The Complete Pet Emergency Checklist — From Dogwood’s 24/7 Emergency Team

Emergencies don’t announce themselves. The difference between a good outcome and a tragic one often comes down to how quickly and confidently you act. This checklist helps you prepare before an emergency strikes.

Know Your Emergency Vet Before You Need One

• Save Dogwood’s number in your phone right now: (404) 609-1234
• Know the address: 1234 Powers Ferry Common SE, Marietta, GA 30067
• Know the hours: Open 24/7, every day of the year — walk-ins always welcome
• Map the fastest route from your home to Dogwood — now, not during a crisis

Know When to Come In Immediately

Go directly to an emergency vet — do not wait — for any of these:

• Difficulty breathing, gasping, or choking
• Collapse, unresponsiveness, or extreme sudden weakness
• Suspected poisoning: grapes, chocolate, xylitol, medications, household chemicals
• Seizures — especially lasting more than 2–3 minutes or multiple in one day
• Severe trauma: hit by car, fall from height, animal attack
• Uncontrolled or severe bleeding
• Suspected broken bones or complete inability to bear weight
• Eye injuries or sudden vision loss
• Suspected urinary blockage — straining with no urine (especially male cats)
• Pale, white, or blue gums
• Bloated, distended abdomen with distress (possible GDV — life-threatening)
• Resting breathing above 30 breaths/minute in a known heart patient

Build a Pet First Aid Kit

• Gauze pads and rolls
• Self-adhesive bandage wrap (e.g., Vetrap)
• Medical tape and blunt-tipped scissors
• Sterile saline solution for wound rinsing
• Disposable gloves
• Digital thermometer (normal: 100–102.5°F for dogs and cats)
• Tweezers and a muzzle in your dog’s size
• Towel or blanket (warmth + makeshift stretcher)
• ASPCA Poison Control saved: (888) 426-4435

Keep Your Pet’s Medical Records Accessible

• Current medication list with doses and schedules
• Vaccination records (especially rabies certificate)
• Primary vet name and phone number
• Known allergies or adverse drug reactions
• Recent bloodwork or imaging reports

💡  Take photos of your pet’s records and store them in your phone’s photos or a cloud folder — available anywhere, anytime.

During Transport to the ER

• Stay calm — your pet picks up on your anxiety
• Keep your pet as still as possible; support the spine if trauma is suspected
• Apply gentle pressure to bleeding wounds; do NOT give human pain medications (ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin are all toxic to pets)
• If poisoning: bring the packaging or note the substance, amount, and time of ingestion
• Call ahead if possible: (404) 609-1234 — our team can prepare for your arrival

Dogwood is open 24/7, 365 days a year.  No appointment needed for emergencies. 1234 Powers Ferry Common SE, Marietta, GA 30067.