Reasons Your Pet May Need Hospitalization

Animals can become injured or unwell at any time and, just like us, sometimes animals become too sick to be able to be cared for on an outpatient basis. In these instances, you will be recommended to allow them to be hospitalized. Here are some of the most common reasons why your pet may need to stay in hospital.  

Your Pet Needs Basic Nursing Care

Some animals need round-the-clock attention while they try and heal from surgery or injury or recuperate from illness. This is often referred to as nursing care and includes a range of elements that could include helping to administer medication, syringe-feeding or encouragement to eat, changing dressings, toileting support, helping them to move around, and more. If you are unable to offer this level of nursing at home, it may be recommended that your pet comes in for a hospital stay. 

Your Pet Needs Intravenous Fluids

There can be a range of reasons why a pet requires intravenous fluids, which are fluids delivered directly into their veins. In most instances, animals who are given IV fluids are not eating or drinking properly or have sickness and/or diarrhea and so are dehydrated. Dehydration can be fatal, so it is essential that your vet gets fluids into your pet urgently. 

IV fluids are usually administered via a catheter placed into a vein in your pet’s front leg, and some pets will need to have an Elizabethan collar placed around their neck to prevent them from pulling the catheter out. 

If Your Pet Needs Intravenous Medications

Similarly, your pet may need hospitalization if they are unwell and require intravenous medication. Again, these are delivered via catheter directly into your pet’s veins. In many instances, animals are given medicine intravenously rather than orally in order to increase the concentration of the drug that they are receiving and to enable the medicine to get to work more quickly. Such treatment can be essential if your pet requires urgent medical care. 

If Your Pet Needs Other Medication That You Can’t Administer Yourself at Home

We understand that administering medication for your animal isn’t always easy. Your pet doesn’t realize that their medication is necessary to keep them healthy and may resist, sometimes even aggressively, when you try to give it to them. If you aren’t able to medicate your pet yourself, it may be that they need to be hospitalized for the duration of their treatment.  

If Your Pet Needs Oxygen Treatment

Some animals suffer from health problems where they experience breathing difficulties. For example, heatstroke, heartworms, and heart problems can all make it hard for your pet to get enough oxygen. Pets with pneumonia and kennel cough can also benefit from nebulization. In this instance, your vet may recommend that they receive oxygen treatment in the form of nebulization. 

If Your Pet is Recovering From Surgery

Just like us, our animals need special care in the period after surgery. This may be because your vet needs to monitor the start of the healing process because they need to guarantee that your animal gets sufficient rest and their movement is restricted or because they need medication given to them regularly in the days or weeks following their procedure. If your pet is going in for surgery, your vet will be able to advise you if they will require hospitalization afterward and how long you can expect your pet to need to stay in. 

If you would like to learn more about pet hospitalization and when it is needed, don’t hesitate to speak to our veterinary team in Hinesville, GA.