Animal ER of the Western Slope

06/19/2024

Meet Braille (affectionately known to our staff as Sloth). Braille was brought to Roice-Hurst Humane Society with a severe upper respiratory infection. Upon further inspection, it was discovered that Braille was missing both eyes. RHHS decided that he needed some extra special care & so one of the technicians at Animal ER of the Western Slope became his foster. He is weak, but he has a fighting spirit & we have all fallen in love with him already.
We continue to encourage anyone who can to become a foster with Roice Hurst & offer these little guys a loving home to grow in until they’re ready for adoption. If you want a snuggle from little Braille, ask at the front desk if he is in the hospital with his foster mom, Desi. She would love to let him get extra love 💕

06/14/2024

Continuing our education is important at Animal ER of the Western Slope . Today our TA’s spent the afternoon practicing restraint, learning new terms & participating in the TA Olympics! Fun was had & new things were learned.

06/08/2024

Kitten season is upon us here in Western Colorado. We are treating orphans almost every shift! These two little guys lucked out & landed in foster care with two of our amazing technicians. If you have the ability to foster, PLEASE reach out to organizations in our area such as Roice-Hurst Humane Society, Mesa County Animal Services & the many other rescues. They are overwhelmed with kittens right now & are desperate for foster homes. Bring a little kitten joy into your life this season!

06/03/2024

Animal ER of the Western Slope welcomed these 11 beautiful Golden Retrievers over the weekend. Miss Maya had a little trouble bringing her babies into the world, but her owner’s quick action brought her to us & a c-section was immediately performed. We are happy to report mom & babies are all home & doing well!

05/29/2024

It must be spring! In the last 3 days, staff at Animal ER of the Western Slope have treated 5 dogs with porcupine quills!! That’s a lot of quills!

Porcupine quills can cause serious health problems for dogs if not removed quickly. The quills have barbs and can easily become embedded in a dog's skin, causing discomfort, pain, tissue irritation, and infection. If left in, the quills can migrate into joints, vital organs, or the brain, potentially causing blindness, lameness, or fatal damage. Broken quills can also swell and splinter, leading to abscesses and body-wide infections. If your dog gets a little too close for comfort & finds themselves with a face full of unwanted visitors, call your vet immediately to have them removed.

Stay safe our curious 4-legged friends!

05/24/2024

Reminder, the Animal ER of the Western Slope will open tonight at 6pm & remain open 24 hours a day until Tuesday at 8am. We have staffed our hospital with extra doctors & support staff to make sure your pet receives the very best care should they need medical attention over the long holiday weekend.

We hope everyone has a safe & enjoyable Memorial Day holiday as we remember those who lost their lives serving our country.

05/20/2024

It’s definitely summertime!! With the warm weather & beautiful place we call home comes one of Colorado’s favorite pastimes…FISHING! Unfortunately, fishing & pets don’t always click. We removed a fishhook from the stomach of this sweet puppy & the eye of this mischievous cat! It was a reminder to carefully stow fishing items away from pets curious eyes & lolling tongues. Enjoy the amazing Colorado weather!

05/15/2024

Two of our own received their high school diplomas last night, graduating from Fruita Monument High School. Your Animal ER family is so proud of you both! Congratulations Lexie & Emree!

04/30/2024

Today we celebrate National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day. Show us pictures of your shelter pets!!

So, if you or someone you know is ready for a pet, today could be your day. That’s because today is National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day.

04/24/2024

To our Veterinary ER receptionists, Jeff, Sarah, Ashley & Kailee…our deepest thanks for the work you do to keep our hospital running!

04/17/2024

Our TA Lexi fell in love with Sonata when she came to the Animal ER of the Western Slope not feeling well. She was determined to take this little cutie home 💜 Looks like it was a match!!

HAPPY TAIL for Sonata!
Sonata is a young cattle dog puppy who was found stray and became a GRHS doggy. She got sick last weekend and went into a foster home (and to the vet). Once she started to feel better, the fosters realized she was a perfect fit for their family! They decided to keep Sonata!!

