Unfortunately, you may be faced with an emergency situation at some point in your pet’s life.  Blackman Animal Clinic always tries to accommodate those who have an emergency during office hours. Because we are not staffed 24 hours a day, we refer all emergencies after office hours to Michigan State University in Lansing or Ann Arbor Animal Hospital Emergency Service. We have a doctor on call 24 hours to answer any questions you may have regarding your urgent situation. In many cases, the doctor can offer first aid measures to get you through the night until the office opens in the morning.  If your pet needs immediate assistance they can refer you to either emergency clinic.

MSU College of Veterinary Medicine
736 Wilson Rd, East Lansing, MI 48824
Sm Animal-517-353-5420     Lg Animal-517-353-9710

Ann Arbor Animal Hospital
2150 W. Liberty | Ann Arbor, MI 48103
734-662-4474

Contact Blackman Animal Clinic Immediately If You Notice Any of the Following:

IN GENERAL
  • Any problem that persists longer than 24 hours.
  • Any problem that worsens over several hours.
  • Any systemic problems such as lethargy, loss of appetite, weakness and fever.
  • Body temperature less than 98 degrees F or greater than 104 degrees F (normal dog and cat temp. is ~101.5 degrees F)
  • Any indication that more than one body system (GI, urinary, neurology) is affected
GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS
  • Frequent bouts of vomiting or diarrhea resulting in loss of large volumes of fluid.
  • Inability to drink or keep water down.
  • Blood or black material (digested blood) in vomit or stool.
  • More than three to four episodes of vomiting or diarrhea in a puppy or in a dog older than 8 years.
  • Vomiting following suspected ingestion of foreign material (toys,garbage,rocks,etc).
  • Suspected poisoning
  • Suspected bloat.
BLEEDING
  • Bleeding from nose, mouth or anus.
  • Bleeding accompanied by bruising of the skin, especially on the abdomen.
  • Bleeding that cannot be stopped by applying pressure.
  • If blood loss is excessive
  • Weakness, difficulty breathing, or reluctance to move after a bleeding episode.
LAMENESS
  • Obvious fracture of limb.
  • Nonweight-bearing lameness persisting for more than 12 hours.
  • Swollen, painful joints or a gait that appears as if “walking on eggshells.”
  • Paralysis of one or more limbs.
  • Lameness that initially improves but does not resolve in 24-48 hours.
OTHER EMERGENCIES
  • Trauma
  • Venomous snakebite