VCA Highlands Ranch Animal Specialty & Emergency Center is not just a referral clinic, but also a 24 hour emergency animal hospital. Our two distinct services work together to better serve our clients and their pets. Our specialist and emergency veterinarians work together to ensure that your pet is provided the care it deserves 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Animal Hospital Specialty Center's Intensive Care Unit - Your Value In a Dedicated ICU
An intensive care unit, or ICU, is found in both human and veterinary hospitals. ICUs provide an extended number and type of services for animals that have been determined to be more critical than those with mild illness. Even if a particular pet itself is not in critical condition, at times the additional resources and staff of an ICU can lead to more efficient diagnostics and treatment in these patients.
The Emerging Role of a Criticalist
The American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care is a relatively new addition to the specialties and sub-specialties currently available to the veterinary profession. As an evolving specialty, the objective is to provide continuous therapy to those animals that are stricken by severe disease. Some illnesses may require several days of therapy before improvement occurs. During this time, close monitoring and life support measures in the intensive care unit may be required to bridge the gap between the initial hospital visit and recovery.
What should I do if my pet is acting strange or unusual?
If your pet is experiencing anything that makes you uncomfortable, take the next step and call us at 303-740-9595. Even if you're uncertain you are having an emergency you can take comfort in knowing that one of our skilled technicians will speak with you to determine if your pet is in need of immediate medical assistance. If you have any doubt about your pet's health, you can either bring them directly to the Animal Hospital Specialty Center (conveniently located in Highlands Ranch, CO, on County Line Place near 470 and I-25) or call the Animal Hospital Specialty Center day or night, 365 days a year.
What Is An Emergency and Critical Care Specialist?
A board certified specialist in emergency and critical care is a veterinarian who has obtained intensive, additional training in treating life-threatening conditions.
An emergency and critical care specialist can help in the following kinds of cases, among others:
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Traumatic injury (including fractures, bite wounds, burns, lacerations)
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Respiratory emergencies (including cases in which the use of ventilators is needed) Animals in need of blood transfusions Animals that are in shock
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Animals with life threatening neurologic disease, such as coma or severe seizures
While your general practitioner veterinarian can diagnose and treat many health problems and handle many routine emergencies, certain situations may require the care of a doctor who has had specialized, intensive training in handling emergency and critical care for your pet. An emergency and critical care specialist typically works in tandem with your general practitioner veterinarian on a referral basis, as well as with any other needed specialists, until the emergency is resolved.
How Can I Find A Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care for My Pet?
If your veterinarian does not handle after hours emergencies, then he or she probably already has a referral relationship in place with a local or regional emergency hospital. You can also look for emergency specialists in your area on the the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ACVECC) website. In addition, you can also check with any veterinary schools in your area to see if they have a fully staffed and equipped emergency room. You can be assured that a veterinarian who knows when and where to refer you and your pet for emergency or critical care is one that is caring and committed to ensuring that your pet receives the highest standard of care for his or her problem.
When Does My Pet Need Emergency Care?
Any of the following situations can be considered an emergency:
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Difficulty breathing
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Ingestion of a foreign object or unknown substance
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Bleeding
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Vomiting blood
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Blood in the feces or urine
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Swollen, hard abdomen that is painful to the touch
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Serious wound
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Suspected broken limb
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Any injury to the eye
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Loss of consciousness
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Seizures
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Inability to move or sudden weakness
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Unusual or erratic behavior
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Signs of extreme pain, such as whining or shaking
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Straining to urinate (especially a male cat)
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Labor that does not progress
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Signs of heatstroke
What Is Critical Care?
While an emergency is unfolding, or throughout recovery from a serious illness or accident, ongoing diagnostic and therapeutic care and constant monitoring of your pet's condition may be required. Many emergency and critical care facilities offer 24-hour supervision of critically ill pets and, just as in human hospitals, may have dedicated Intensive Care and Critical Care Units (ICU/CCU). Such facilities are equipped to provide oxygen therapy, cardiac monitoring, blood transfusions, and nutritional support. Such facilities also typically have advanced diagnostic capabilities onsite, such as ultrasound and echocardiography.
Will My Regular Veterinarian Still Be Involved?
Many emergency hospitals work on a referral basis with general practitioners. In some cases, your pet will only be referred to the emergency service for after hours care. In other cases, your pet may be in the care of the emergency and critical care specialist for the duration of the emergency and recovery, but then referred back to your general practitioner veterinarian for follow up and routine care.
Did You Know?
There are more than 125 board-certified veterinary emergency and critical care specialists in the U.S. today and it is the fastest growing specialty in the profession.