Emergency & Critical Care

Certain situations, such as during a developing emergency, or throughout recovery from a serious illness or accident, call for a doctor who has had intensive training in providing emergency care in time-critical, life-threatening situations.

In that event, ongoing diagnostic and therapeutic care and constant monitoring of a pet’s condition may be required. Constant 24-hour care of critically ill pets may be needed in a dedicated Intensive Care and Critical Care Unit (ICU/CCU). For emergency doctors seeking board certification, specialty accreditation is granted by the American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care.

The BrightHeart emergency doctor typically works in tandem with the general practice veterinarian on a referral basis, as well as with any other BrightHeart specialists needed, until the crisis has passed. These collaborations tend to occur in the following kinds of cases, among others:

• Traumatic injury (including fractures, bite wounds, burns, lacerations)
• Respiratory emergencies (including cases in which the use of ventilators is needed)
• Animals in need of blood transfusions
• Animals that are in shock
• Animals with life threatening neurologic disease, such as coma or severe seizures