Dog emergencies: symptoms that mean call a vet

Short answer: if your dog shows any sign on this page, the next step is a phone call to your vet. If they are closed, call an emergency vet. Say what you are seeing and ask what to do. Calling ahead also lets the clinic get ready for you. If you are not sure whether it is serious, call anyway. Your vet will tell you how soon your dog needs to be seen.

Signs to call about right away

Trouble breathing. Your dog is working hard to breathe, or breathing with an open mouth while resting. Keep your dog quiet, and call your vet while you get ready to go. A dog who struggles to breathe can panic, so move slowly and keep your hands away from the mouth.

Collapse or sudden weakness. Your dog falls, cannot get up, or seems suddenly limp. Call your vet and head to the clinic. Do not wait to see if it passes.

A swollen belly or retching with nothing coming up. A belly that looks tight or bigger than usual, sometimes with drooling or repeated tries to be sick, needs a vet quickly. This matters most in big, deep-chested dogs. Call your vet and go straight there.

A seizure. Most last a few minutes. Dim the lights, move furniture or hard objects out of the way, and keep your hands away from your dog's mouth. Do not hold your dog down. Note the time it started, and film it if you can. Call your vet during or just after the seizure. If it goes on past five minutes, or your dog has more than one in a row, go to the vet straight away.

Something harmful eaten or swallowed. This could be a medicine, a cleaning product, a plant, or a food your dog should not have. Call your vet even if your dog looks fine, because signs can take time to appear. Keep the packaging or a photo of the plant to show them. Please do not try to make your dog be sick unless your vet tells you to.

Heavy heat. Heavy panting, drooling, weakness, wobbliness or vomiting on a hot day, after exercise, or after time in a warm car or room. Move your dog to a cool, shaded spot, pour cool water over the body, fan them, and call your vet. Keep cooling your dog on the way. Our guide to heavy panting on a hot walk has more on telling normal panting from a problem.

Bleeding that will not stop. Press a clean cloth on the wound and call your vet. Deep or large wounds, burns, and bites to the head, chest or belly also need to be seen.

An accident or a fall. If your dog was hit by a car or had a hard knock, call your vet even if they look fine. Some injuries are inside and cannot be seen. If your dog cannot put weight on a leg, move them gently and avoid touching the leg.

A painful or closed eye. Eyes can get worse quickly. Try to stop your dog rubbing it, and call your vet.

A sudden swollen face, hives, or breathing trouble after a sting or new food. This can be an allergic reaction. Call your vet right away.

Vomiting or diarrhoea that keeps coming back, or comes with weakness or blood. Call your vet and ask what to do. Please do not give your dog medicine from your own cupboard.

What to do while you call

Take a breath and stay calm, because your dog will pick up on it. Keep them quiet and in a safe spot. A hurt or frightened dog can bite, even a gentle one, so move slowly and keep your face away from the mouth. Ask someone to help you lift or move a larger dog. When you call, tell your vet what you saw, when it started, and your dog's age and size. Do not give any human medicine, including painkillers. If your vet is closed, call an emergency vet. First aid at home is only a bridge to the vet, not a replacement for it.

Making it easier next time

Save your vet's number and the nearest emergency vet's number in your phone, and write them on paper by the door. Check where the emergency vet is and when it opens, so you are not searching on the day.

Sources: AVMA, first aid tips for pet owners: avma.org. VCA Animal Hospitals, emergencies in dogs: vcahospitals.com. RSPCA, first aid for your dog: rspca.org.uk. Blue Cross, emergencies and first aid in dogs: bluecross.org.uk.

General education only, not veterinary advice or a plan for your individual dog. If you are worried about your dog, please contact a vet. See our legal page.