When is it a pet emergency? Signs your pet needs urgent veterinary care

This can be obvious signs like choking and gasping, but can also include more subtle signs, such as breathing with more effort (often seen as excessive abdominal movement), breathing quickly, or open-mouth breathing/panting in cats (panting is normal for most dogs).  

Further reading: Symptom - Breathing Difficulties

Straining a lot with little or no urine can be a sign of a urinary blockage, especially in male cats and dogs. The same symptoms in female pets are usually a sign of cystitis, which needs veterinary care but is generally not an emergency. 

Further reading: Feline Idiopathic Cystitis

Not all bleeding is an emergency, but a constant flow of blood, bleeding that pulses, or bleeding that does not stop within a few minutes should all prompt veterinary attention. 

Vomiting or having diarrhoea multiple times per day, or if these symptoms are accompanied by other signs of illness, such as fever or lethargy. 

Some eye conditions are considered an emergency and can include corneal ulceration, glaucoma (noticed as the surface of the eye going blue/cloudy), eye trauma, swelling or prolapse of the eye, and sudden-onset blindness (often related to high blood pressure). The eye is a delicate structure that can quickly get worse.  

Retching or trying to vomit, but producing nothing or only a small amount of mucus, can be a sign of gastric dilation and torsion (bloat) in dogs. You might also see the stomach become swollen and feel hard. This is an emergency and requires immediate veterinary attention. 

Don’t wait to bring your pet in if they have been attacked by another animal or hit by a car or other object, even if there are no visible signs of injury. Internal injuries and bleeding can quickly become life-threatening. Previously undiagnosed seizures can be another sign of trauma. 

Further reading: Cat in a Road Traffic Accident, Dog in a Road Traffic Accident

Collapse is an inability to stand up or move around normally. Pets can collapse for many reasons, including physical problems with the back legs or the spine, or systemic (related to the internal body system) problems such as low blood pressure due to internal bleeding or overheating, as in heatstroke. Collapse usually requires urgent veterinary attention to find the underlying cause. 

If your pet ingests a known toxin or exhibits symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures, difficulty breathing, or collapse. Time is critical, and prompt veterinary attention can be lifesaving.   

Further reading: Dog and Cat Poisoning - Most Common Toxins

In pets, a birthing emergency occurs when a dog or cat experiences difficult labour (dystocia) and requires immediate veterinary intervention. Key indicators include straining for over 20-30 minutes without producing a puppy or kitten, more than two hours between deliveries, or abnormal discharge (green or bloody) without delivery. 

Any seizure that has not stopped after 3 minutes or several short seizures within a short period, warrants immediate veterinary treatment. A single, short seizure does not require urgent treatment (pets are often best left where they are to recover), but we would recommend calling for advice. 

A neurological emergency in pets requires immediate veterinary attention with sudden paralysis or significant weakness of one or more than one limb; loss of consciousness (like fainting or coma); or severe changes in mental status like lethargy, disorientation or unresponsiveness; head tilting, circling, incoordination, or unusual eye movements (like nystagmus). These signs can indicate a serious underlying issue like stroke, brain injury, or spinal cord damage. 

A sting, bite, or allergic reaction is a medical emergency in pets if they exhibit signs of difficulty breathing, swelling or collapse (anaphylaxis). Other signs of a serious allergic reaction include vomiting, pale gums, disorientation, or seizures - contact your vet immediately. 

A pet with heatstroke is a medical emergency requiring immediate attention. It occurs when a pet's body temperature rises above 40°C, with excessive panting, difficulty breathing, red gums, drooling, restlessness and agitation, vomiting and diarrhoea, collapse and weakness. If left untreated, it can lead to organ failure, coma, and even death.  

Further reading: Heatstroke in Cats, Heatstroke in Dogs
Protect your Cat from Heatstroke, Protect your Dog from Heatstroke