At Camden, we love our furry friends, and many residents at our communities have pets, including myself.

Recently, a friend told me her pup, Tobi got sick and had to take him to the emergency pet hospital. Good news is that he is doing well now.  But it made me think, “Am I prepared if I have to rush my little girl to the hospital?”  The answer was no.  In the event of an actual pet emergency, I know I would be panicked and stressed. 

My little girl, Mariah. Photo by Gilbert Duenez

The first thing I decided to do was to get organized.  I made an emergency binder with local pet hospitals and my pet’s medical records.  Here is a step-by-step guide on what you should have in your emergency binder.  It’s as easy as 1-2-3!

1) Know Your Local Emergency Animal Hospital

To find the nearest pet emergency hospital near you, visit vetlocator.com.  Just type in your zip code and the nearest hospitals will appear.  I suggest printing out 5 hospitals to put in your binder.  That way, the name, address, and phone number will be readily available if needed.

2) Medications

Write down the names of your pet’s medications along with the daily/weekly dosage amounts.  Also, notate any special requirements or specifications for the medications.  The emergency pet hospital is going to want to know this information, especially if they have never treated your pet before. 

Photo courtesy of Gilbert Duenez

3) Allergies and Diet

Keeping a list of your pet’s allergies and specialty diet requirements should also be in your binder.  Not only is this helpful information for the veterinarian, but if ever leave town, your pet’s caretaker will know what to do.

Also, if you’re traveling with your pet it’s easy to pack the binder in your luggage so you have up-to-date records about vaccinations and medication information in case you need it.

Photo courtesy of pineanimalhospital.com

I created my binder in just 15 minutes.  I feel prepared and organized knowing I have the information secured in one location. 

My completed binder with labels. Photo by Gilbert Duenez

To search for your next pet friendly Camden community, visit CamdenLiving.com and check out our other pet blogs on Simply Camden: How To Find Your Perfect Rescue Dog and Keep Your Pets Healthy Without Breaking the Bank!