Thank you to GRHS volunteers, fosters now adopters, and MCAS!

Grand Rivers Humane – saving Grand Valley homeless pets

04/17/2024

April is National Pet First Aid Awareness Month & we want all our pet parents to know what to do when faced with a pet emergency. This Red Cross App gives expert guidance on what to do in the event of an emergency. Still have questions? Call the Animal ER of the Western Slope staff & we will be happy to answer them for you!

It's Pet First Aid Awareness Month — the perfect time to download the free American Red Cross Pet First Aid App and get immediate access on what to do if your pet should face an emergency.

04/11/2024

Stanley says Thursdays are for chillin’

04/10/2024

Happy National Siblings Day to these sweet babies! Animal ER staff helped bring these little cuties into the world over the weekend & are happy to hear that everyone is thriving & doing well!

04/08/2024

Hank came in over the weekend with symptoms of bloat & twisted stomach, also known as GDV.

Bloat Symptoms:

Panting
Excessive salivation or drooling
Retching
Vomiting
Distended abdomen
Painful abdomen
Unable to get comfortable and lie down
Pacing

Luckily his owner noticed right away & we were able to get him into surgery immediately. Hank went home heathy & happy with his stomach tacked so this doesn’t happen again!

Give Animal ER of the Western Slope a call if you notice any of these symptoms in your large breed, deep chested dog.

04/05/2024

A few Animal ER of the Western Slope team members spent the day facilitating & judging the District 1 FFA Vet Science CDE event. Thank you Rifle High School FFA for inviting us to be a part of the day! We enjoyed it! Good luck to everyone at the state contest!

04/01/2024

Puppy kisses make a busy Easter weekend a little easier. This puppy was happy to give out kisses to our amazing staff!

03/30/2024

Thank you Two Feral Farmers for bringing Easter treats to our crew!! Our staff will be cheering for you boys all summer!

03/29/2024

Easter weekend is here & with it comes treats for us that can be dangerous for our pets. Animal ER of the Western Slope is here from 6pm Friday night straight through until 8am Tuesday morning should your pet find themselves needing veterinary care.
Our staff would like to wish all our clients a safe & Happy Easter!

03/27/2024

The question - how often do you see this? The answer - multiple times a week. The staff at Animal ER of the Western Slope is prepared to diagnose & treat your pet for ma*****na toxicity.

Signs your pet may have injested ma*****na: •Wobbly gait
•Disorientation
•Anxiety and/or shaking
•Excessive whining or barking
•Unusually sleepy or hyperactive
•Dilated (big) pupils
•Drooling or vomiting
•Urinary accidents
•Low body temperature
•Overly sensitive to sound and touch
•Seizures and loss of consciousness

What you should do:
•When in doubt, contact your veterinarian right away
•If symptoms are severe, take your dog
to the nearest emergency veterinary clinic
•Provide as much information as you can
about what and how much your dog ate
•If your dog ate edibles, bring the packaging in with you if possible, as they may contain other toxic ingredients like chocolate or xylitol, an artificial sweetener

Give us a call if you’re concerned your pet has any of these symptoms & we will get them feeling better!

03/21/2024

Parvo season is here. Unfortunately, we have already treated a number of parvo cases at Animal ER of the Western Slope . We want your puppy to stay safe & healthy, so here are some important things to remember:
• puppies need 3 rounds of vaccines from a veterinarian to be considered fully vaccinated
• don’t take your new puppy to public places until they are fully vaccinated
• call a vet immediately if you notice any of the symptoms in your puppy

While prevention is key, give the Animal ER a call if your puppy exhibits any symptoms of parvo. With a new dedicated isolation suite, your puppy will receive the very best care while we help them fight this disease.

