My puppy was hit by a car but seems fine. Should I be concerned?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Murphy! You are doing all you can by having him at the Vet right now. When it comes to trauma some things don't show up for 12-24 hours, most specifically internal bleeding and bladder trauma. When I worked emergency I cared about 4 things: the lungs (was there a diaphragmatic hernia, pneumothorax, lung bruising, rib fracture, flail chest), the cardiovascular system (blood pressure, shock, internal bleeding), the neurologic system (head trauma, mentally appropriate, pupils, spinal trauma, can the dog walk on all legs) and the urinary system (can the dog pee, is the bladder ruptured). The last thing I cared about was wounds or broken bones. If Murphy is stable after 24-48 hours with the above 4 body systems he will recover just fine. After they know he is stable they can address wounds and broken bones as they are not life threatening, just expensive potentially to fix. You are going to have to be patient and wait to see how things go overnight. I wish you and Murphy the best!

Hello. Make sure the color of her gums & mucous membranes keep a nice pink color. Observe her breathing at rest & while sleeping. If her respirations are 30 breaths per minute or less while she is sleeping, & her gums remain nice & pink, for the next 24 hours, she will be fine. Any concerns, please have her evaluated at an emergency clinic immediately. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Shock would be something you would see immediately after or very shortly after the accident. It often follows a massive blood loss. If he is pink, moist gums, eating , drinking and no breathing difficulties, then shock or major internal injuries are not likely. Continue to test him, monitor for any deterioration in his condition and keep the wounds clean and dry. You can address the tooth at a later time. If it is chipped deep into the pulp, it may need extracted at some point, but that is not critical. It sounds like he is improving on his own. Keep up the good work !

Yes, I think he’ll be fine. Luckily puppies are very resilient and many minor injuries heal quickly in young animals. If there was a serious head injury he would be lethargic, not responsive or not eat or drink normally. He may have some discomfort on his head for a day or so but probably no lasting issues. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Rex.

He should be seen by a vet right away. Even though he is moving all of his extremities well, he may have internal injuries that need treatment. He could have a slow bleed, rupture of an organ, etc. Medical attention is very important.

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Coco is otherwise normal and there is no indication she is experiencing any pain, no real need to rush off to the veterinarian. However, if you notice she is tender or painful to the touch on the side of the collision, is experiencing breathing abnormalities, becomes lethargic or has a sudden decrease in appetite, I would recommend bringing her in to see her veterinarian for an exam and perhaps x-rays. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Being hit by a car is very concerning as most of the time there is more damage than what can be seen from the outside. If he is not walking well and his breathing is abnormal, I highly recommend you consider having him reevaluated by a veterinarian since he has not improved. They may take chest x rays to check on why he is breathing loudly such as a pulmonary contusion for example. Treatment would be dependent on findings though at least pain control medications can be started. I hope he does well. Good luck and have a good night!