First, ask your veterinarian. Any pet that is seriously ill may benefit from this type of specialist care (ideally in a 24/7 facility). Patients requiring frequent blood pressure monitoring, heart monitoring, electrolyte/acid-base blood work monitoring, frequent blood sugar monitoring, intravenous fluids, blood transfusions, etc.  are typically ones that may need a specialist. Other examples include:

 

• Any trauma (e.g., those hit by cars, attacked by other animals, knife or burn injuries, etc.)
• Any animal having difficulty breathing
• Any patient requiring transfusions
• Any patient with a life-threatening poisoning
• Any patient with signs of shock (e.g., such as an elevated or very slow heart rate, low blood pressure, pale gums, collapse, etc.).
• Any patient with uncontrollable seizures or neurologic signs (e.g., coma, non-responsiveness, etc.)
• Any patient that may not be producing urine or is having difficulty urinating
• Any patient with life-threatening complications (e.g., pneumonia, organ failure, clotting problems, blood pressure abnormalities, etc.)
• Any patient with organ failure (e.g., congestive heart failure, kidney failure, etc.)
• Any patient not responding well from anesthesia, or not responding well to current treatment