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ER and Critical Care
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Upon arrival at LeadER in Cooper City, the emergency and critical care team will triage your pet. We will determine patient status and provide immediate attention if it is required, such as treating a bleeding wound or providing oxygen for pets having trouble breathing.

Unfortunately, we do not treat birds or other exotic pets; however, we will direct you to an animal hospital in the Fort Lauderdale area that does provide such care.

Once the veterinarian has evaluated your pet by performing a physical exam, we will present you with a diagnostic and treatment plan. Options for tests such as x-rays and blood work, hospitalization, and treatments will be discussed.

LeadER’s emergency and critical care service is unique: We make it convenient for your primary veterinarian to transfer your pet to one of our specialists for advanced diagnostics and care. Sometimes the diagnosis is available and your pet will be transferred to one of our specialists for advanced care. However, sometimes your primary veterinarian cannot find a diagnosis and will refer you to a specialist to determine the problem. The emergency and critical care team will evaluate, admit, and transfer the patient to a specialist the next business day. Once transferred, the specialist and his/her team will contact you regarding your beloved pet.

Regardless if your pet has to stay in the animal hospital or is treated on an outpatient basis, we keep your primary veterinarian up-to-date on your pet’s progress. We provide you with copies of records, test results, and a jump drive with x-rays. We also email copies of the visit, recorded observations, and tests results to your veterinarian.

ER Services

LeadER’s emergency and critical care service offers the finest veterinary services for dogs and cats that are injured or ill. There are veterinarians on premises at all times.

The hospital is fully equipped with an ICU, surgical suites, triage area, laboratory, and radiology suites (2). In addition to routine blood testing, our critical care team also performs blood gas analysis, acid-base analysis, coagulation (blood clotting) testing, and cardiovascular monitoring (EKG, blood pressure, central venous pressure).

Our emergency and critical care service is supported by our critical care team, which includes a board-certified critical care specialist.

Specialized services offered by our critical care team include: Post-operative care and monitoring and short/long term mechanical ventilation.

What to do in case of an emergency

What is an emergency? We feel that anything which causes a pet owner to be alarmed enough to contact us is important. It’s always better to be cautious when it comes to your pet’s health.

  • If you are concerned about your pet, please contact us at 954-437-9630.
  • Remain calm. Alert a family member, friend, or neighbor about the situation. You may need help from that person to transport the pet to our animal hospital in Cooper City.
  • Inform our staff about your pet’s condition over the telephone before you arrive.

Some common emergency tips

Common household items to avoid

Dogs

  • No grapes or raisins – It can cause kidney failure.
  • No onions or Kale – It can cause anemia.
  • No chocolate or caffeine – It can cause tremors and seizures.
  • No sugarless gum or sweeteners – These products contain Xylitol, which causes severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
  • Human painkillers – Dogs metabolize these drugs differently than people. Only give medication prescribed or directed by a veterinarian.
  • Sago palm – Any part of this decorative landscaping, especially the seeds, are deadly.

Cats

  • Lilies – All parts of the flower are poisonous and lead to kidney failure.
  • Degreasers/Antifreeze – It can cause kidney failure/death in both cats and dogs.
  • Tylenol – One regular strength tablet will kill a cat; it causes their blood to loose its ability to carry oxygen.
  • Spot-on/topical flea killers – Some of these products are mistakenly placed on cats when they are labeled for dogs only. Overdose causes tremors and seizures.