Overland Park Veterinary Emergency and Specialty

How to Tell if Your Pet is Having an Emergency

Not all pet injuries and illnesses require immediate medical attention. However, if your pet is experiencing any one of the below pet health emergency symptoms, please call or visit our animal hospital right away:

• Not breathing or visibly struggling to breathe

• Unresponsive or unable to rouse

• Obvious broken bone

• A visible, deep, open wound with excessive bleeding or visible bone

• Anaphylactic shock

• Heatstroke

• Unable to get up after collapsing

• Gums or tongue are either bright red or blue

• Bite or sting from a venomous snake or insect or that is causing a severe reaction

• Bite from a stray animal or any animal whose vaccination history is unknown

• Sudden paralysis of the back legs, particularly in cats

• Seizures that last longer than a couple of minutes or multiple seizures in a row, or the first seizure in your pet

This list is not exhaustive and does not cover all possible emergency symptoms. If you have questions about your pet’s symptoms or are concerned that they may be experiencing an emergency, please call us at (913) 361-3800. The emergency care team at OPVES is available to assist you 24/7. We have a team of emergency veterinarians on staff to make sure your pet gets the best possible critical care in Overland Park, KS.

What to do in a Pet Emergency

If your pet is currently experiencing an emergency, follow these steps to keep your pet safe and give them the best possible chance at a full recovery:

1. Remain as calm as possible. If you panic, you may forget something or even cause your pet to feel more stressed and scared than they probably already are.

2. If your pet is in an unsafe location, such as in the road or near a dangerous animal, carefully move them to a safe spot. Try not to move your pet more than is absolutely necessary, as too much movement may worsen their injuries.

3. Contact us at (913) 361-3800 right away. Let us know what is going on with your pet so that we know what to expect when you arrive.

4. Load your pet into your vehicle as carefully as possible. If necessary, use towels as a makeshift stretcher. Animals in severe pain may become aggressive, so you may need to loosely drape a soft cloth over your pet’s eyes to help them calm down.

5. Drive quickly and carefully to us and follow all instructions upon arrival.

When in doubt, take your pet straight to the emergency vet. We can help you assess the situation and make sure that your pet gets the care they need.