO2), and carbon dioxide (etCO2)
•Fully equipped surgical suite
If your emergency occurs outside our normal hours of operation, please contact one of these emergency facilities listed below. We work closely with their veterinarians and can have your pet transferred back to our hospital for additional care.
Call Triangle Veterinary Referral Hospital At: (919) 973-5620
Call Veterinary Specialty Hosptial At: (919) 233-4911
Call NC State College of Veterinary Medicine At: (919) 513-6911
Call The Pet Poison Helpline At: 855-764-7661