How do I determine if I need to bring my dog to a hospital for an emergency?

Give your nearest veterinary hospital a call, and we can give you some insight. We may refer you to those other resources, like the pet poison helpline or ASPCA. But, as a whole, we can work through it. And more than likely if we're unsure, we would like to see the pet.

Again, start with the call. Talk to your veterinarian and their staff there and find out. I never want to imply that this is not a big deal or that you can handle it yourself. When in doubt, get your veterinarian involved. Because if you assess it one way, or your veterinarian tells you over the phone, “Oh, you probably can do this, it's no big deal,” it could go badly. So if at all in doubt, get on the phone, bring them in, let the veterinarian assess it, and do it that way.