Organization placing heavy focus helping neighbors avoid Xylitol-based Marijuana accidents
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. , Aug. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Animal ER Care (AERC), Southern Colorado’s only VECCS Level II certified emergency animal clinic is offering pet owners in the region summer safety tips to help avoid emergency situations with their cherished animals in order to best enjoy the summer season in Colorado.
Each tip for pet owners was established based on the experience of AERC doctors and staff caring for over 15,000 emergent and urgent care cases annually.
AERC is the region’s only VECCS Level II certified clinic making it 1/9 within the entire nation to reach this designation. A level II emergency and critical care facility has the medical staff, support personnel, specialized equipment, and staff training necessary to provide high-quality emergent and critical patient care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. To be certified as Level II, the facility must comply with all Level II requirements listed in the VECCS Facilities Certification Guidelines.
“I am very proud of the team for achieving such an important and critical designation with our VECCS certification,” said Gabrielle David, Certified Veterinary Technician, Chief Executive Officer of AERC. “Our team works tirelessly every day to honor each family that entrusts our team with their animal’s emergency medical needs. Being the only entity holding this certification in El Paso County, it is our promise to the region that we are solely focused on treating each patient that comes into either of our facilities at one of the highest national levels.”
AERC has many useful tips to help pet-parents avoid emergencies when enjoying Colorado’s warm weather including a breakout of pets coming to the clinics due to ingesting the potentially deadly chemical Xylitol found in recreational/medical marijuana edibles. AERC hot weather safety pet tips include:
1. Keep your pet hydrated. Use water and shade during hot days, repeat hydration each hour when enjoying the hot weather.
2. Never leave your pet in the car during hot days, this includes leaving them with the windows down, never do it as even with windows open, cars can rapidly rise to deadly temperatures.
3. Use leashes in parks and on trails. Colorado recreation areas are heavily populated with pets and families during the summer and with the increase of park usage can come with lack of leash usage and animals have increased opportunities to fight and injure one another or busy roads which can lead to being hit by a car.
4. Snakes. There are many types of snakes that can bite and hurt pets. Another reason for leashes in open spaces across the region. AERC has advised media partners in 2023 on this topic.
5. Avoid Xylitol and its inclusion in the formulation of most marijuana infused products such as brownies and gummies.
AERC urges pet owners to store their marijuana in secure locations and be aware of pets eating items of this nature from the ground in parks, trails and most importantly at home. The FDA warns of the dangers of Xylitol here.
“Heat, lack of water, wildlife and now the massive influx of Xylitol-based products along with any products containing THC are leading causes of accidental illnesses that bring patients to our doors,” added David. “Our goal is to help pet families in the region avoid using our facilities as much as possible and these simple tips could help achieve this. We are ready 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to serve sick and injured pets and want the public to know our team is dedicated to this mission but there are some ways to avoid taking a pet to an emergency clinic in the summertime.”
Animal ER Care has two facilities:
Animal ER Care @ VSC, I-25 and Nevada Ave
Call Us: (719) 260-7141, Email Us: [email protected] Open 24/7
&
Animal Care ER – Central N. Academy Blvd. and Rebecca Ln.
Call Us: (719) 755-0558 Email Us: [email protected]
To connect with AERC: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalEmergencyCareCenters/
About AERC:
Animal ER Care provides exceptional patient care while simultaneously supporting the client’s emotional needs. The organization is dedicated to helping its clients make the best decision for their beloved family member, in balance with their financial resources, through conversation and involvement in the medical decisions for their pet. Equally, AERC is committed to fostering a healthy work environment for its staff built on the foundation of support, mentoring, enrichment, and appreciation.
Because of the large number of incoming cases at any given time, AERC has developed a triage index system to help prioritize incoming cases which allows its doctors to examine patients based on criticality, in conjunction with the time of arrival. This system has helped save countless lives because it reduced the wait time for these emergent cases. Some of the conditions that AERC emergency veterinarians treat include trauma, shock, respiratory distress, seizures, bleeding disorders, allergic reactions, fractures, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Media Contact
Joshua Steinfeld, Magneti, 1 339-225-1581, steinfeldconsulting@gmail.com
SOURCE Animal ER Care
