In veterinary medicine, what does "critical care" refer to?

Critical care in veterinary medicine refers to intensive care for animals experiencing life-threatening conditions. This type of care is necessary when pets are critically ill or injured and requires close monitoring, advanced medical treatments, and often a multidisciplinary approach.

In critical care situations, veterinary professionals must provide immediate and intensive treatments, such as fluid therapy, oxygen therapy, or medication adjustments, to stabilize the animal's condition. This includes managing complications that can arise rapidly, ensuring the animal maintains the best chance of recovery.

Care for healthy animals, emergency treatment for injured pets, and routine health check-ups are important aspects of veterinary practice but do not fall under the definition of critical care, which specifically pertains to situations that require a higher level of attention and resource allocation to save an animal's life.