When Should You Call an Emergency Vet? UK Red Flags for Dogs and Cats

If your dog or cat suddenly seems unwell, especially late at night, the question is usually whether it can wait until morning. You don’t need to know what is wrong before you call. If your pet looks very unwell, is in pain or has had an accident, ring a vet and describe what you can see.

Your usual practice can tell you whether your pet needs to be seen straight away and, if it is closed, direct you to its out-of-hours service.

Breathing trouble, collapse and seizures

Call an emergency vet straight away if your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, loses consciousness or suddenly becomes very weak. Signs of breathing trouble can include working hard to breathe, wheezing, noisy breathing or pale gums. Cats normally breathe through their nose, so a cat that pants or breathes with its mouth open needs a vet straight away. A pet that cannot stand, suddenly cannot use their legs, or seems much weaker than usual also needs urgent veterinary advice.

Seizures need an urgent call too. A seizure may look like full-body convulsions, but it can also involve twitching, drooling or a sudden change in behaviour. Your pet may be confused or unsteady afterwards. If you can, time the seizure and film it on your phone, as this helps the vet. A seizure lasting more than two minutes, or more than one seizure in 24 hours, needs a call straight away. Keep them away from stairs and other hazards while you phone, but do not put your hands near their mouth.

Even if your dog or cat seems to recover after collapsing or having a seizure, call a vet. These signs can have serious causes and need assessment.

Serious injury, bleeding and pain

An injury may look smaller than it really is. Contact a vet urgently after a road traffic accident, a fall, a crush injury or any other known trauma, even if you cannot see a wound. Breathing problems, limping, fractures and a change in behaviour can all follow an injury, and some damage is not obvious at first.

Heavy bleeding, or bleeding that has not stopped after 10 minutes, needs urgent veterinary help. So do deep wounds, wounds with an object in them, eye injuries, burns and dirty or infected wounds. If a wound is bleeding heavily, press firmly on it with a clean pad or cloth and head to the vet. If a large object is stuck in a wound, do not try to remove it. Cover the area loosely if you can do so without pushing the object further in, then call the vet.

Bite wounds should also be checked. They can be more serious than they appear because teeth can cause damage under the skin and introduce bacteria.

Severe pain or distress is another reason to call now. Your pet may cry, be unable to settle, react strongly when touched, refuse to walk or hold their body in an unusual position. Cats often hide when they feel unwell, so sudden withdrawal or reluctance to move matters, particularly when it is out of character.

Poisoning and swallowed objects

If you think your pet has eaten or touched something harmful, contact a vet immediately. PDSA advises never waiting to see if a problem develops, because a poisoned dog can become very ill or even die without treatment. Common risks for dogs include medicines, cleaning products, antifreeze, rat poison, chocolate, grapes and raisins, onions, xylitol (a sweetener in some sugar-free gum and peanut butter) and some plants. For cats, lilies are especially dangerous: eating a tiny amount or licking pollen off their fur can cause kidney failure. Dog flea treatments containing permethrin can also poison cats, so never use a dog product on a cat.

Keep any packaging, a label or details of the product to hand if it is safe to do so. Tell the vet what your pet may have eaten, roughly when it happened and how much you think was involved. Never try to make your pet vomit unless a vet has told you to do this. It is not safe in every situation.

A swallowed object can be just as worrying. Dogs may eat toys, stones, socks, bones or other items that can cause a blockage. Call promptly if you think your dog has swallowed something harmful or unsuitable, rather than waiting for vomiting, diarrhoea or pain to develop.

Stomach and toilet problems

Vomiting or diarrhoea can sometimes be mild, but it becomes more worrying when it is persistent, contains blood, comes with pain or is followed by weakness or a marked change in behaviour. A pet that seems very unwell alongside stomach signs should be assessed urgently. In dogs, repeated retching that brings up nothing or only froth, especially with a swollen tummy, restlessness or drooling, can be a sign of a twisted stomach (gastric dilatation volvulus, or GDV). This is life-threatening and most common in large, deep-chested breeds, so call a vet at once.

Pay close attention when your pet tries to pass urine. Straining but producing no urine, passing only drops, or blood in the urine are urgent warning signs. In male cats, straining in the litter tray without passing urine can mean a blocked bladder, which can be fatal without prompt treatment. Owners sometimes mistake it for constipation, so call a vet straight away. Tell the vet what you have seen and when your pet last passed a normal amount of urine.

Difficulty passing faeces can also need prompt advice, especially if your pet is straining, producing little, seems painful or may have swallowed an object. Do not assume a hunched or stretched posture is minor if your pet also seems distressed or unwell.

Sudden changes that should not be ignored

Sometimes there is no obvious injury or accident. The first clue may simply be that your pet is not acting normally. Sudden weakness, a loss of balance, trouble walking, dragging their feet, paralysis or a clear change in awareness all need veterinary advice without delay. In warm weather, heavy panting, drooling, very red or pale gums, vomiting or collapse can mean heatstroke, which can become life-threatening quickly. Call a vet at once.

Changes in eating, drinking and energy can be important too. Dogs Trust advises contacting a vet if lethargy is out of character, while a persistent change in appetite or drinking can also need attention. A pet that is very young, older, or has an ongoing health problem may be less able to cope when they become unwell, so call sooner if you are concerned.

Trust what you know about your own pet. A dog who is usually lively but will not get up, or a cat who is normally social but suddenly hides and will not move, may be telling you that something is wrong.

When your usual vet is closed

In the UK, veterinary surgeons in practice must take steps to provide 24-hour emergency first aid and pain relief. Your normal practice may provide this service itself, share cover with another practice or use a separate emergency clinic. Its phone message or website should tell you where to call outside normal opening hours.

Ring before setting off where possible. Explain what happened, when it started, whether your pet has eaten anything unusual, and any medicines or health conditions they have. The team can tell you where to go and whether there is anything specific they need to know before you arrive.

If you cannot get through to your usual practice, look for an out-of-hours or 24-hour veterinary service nearby and call it. A practice directory may help you find local services, but speaking to the clinic first is still useful.

When routine advice may be enough

Not every change needs an emergency appointment. PDSA notes that very minor cuts and grazes often heal themselves, while anything more serious than a minor cut or graze should be seen by a vet. A single mild vomit in a pet that otherwise seems comfortable may also be something your usual practice can advise on during opening hours, unless you think they may have eaten something harmful.

The picture changes if a sign keeps returning, gets worse, or comes with pain, weakness, breathing changes, vomiting, diarrhoea or unusual behaviour. If you are torn between waiting and calling, ring the practice. It is better to have a quick conversation than to wait while a pet becomes more unwell.

Keep the decision simple

Call an emergency vet when you see trouble breathing, collapse, seizures, sudden weakness or paralysis, serious injury, heavy bleeding, severe pain, suspected poisoning, a swallowed risky object, difficulty passing urine, repeated retching with a swollen tummy, or signs of heatstroke. These are not signs to watch overnight.