{"id":2015,"date":"2016-08-15T05:02:17","date_gmt":"2016-08-15T05:02:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aercmn.com\/?p=2015"},"modified":"2016-08-15T05:02:17","modified_gmt":"2016-08-15T05:02:17","slug":"hope-for-the-best-prepare-for-the-worst","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/hope-for-the-best-prepare-for-the-worst\/","title":{"rendered":"Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"pet<\/p>\n

In the past few weeks, our Emergency & Critical Care department has seen a rash of panicked pet sitters who have to bring the pet for which they are caring in for an emergency. For a moment, imagine yourself in that position: caring for a pet that is not yours but seems to be ill, unsure of the pet\u2019s medical history or even how he or she will behave on a visit to the vet. Now imagine that you are unable to reach the pet\u2019s owners to know what treatment they would want for their pet, don\u2019t know where it receives regular veterinary care, and have no means of payment for a potentially costly emergency bill. Pretty stressful, huh?<\/p>\n

Many pet owners are careful to make sure that their pet sitters never find themselves in this situation. They leave the sitter with recent medical records, a list of the pet\u2019s idiosyncrasies, provide phone numbers at which they\u2019ll always be available, and share the name, address, and phone number of their family vet. They also stake out an emergency option in advance should their pet become sick at two in the morning on Saturday night.<\/p>\n

\"man,<\/p>\n

I recently went on a week-long trip to a cabin at which I had intermittent cell service. Since I had stayed there previously, I was aware that my pet sitters might not be able to reach me via my cell phone, but the cabin had a land line, so as soon as I arrived, I emailed the various pet sitters with that phone number instead. I also left them with business cards for AERC in case of emergency.<\/p>\n

Though it\u2019s uncomfortable to think about, it\u2019s also important to consider what your wishes would be in the event that your pet suffers an emergency that requires critical decisions. Pet owners often rush to our hospitals with pets that suffered cardiac arrest, collapsed suddenly, or aren\u2019t breathing. Such emergencies require an immediate decision in order to direct the pet\u2019s care. Upon arrival, we ask these owners if they wish to proceed with stabilization and thereby authorize about $600-$800 of emergency care. If your pet requires CPR and the expensive drugs it entails, that can cost $500 to $1000. Depending upon your pet\u2019s condition, resuscitation may not be successful. \u00a0Hopefully, your pet will never suffer a dire emergency, but it\u2019s good to let a pet sitter know how to proceed if he\/she does. Putting this information in writing in a binder with the medical records or stuck to the fridge with a magnet is best so your sitter doesn\u2019t struggle to remember what you said when stressed or panicked.<\/p>\n

\"pet<\/p>\n

In review, remember that it\u2019s wise to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Leave the following for your pet sitter\u00a0just<\/em>\u00a0in case he needs it.<\/p>\n