Emergency Support for Pet Owners
In an emergency, first aid should always be followed by veterinary consultation and/or care.
Leading resources for pet owners on dealing with animal emergencies include the American Animal Hospital Association’s Pet First Aid guide, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s College of Veterinary Medicine article Basic First Aid for Your Pet, and the American Red Cross guide on Pet and Disaster Safety — plus their Pets and Disaster Safety Checklist.
In addition, the American Veterinary Medical Association provides an extensive set of emergency resources for pet owners, including:
- 13 animal emergencies that should receive immediate veterinary consultation and/or care
- 7 things you should know in case of an emergency with your pet
- First Aid Tips for Pet Owners
An most importantly, as the AVMA says in their first aid tips (linked above):
Always remember that any first aid administered to your pet should be followed by immediate veterinary care. First aid care is not a substitute for veterinary care, but it may save your pet’s life until it receives veterinary treatment.
This article was originally published by on and last reviewed or updated by Site Editor on .