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There are many reasons to consider scheduling a visit with your family veterinarian. Maybe your pet is losing weight for no obvious reason, their appetite has grown picky, or they\u2019re due for an annual exam and bloodwork. These are all important reasons to see your family veterinarian, but they don\u2019t necessarily warrant a trip to the animal emergency room.<\/p>\n
So, when should you pack Fluffy in the carrier and bring her to the ER? The following is a list of the seven most common reasons a cat should receive immediate veterinary care:<\/p>\n
If your cat is breathing faster than normal, harder than normal, with an open mouth, or all of the above \u2013 get to the vet! Unsure? Count your pet\u2019s respirations for 15 seconds while they are resting. Multiply that number by 4. If the final number is greater than 40 breaths a minute, go to the ER vet!<\/p>\n
Shallow, rapid breathing or very deep, slow breathing are also both abnormal and warrant an immediate trip to the animal emergency hospital.<\/p>\n
If your cat is having a grand mal seizure, they are unaware of their surroundings, paddling their limbs, and may urinate or defecate on themselves. More subtle signs of a seizure are face twitching and ear twitching. If your cat has a seizure, grand mal or not (especially if it happens more than once), your cat should be seen.<\/p>\n
If possible, use your phone to capture abnormal behavior and subtle twitching. The video can help the veterinarian determine if a seizure has occurred.<\/p>\n
If your cat gets into anything that is toxic, seek immediate veterinary care for safe methods of decontamination. The most common cat toxins are:<\/p>\n
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If your cat has not eaten in over 24-36 hours, especially if they are normally very food-motivated, then they should be seen.<\/p>\n
Often, these symptoms can wait to be seen by your family veterinarian the next day. However; if there is blood in the vomit or if your pet is vomiting multiple times in a short period of time, they need to be seen as soon as possible. If you know your cat ate something other than food (such as string, a sewing needle, etc.), they should also be seen immediately, whether they are vomiting or not.<\/p>\n
If your cat is hit by a car, attacked by another pet or animal, falls and isn\u2019t bearing weight on a limb, or any other traumatic situation, your cat needs to go to the emergency animal hospital immediately.<\/p>\n
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Although a number of problems can wait until the next day to be addressed by your family veterinarian, the situations listed above are critical and need to be seen immediately. If you\u2019re ever questioning whether or not to bring your pet in, call your family veterinarian or local animal emergency hospital and ask. In the end, you know your pet better than anyone else. If you feel something suddenly isn\u2019t right and it can\u2019t wait, then have your pet checked out!<\/p>\n
Still not sure if you should go to the ER vet or not? Check out this list<\/a> by Dr. Justine Lee, one of Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota\u2019s board-certified veterinary criticalists and a board-certified veterinary toxicologist.<\/p>\n![\"Dr.](\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/BLOG-Author-Block-21.png\")
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