Most things can wait until morning. A few genuinely cannot, and the difficulty is that animals are good at hiding the difference. This is the list we give people who ask us how to tell.
Call straight away if you see any of these
Difficulty breathing, noisy breathing, or a cat breathing with its mouth open
Repeated retching or attempts to vomit that produce nothing, especially in a deep-chested dog
Straining to urinate without producing urine, particularly in male cats
Collapse, a seizure, or sudden inability to stand
A hard, swollen or painful abdomen
Bleeding that does not stop with gentle pressure
Any suspected poisoning, including human medication
Any road traffic accident, however fine they look afterwards
A rabbit that has stopped eating or passing droppings
Why “he seems fine now” isn’t reassuring
After a car, internal bleeding and chest injuries can take hours to show. An animal running about ten minutes after being hit is not evidence that nothing happened. The same is true after a fall, a fight, or a suspected poisoning: the gap between the event and the signs is exactly when we most want to see them.
What to do while you call
Keep them warm, quiet and confined. Do not offer food or water if they may need an anaesthetic. Do not try to treat anything at home, and do not give any human medicine: several of the obvious ones are toxic to dogs and cats. Bring the packaging of anything they may have eaten.
Not sure whether this needs a visit?
Call us on (555) 018-4400 and describe what you’ve noticed. Our nurses triage these calls all day and there’s no charge for asking. If it’s outside our hours and you’re worried, call [emergency hospital name] on [number].
This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. Nothing here replaces examining your specific animal.
Related service
Urgent care