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WHEN TO CALL YOUR VETERINARIAN!

For Maltese owners who are uncertain when to call the veterinarian. Sometimes time can mean a matter of life and death.
Know when to call your veterinarian!

CALL IMMEDIATELY

Birth defects

Burns: often difficult to assess depth and extent

Choking: appears distressed, extends head and neck, salivates, coughs, paws the mouth

Collapse or loss of balance: Depression, staggering, falling over, walking in circles, rigidity, unable to get up

Difficulty breathing: noisy breathing, blue tongue, gasping

Continual straining: attempting to defaecate or urinate with little or no result

Heavy bleeding: from any part of the body. Apply pressure

Injury: puncture wound, exposed bone, lameness, pain

Pain: severe, continous or spasmadic

Itching: uncontrollable scratching, biting at the skin, bleeding

Vomiting and/or diarrhea: severe for more than two to three days

Poisoning: chemical, snake, spider or plant, retain for veterinarian to identify type of poisoning

CALL SAME DAY

• Breathing difficulties: laboured, rapid or shallow

  Diarrhea: fluid and/or putrid

  Eye problems: eyelids partially or completely closed, cornea cloudy, tears streaming down cheeks

  Itching: biting, scratching, hair loss, skin red and inflammed

  Frost bite (hypothermia): low body temperature, wrap in blankets to keep warm

  Swelling: hard and painful

  Swallowed object: better to assess earlier

  Vomiting: vomitimg associated with lethargy

WAIT 24 HOURS BEFORE CALLING When in doubt--
Always call !

• Diarrhea: no signs of abdominal pain or blood

• Itching: moderate, no sign of skin damage

• Odor: unpleasent odor, other than a soiled coat

• Vomiting: on 2-3 occations, no other symptoms

• Lameness: depressed but not affecting eating or other bodily functions

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