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You can't predict when your dog will need emergency care.

But you can control how prepared you are when it happens.

Here's the prep guide and health tracking template I wish I had before taking Aki last week. 👇️ 

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Weekly Bite

Sorry for missing last week's guide. I had to take Aki to an emergency vet visit.

I was scrambling. Unprepared. Wishing I'd thought ahead.

Here's what would've made everything easier.

1️⃣ Muzzle Training

I started muzzle training Aki but never completed it.

Big mistake.

Now I've potentially created a negative association with muzzles that I'll need to reverse.

2️⃣ Health Tracker

The receptionist asked me a bunch of questions during the new patient intake process.

So I built this health tracker template for you 🎁—one place for your dog's veterinarian info, DOB, current medications, past health history, and symptoms.

Just fill it out once, keep it updated, and email it to them or print it out.

3️⃣ Emergency Vet List

Don't wait until you're panicking at 10PM to figure out where to go.

Ask for word-of-mouth referrals from your trainer or people in your neighborhood.

I specifically look for emergency vets that allow you to stay with your dog the entire time—during triage, in the waiting room, and while they're performing diagnostics like bloodwork and physical exams.

I learned this the hard way with Lexi. They took her to the back immediately, kenneled her, and provided zero updates.

4️⃣ Oral Sedatives

Your regular vet can prescribe oral sedatives to keep on hand for emergency situations.

Disclaimer: Only use them when appropriate. If your dog is unstable, skip the sedative.

During Aki's visit, they wanted to sedate him with an injection to draw blood. I convinced them to let me try restraining him first instead, which worked.

Which brings me to...

5️⃣ Restraint Techniques

Knowing how to safely restrain your dog prevents bites and helps vet staff hit the vein on the first try.

6️⃣ Focus Training

I saw someone on Instagram whose dog was so focused that they didn't even flinch when the needle went in.

alessandrodonaggio

6,627 followers

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This is the ultimate prep. If your dog can maintain focus, medical appointments become significantly easier.

7️⃣ Telehealth Triage

Not every situation requires an emergency vet. Telehealth is great for determining if your dog needs immediate care or can wait for your regular vet. Some pet insurance plans even include it.

TL;DR: Prepare for emergencies before they happen. Complete muzzle training. Create a health tracking template. Research local emergency vets. Ask about sedatives. Learn restraint techniques. Consider focus training as the ultimate solution. Use telehealth for non-urgent triage.

Tail End

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Until next Thursday, ✌️

Sam