When to take your pet to the vet: emergency signs and what can wait

Animals can't tell us how they feel, and many — cats especially — hide pain until a problem is advanced. Knowing which signs can't wait may save your pet's life, and knowing what can wait for a routine visit saves you a lot of worry. When in doubt, calling your vet is always the right choice.

Go to a vet now if you notice

• Difficulty breathing: fast or laboured breathing, a cat breathing with its mouth open, or an odd noise with each breath.
• Pale, white or blue gums.
• Collapse, fainting, or sudden inability to stand.
• A seizure lasting more than five minutes, or more than one in a day.
• A swollen, hard belly with attempts to vomit that bring nothing up, especially in large, deep-chested dogs. This can be a twisted stomach and is a severe emergency.
• A male cat straining in the litter box without passing urine, or crying while trying. A urinary blockage in male cats can be fatal within hours.
• Eating a poison or dangerous substance, or suspecting it, even if your pet seems normal.
• Signs of heatstroke: heavy panting, drooling and staggering after heat exposure.
• A road accident or fall from a height, even if your pet seems fine — internal bleeding may not show at first.
• Bleeding that won't stop after a few minutes of pressure.
• An eye injury, or a swollen or bulging eye.
• Difficult birth: strong straining for 30 minutes without a baby being born, or many hours between babies when more are expected.

Call your vet and book within 24 hours if

• vomiting or diarrhoea happens more than twice, or contains blood;
• a cat hasn't eaten for more than a day, or a dog for more than one to two days (puppies and kittens need a vet sooner);
• there is marked limping or pain when touched;
• you notice constant head shaking or a bad smell from an ear;
• sudden intense itching or a swollen face appears;
• your pet is unusually tired and hiding.

Book a routine appointment if you notice

• more drinking and urinating than usual;
• weight loss or gain without a change in food;
• a new lump under the skin, or one that is growing;
• strong bad breath or difficulty chewing;
• hair loss, scabs or skin changes;
• slow changes in behaviour or energy, especially in older pets.

Simple checks at home

• Gums: should be pink and moist. Lift the lip gently and press a finger on the gum; the pink colour should return in about two seconds. White, blue, yellow or very red gums are a warning sign.
• Breathing at rest or asleep: count how many times the chest rises in one minute. For most sleeping dogs and cats it is under about 30. A rate that stays high needs advice.
• Temperature: normal is roughly 38–39.2 °C, measured with a lubricated digital thermometer in the rectum. If your pet is in pain or aggressive, don't try — go to the vet.
• Dehydration: gently lift the skin on the back of the neck and let go. If it falls back slowly, or the gums feel sticky and dry, your pet may be dehydrated.

Have this information ready

1. When did the signs start, and are they getting worse?
2. What did your pet last eat? Has its food changed recently?
3. Any medicines it takes, and anything it may have swallowed — with the packaging, if you have it.
4. Photos or a short video of the problem, such as a seizure or the breathing pattern, if you can film it safely.
5. Its vaccination and visit history. On Pets4Pals you can give a member clinic a one-time code to open your pet's medical file with its microchip number, so the vet sees past vaccines and visits with your permission.

See also toxic foods and household poisons and heatstroke.

Frequently asked questions