03/16/2024

Did you know that shamrocks are not lucky for pets? Shamrocks contain soluble calcium oxalates (oxalic acid) and are toxic to both cats and dogs. Fortunately, shamrocks taste bitter so it’s not likely your pet will eat a large amount, but if they should, they may experience drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and head shaking. In severe cases, low blood calcium and kidney failure may occur. As with all toxic plants, it’s best to keep shamrocks out of your pet’s reach.

Should your pet overindulge in St. Patrick’s Day goodies, or ingest something toxic, give the Animal ER of the Western Slope a call & we will be happy to help your fur baby feel better! We hope everyone has a safe weekend & finds the pot of gold!

03/11/2024

Bunker is excited because Mountain Paw Pet Supply brought treats for the patients of Animal ER of the Western Slope ! He also wants to remind his friends that The Animal ER is open 24 hours on Mondays! If your pet needs emergency care, Bunker says to give them a call!

03/07/2024

Pyometra is a very serious infection of the uterus, caused by the uterus filling with pus and, if left untreated, it can lead to kidney failure, toxaemia, dehydration and, in some cases, death.

Usually the only cure once the pet has developed pyometra is emergency surgery to remove the uterus.

Miss Roly Poly Cannoli recently found herself in just such a predicament. Staff at Animal ER of the Western Slope quickly got her assessed & into surgery. Her prognosis for a long healthy life is good! We love you Little Cannoli!

02/21/2024

We had over 80 entries in the National Love Your Pet Day contest, so we decided to draw for TWO gift baskets!
Congratulations to Kiara Stringer for winning the dog basket & Kristie Mallot for winning the cat basket! You can stop by Animal ER of the Western Slope anytime during business hours to pick up your prize.
Thank you to everyone who participated! We loved seeing how much you love your pets. We love them all too!

02/20/2024

It’s National Love Your Pet Day!! Let’s show our pets some love by posting pictures below! Every picture will be entered in to a drawing for a gift basket from your friends at Animal ER of the Western Slope !!

02/19/2024

Monday got ya down? Don’t worry!! The Animal ER of the Western Slope is now open Mondays to help with any emergencies your pet may experience. Give us a call at 970-525-0911 & let us help your pet start feeling better 🐕‍🦺🐾🐈

02/16/2024

Being able to recognize and respond to an emergency can make the difference when your pet finds themselves in a potentially life threatening situation. Animal ER of the Western Slope is here to help you in any of those situations. We open at 6pm Friday night & remain open 24 hours a day until Tuesday morning at 8am.
Give us a call with any questions at 970-525-0911 & have a safe & relaxing weekend!

02/14/2024

Thanks to the kindness of many people (and especially to those who brought her in) the bill has been paid in full. If people would still like to donate, The Animal ER has a fund set up for this exact purpose. Luna’s Fund is available for donations so that we can help the next stray or pet who needs emergency care. If you weren’t able to donate straight to Molly, please consider donating to Luna’s Fund in her name 💜

Meet Molly, the stray kitty with her unsinkable strength. Found as a stray, hypothermic & fighting for her life, she was rescued & given this name today by the kind people who have given her a chance at life.

Molly has a fractured front leg, which is now infected and seems to be the reason she was stuck under their shed. Her only chance for survival is to amputate the leg. Many animals can live with only 3 legs, but she will no longer be able to be an outdoor cat. Also, our vet says she is quite large, so she will have to lose some weight to comfortably carry her body with only 3 legs.

Many have asked how they can help. Those who found her will cover the costs, as necessary, and invite her into their home if not claimed. But, if you feel the power of St. Valentine move you, you are welcome to call the Animal ER of the Western Slope and make a donation on Molly’s account. We’ve set it up for donations. Just tell us you are donating to Molly, the stray. 970-525-0911. We are open in the evenings after 5pm and all night until 7:30am.

Say a prayer for sweet Molly. And thank you all for caring so much! She really is a sweetheart 💜

(Picture taken today at the vet)