Dealing with a Pet Emergency
A frantic pet owner is calling an emergency veterinary clinic or explaining to a vet assistant that their pet has suddenly become ill or injured, describing the symptoms.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
emergency
A sudden, serious situation that needs immediate help, like a pet getting sick quickly.
vomiting
Throwing up food or liquid from the stomach, a common sign of illness in pets.
lethargic
Feeling very tired and lacking energy, often meaning a pet is not active or responsive.
calm
Not excited or upset; staying relaxed during a stressful time, like when dealing with a pet's problem.
unusual
Something strange or not normal, like food a pet shouldn't eat.
immediately
Right away, without delay; used when something needs to happen fast, like taking a pet to the vet.
address
The exact location of a place, like a street number and name, needed for directions.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Hello? Emergency Pet Clinic. How can I help you?
This is a polite way to answer a phone at a service place. It shows you're ready to assist. Use it when starting a call in a job like a clinic. The question 'How can I help you?' is a common customer service phrase.
My dog, Buster, he's in a really bad way.
This describes a pet's serious condition informally. 'In a really bad way' is a casual expression for being very ill. Use it in emergencies to quickly explain the problem. Note the contraction 'he's' for 'he is'.
He suddenly started vomiting and he's completely lethargic.
This sentence lists symptoms clearly. 'Suddenly started' shows quick change, and 'and' connects two issues. Useful for describing pet health problems to a vet. It's in present tense for ongoing actions.
Please try to stay calm.
This is advice to relax in a stressful moment. 'Try to' suggests effort is needed. Use it to help someone who's panicking, like a worried pet owner. It's polite and supportive.
Can you tell me how long this has been going on?
This asks for the duration of a problem using present perfect continuous tense 'has been going on' for something starting in the past and continuing. Useful in medical situations to get details. It's a yes/no question with 'can you' for politeness.
It sounds like he needs to be seen immediately.
This gives an opinion on urgency. 'It sounds like' means 'it seems', and 'needs to be seen' is passive voice for required action. Use it to advise quick help in emergencies.
Drive safely, and we'll see you shortly.
This is a caring instruction with 'drive safely' for caution, and 'we'll see you shortly' means soon. Use it when giving directions or expecting someone quickly. Future tense 'we'll' for plans.