Emergency medicine
A 24-hour emergency service is available at the LMU Small Animal Clinic for dogs and cats that suddenly fall seriously ill. The emergency service is available 365 days a year, day and night. The aim of the emergency service is to provide adequate emergency treatment for dogs and cats. The priority here is to ensure survival before the exact diagnosis of a disease. In the emergency service, more seriously ill animals (shock, lateral position, convulsions) are given priority over less seriously ill animals (e.g. mild diarrhea), so that waiting times can be longer in some cases for non-life-threatening illnesses.
In addition to the possibility of infusion (e.g. for shock patients) and the administration of oxygen, the emergency service's equipment includes monitoring with ECG, blood pressure and blood oxygen levels. An immediate laboratory with blood count device, determination of kidney values, blood gas analysis and urine analysis is permanently available. Coagulation diagnostics enable the detection and therefore specific treatment of coagulation disorders such as rat poisoning.
X-ray examinations allow the bones, lungs and shape of the heart to be assessed and provide an overview of the abdominal organs. Ultrasound can be used by the emergency service to detect free fluid in the abdomen (e.g. bleeding) as well as large tumors and obstructions in the intestinal tract (foreign bodies).
For patients who cannot be helped with outpatient treatment alone, inpatient admission, for example to the clinic's intensive care unit, is also possible at any time.
Intensive care unit
Critically ill dogs and cats are cared for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in the intensive care unit of the small animal clinic. The aim of intensive care medicine is to support dogs and cats with life-threatening illnesses with the help of intensive care measures such as infusion therapy, blood transfusions, oxygen administration, pain therapy, ventilation and haemodialysis if necessary, until the necessary medication takes effect and the condition of the dogs or cats improves.
Intensive care medicine is a very personnel and equipment-intensive discipline of veterinary medicine. Our intensive care unit has 18 boxes (8 for dogs and 10 for cats), each equipped with an oxygen supply and heat lamps. In addition, 3 oxygen boxes are available for permanent oxygen therapy, e.g. for respiratory distress patients. Continuous monitoring of vital parameters is possible thanks to multi-parameter monitors for measuring blood pressure, oxygen saturation, ECG and respiratory monitoring. Modern infusion and syringe pumps make it possible to administer exact quantities of infusion solutions and medication to support the cardiovascular system or reduce pain. Artificial respiration allows the temporary bridging of severe respiratory distress. We hope that we will be able to help many more seriously ill animals in the future and contribute to their survival and speedy recovery.