EMERGENCY VETS IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Looking for an emergency vet in District of Columbia? Search for your nearest animal hospital below.

Popular Cities in District of Columbia

List of Emergency Vet Clinics in District of Columbia

WASHINGTON, DC

FRIENDSHIP HOSPITAL FOR ANIMALS

ADDRESS: 4105 Brandywine St, Washington, DC 20016
TEL: (202) 363-7300
Friendship Emergency & Critical Care Services is VECCS-certified Level I Facility, led by the District’s only board-certified Criticalists. Our service functions 24 hours a day to provide excellent emergency care, critical/intensive care and hospitalization services. Our experienced and highly skilled team is ready to intervene as quickly as needed to assure the highest likelihood of a successful outcome for your pet.

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Signs Your Pet Needs Emergency Care

Has your pet experienced some kind of trauma and in need in emergency care? Here are some of the signs to look when determining whether your pet needs an emergency vet:

  • Pale gums
  • Rapid breathing
  • Weak or rapid pulse
  • Change in body temperature
  • Difficulty standing
  • Apparent paralysis
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Seizures
  • Excessive bleeding

How To Handle Your Injured Pet

It is possible that your pet can act aggressively when they’ve been injured. It’s important to be careful how you handle them for their safety and your own.

For Dogs:

  • Be calm and go slow when approaching.
  • If your dog appears aggressive, get someone to help you.
  • Fashion a makeshift stretcher and carefully lift your dog onto it.
  • Support their neck and back as you move them in case of spinal injuries.

For Cats:

  • Cover your cats head gently with a towel, to prevent them from biting you.
  • Very carefully, lift your cat into its carrier or a box.
  • Support their neck and back as you move them in case of spinal injuries.

First Aid Treatment At Home

Depending on the situation, there are some actions you can take at home to stabalize your pet before transporting them to an emergency vet.

Bleeding:

  • If your pet is bleeding externally due to a trauma, apply pressure to the wound quickly and hold it there.
  • If possible, elevate the injury.

Choking:

  • If your pet is choking on a foreign object, put your fingers in their mouth and try to remove the blockage.
  • If you’re unable to remove the blockage, perform a modified version of the Heimlich manouver by giving a sharp blow to their chest.

CPR:

  • If your pet is unconcious and unresponsive, you may need to perform CPR.
  • First, check if your pet is breathing and if they have a heartbeat. If you cannot find either, start chest compressions.
  • Perform 30 chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths. Repeat this until your pet starts breathing on their own again.
  • To give a rescue breath, close your pets mouth and extend their neck to open the airway. Place your mouth over your pets nose and exhale until you see your pets chest rise.
  • Check for a heartbeat every 2 minutes.
  • Continue giving your pet CPR until you reach an emergency vet.