INDIAN CREEK VETERINARY HOSPITAL
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    • Vaccinations and Preventative Care
    • Annual Exams
    • Exotic Pets
    • Anesthesia and Surgery
    • Sick Pet Consultations
    • Diagnostics
    • Pharmacy
    • Laser Therapy
    • Dental Health
    • End of Life
  • About
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    • Make The Most Of Your Visit
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Sick Pet Consultations

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No one likes being sick! As pet parents, it is sometimes even harder when we realize our pets are the ones not feeling their best. Animals are adept at hiding sickness for very good reason. In the wild, it benefits the individual to hide weakness in order to prevent predation. However, most of our fur babies still have this evolutionary skill, and will hide illness even from us, their doting owners.
Some illnesses require lifestyle changes, some need short term medications, some require lifelong management with medications, some need surgery, and for some things, just like with people, we recommend specialists who are more familiar with a certain disease process or chronic problem.

We are so lucky here in Central Ohio to have FOUR emergency facilities that take walk-ins, however at our facility we do require an appointment. While we do our best to accommodate all of our clients in a timely manner and with the highest standard of care, some situations are better suited for immediate emergency care.
When Should You Seek Veterinary Care?
First, for Anything you are worried enough about
​
Vomiting and/or Diarrhea more than 2-3 times
Coughing or Sneezing for more than a 24 hour period
Inappetance for more than a 48 hour period
Changes in urinations or water consumption
Changes in the eyes or ears (swelling, discharge, redness)
Skin conditions (itching, dryness, hair loss, bumps)
 Sudden or excessive weight loss/gain
Pain (lameness, difficulty moving)
Lethargy or behavioral changes

Again, Anything you are worried enough about! At the very least, a phone call can either give you peace of mind or can assess the severity of your situation and just how soon your pet should be seen. 
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Some issues can wait a day or two to get in for an appointment, depending on severity. However, sometimes waiting can be detrimental to the outcome of your pet's care. Early intervention can be the difference between lifesaving and not. We have office hours listed at the bottom of this page. If our office is closed and you cannot reach us, and think emergency care is necessary, please call one of the 24/7 facilities listed at the bottom of this page for guidance. 
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When Should You Seek Emergency Care?

Difficulty breathing, (look for blueish/purplish tinged gums, coughing of foamy, frothy liquid, panting constantly, or stretching the head and neck out while breathing)
Constant coughing and inability to rest through the night
A distended, “bloated” abdomen
Non-productive retching
Anxiety or restlessness with no environmental explanation
Pale gums (often seen with internal bleeding or anemia)
An elevated heart rate of > 160 beats per minute at home
A respiratory rate of > 60 breaths per minute at home while resting
Crying out in pain
Jaundiced (yellow gums, sometimes ears, eyes, skin)
Not being able to move or walk or dragging of the back legs
Extreme lethargy
Any significant amounts of bleeding
Any trauma
Any poisoning or toxin ingestion
Collapse
Tremors or seizures
Anything that makes you worried enough

Tips for Early Intervention

Because animals are excellent at hiding illness, we as owners have to be diligent about doing our own, at home "exams" daily to look for any changes in our pet's well being. Getting up close and personal on a daily basis will allow us to catch any problems just as they are beginning, rather than far down the road.
Feed portions on a schedule (this allows you to notice appetite and water consumption trends, compared to free-feeding)
  • Watch your pet during bathroom breaks (for signs of straining, frequency, volume, consistency, color)
  • For cats, clean the litter box daily for the same reason
  • Watch behaviors (Does your pet seem restless? lethargic? Are they sulking? Do they spend their time seeming relaxed or anxious? What is their overall temperament?)
  • Monitor Activity Level (sudden decrease, gradual decrease, sudden increase can all be symptoms of underlying issues)
  • Monitor Body Condition (weight loss, weight gain and muscle loss, can all be caught sooner with regular checks of body condition, see ideals here)
  • Check feet and toenails (Not only does this help desensitize your animal to examinations, but toenails can grow into paw pads, most owners don't notice until infection occurs.)
  • Look all over  (the bottoms of the feet, under the tail, the armpit and groin area, under the chin, down into the ears, in the mouth, all the way in the back, too!)
  • Above are common spots of infection because owners do not regularly visualize those areas. Part the fur to be able to see skin underneath to determine it's health.
  • Look for change (redness, pustules, moisture, hair loss, flaking, swelling)
  • Feel all over (petting on the head and back is great, but daily or at least weekly feeling all along the body with purpose, checking for scabs, lumps, breaks in the skin, mats of fur, hot spots, is better) 
  • Get up close and smell (Your pet should not have a foul odor; this can be a sign of skin problems, dental disease, or even certain abnormal metabolic processes)
  • Listen (Do they make noise when they breathe while resting? They shouldn't. Do they groan while standing up/laying down?)
Making a conscious effort to monitor your pet's health regularly, and early intervention when something isn't normal, is key to optimal care.
At Indian Creek we strive to treat your pets to make them feel their best. We continue to build upon our knowledge base to offer you the most up to date techniques, treatments, and care. Many of our sick pets benefit from more involved diagnostic workup to determine their disease process and treatment. However, sometimes simply an office consultation is enough to begin a treatment plan. We will work with you and your pet to provide quality care.

Practice Hours

We see patients by appointment only. 

Sunday          Closed                     Closed
Monday         8:00 am               6:00 pm
Tuesday         8:00 am     ***     6:00 pm
Wednesday  8:00 am               6:00 pm
Thursday       8:00 am               6:00 pm
Friday            8:00 am                6:00 pm
Saturday       9:00 am               12:00 pm

On Tuesdays we will close from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm for staff training, so that we may better serve you and your pets. Thank you for your understanding.

Contact Us

Phone  614-861-1700     Fax  614-861-7460
295 LANCASTER AVE
REYNOLDSBURG, OH 43068
  Or contact us via email, and
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Emergency Information

Medvet Columbus 
Phone: 614-846-5800
300 E. WILSON BRIDGE RD
WORTHINGTON, OH 43085

Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center
Phone:
614-292-3551
601 VERNON L. THARP ST
COLUMBUS, OH 43210

Medvet Hilliard (This location sees exotic pets)
Phone: 614-870-0480
5230 RENNER RD
COLUMBUS, OH 43228

Diley Hill Animal Emergency Center
Phone: 614-829-6444
9695 BASIL WESTERN RD
CANAL WINCHESTER, OH 43110
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Photos used under Creative Commons from John Pemble, saratogajean, M.Cicchetti Photography
  • Home
  • Services
    • Vaccinations and Preventative Care
    • Annual Exams
    • Exotic Pets
    • Anesthesia and Surgery
    • Sick Pet Consultations
    • Diagnostics
    • Pharmacy
    • Laser Therapy
    • Dental Health
    • End of Life
  • About
  • Contact
  • Client Resources
    • New Client & Patient Forms
    • Request an Appointment
    • Payment
    • Make The Most Of Your Visit
    • Pet First Aid
    • Behavior and Training
    • Traveling With Your Pet