My son is working on his safety badge for cub scouts. He was required to research and display emergency phone numbers in a common location in the house. Last night our lab puppy tore his toe nail and was bleeding all over the kitchen when I realized I had no numbers handy to call for emergency vet care! Can you recommend a list of numbers we should keep handy for our pets and their emergency care?

I have made an appointment with the vet but I am worried sick about him and concerned that maybe my husband or I will catch something from him.

-My puppy’s Den Mother

Dear Den Mother,

What a great owner you are to be prepared for your canine emergencies. The numbers I would recommend are:

• your family veterinarian
• your local emergency veterinary clinic (with directions)
• a pet poison control number (such as the ASPCA national poison control center 888-426-4435)

To educate all your family members, you may even wish to post a list of common foods and household products that would be toxic for your dog.

To learn more about emergency conditions in your dog and the signs to watch for, read the full article The Top Ten Emergencies in Dogs.