Is my really pet sick, or can it wait?
This is the age-old question. One that cannot be answered by an article or discussion forum on the Internet. I have written some articles to help identify what may constitute an emergency or what can wait, but ultimately, a visit with your veterinarian, either by phone or by office visit is the only way to be sure.

But my veterinarian's office is closed!
No matter what day it is or time of day (or night), your veterinarian should have an answering service (live help) or recording available to direct you to emergency care information. Some veterinarians take emergency calls themselves, some refer to a nearby clinic, and some refer to an emergency facility. Either way, not calling because you know that the office isn't open may waste valuable time for your pet's health and well being.

We have an emergency facility here, but it is too expensive. I can't afford it!
True, emergency care is usually more expensive. It is a more expensive type of practice to run -- employing staff at all hours of the day/night to be available to help pets in need. But... it is often less expensivein the long run to treat a medical condition early on, rather than wait until things get really bad! When left untreated, other problems can occur secondarily to the original problem, leading to more treatment needs, etc.

A quick example: your cat is urinating out of the box. There are many possible reasons for this behavior, but if seen by your vet and it is determined to have a urinary infection, early treatment can make all the difference in the world. If left untreated, the cat could become blocked later on. This usually entails a more involved therapy -- unblocking via catheterization plus fluid therapy, leading to more expense. If left untreated, a blocked urethra can be a fatal condition in a very short time. It is important to note that even with antibiotics, a cat can still become blocked. However, good communication with your veterinarian is the key. It may mean a recheck visit versus an emergency visit.


Why is it that things always seem to happen during the holidays?
This is probably a combination of things. With hectic schedules, the subtle differences in behavior, attitude, appetite may be overlooked. During the busy times, it is important to observe your pet for anything that seems a little "off" - is the appetite what is should be? Is the pet urinating/defecating as normal? Is the pet as active as usual? And so on.

Finally, it is important not to greatly change the pet's diet during the holidays -- no table scraps, chocolate treats, etc. This can be an open invitation to gastric distress! The same goes for pet treats and toys. A lot of the rawhide and pig's ears type of toys cause intestinal troubles. The dyes and coatings used for these types of toys aren't the healthiest, either, and can stain carpets.

I'll still not sure - can't it wait?
The best thing to do is call. Call your veterinarian or emergency referral clinic and ask them if they think your pet needs to be seen. They can often provide pet-specific advice and help you make the decision to make an appointment now or adopt a wait-and-see approach, depending on your pet's needs.

http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/diseasesandconditions/a/holiday_emerg.htm?nl=1

great info for the holidays,...especially because pets might eat something wrong or get stepped on by a guest....never know what accident could happen and its important to know what to do.thanks for sharing this!

Yes it never hurts to have a bit of extra information. The link below...I believe contains a few extra articles that I couldn't squeeze in here so its definitely worth checking out!