It's 2 a.m., and your dog just vomited twice. Do you rush to the emergency vet right now, or can it wait until morning? Your cat is limping slightly. Is this worth an emergency visit, or should you monitor it and call your regular vet tomorrow? These are the questions that keep pet owners up at night and send anxiety spiraling.
The challenge is that pets can't tell us how they feel, and they're remarkably good at hiding illness or pain. By the time symptoms are obvious, a condition may have progressed significantly. Understanding which symptoms require immediate emergency care versus those that can wait for a regular appointment isn't always intuitive, but it's one of the most important skills a pet owner can develop.
Let's walk through the warning signs so you can make confident, informed decisions about your pet's care.
Life-Threatening Emergencies: Go Immediately
These symptoms indicate your pet needs emergency veterinary care right now. Don't wait, don't monitor - get in the car and go.
Breathing Difficulties
Any trouble breathing is a medical emergency:
- Gasping for air or open-mouth breathing (especially in cats)
- Blue, purple, or pale gums and tongue
- Excessive panting when not hot or exercising
- Wheezing, choking, or gagging sounds
- Extending neck and head to breathe
- Shallow, rapid breathing or very slow breathing
Breathing problems can indicate heart failure, pneumonia, airway obstruction, allergic reactions, or other critical conditions. Minutes matter.
Unconsciousness or Collapse
If your pet collapses, loses consciousness, or can't stand:
- Check for breathing and pulse
- Begin CPR if needed
- Get to emergency vet immediately
- This could indicate shock, heart problems, internal bleeding, or neurological issues
Severe Bleeding
Heavy bleeding that doesn't stop with direct pressure requires immediate care:
- Blood spurting from wound
- Continuous flow that soaks through bandages
- Blood from nose, mouth, rectum, or in urine
- Multiple bleeding sites
Apply pressure with clean cloth while transporting to emergency vet. Your pet could be losing critical amounts of blood.
Seizures
While a single brief seizure may not always be life-threatening, seek emergency care if:
- Seizure lasts more than 5 minutes
- Multiple seizures occur in a 24-hour period
- Your pet doesn't return to normal within 30 minutes after a seizure
- This is the first seizure you've witnessed
Trauma
Any significant trauma requires immediate evaluation, even if your pet seems okay:
- Hit by car
- Attacked by another animal
- Fallen from height
- Any injury involving the head, chest, or abdomen
Internal injuries may not be immediately visible. Shock can develop hours after trauma.
Toxin Ingestion
If your pet ingested something toxic, every minute counts:
- Chocolate, grapes, raisins, xylitol, or other known toxins
- Medications (human or pet)
- Household chemicals, antifreeze, rodent poison
- Toxic plants
Call ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888-426-4435) or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) while en route to the emergency vet. Bring the package or substance if possible. For more information, see our guide on Common Household Toxins.
Inability to Urinate or Defecate
Especially urgent in male cats and dogs:
- Straining to urinate with little or no urine produced
- Crying or obvious pain when trying to urinate
- Distended, hard abdomen
- Complete inability to defecate for more than 24 hours with signs of distress
Urinary blockages can be fatal within 24-48 hours. This is a true emergency.
Severe Abdominal Distension
A rapidly swelling or bloated abdomen, especially with any of these signs:
- Repeated attempts to vomit with nothing coming up
- Pacing, restlessness, or obvious discomfort
- Excessive drooling
- Rapid breathing
- Pale gums
This could indicate gastric dilatation-volvulus (bloat), especially in large, deep-chested dogs. This is immediately life-threatening and requires emergency surgery.
Extreme Pain
Obvious, severe pain requires immediate attention:
- Crying, yelping, or vocalizing continuously
- Aggression when touched (unusual for your pet)
- Rigid, tense body
- Won't let you touch certain areas
- Trembling or shaking
Urgent But May Be Able to Wait a Few Hours
These situations are serious and need veterinary attention soon, but you may be able to wait for your regular vet to open or schedule a same-day appointment rather than rushing to emergency care.
Vomiting or Diarrhea
Context matters:
Emergency if:
- Multiple episodes (more than 3-4 times in a few hours)
- Blood present (bright red or coffee-ground appearance)
- Accompanied by lethargy, weakness, or pale gums
- In very young, very old, or sick pets
- Suspected toxin ingestion
- Severe abdominal pain
Can likely wait if:
- Single episode and pet acts normal otherwise
- Pet is eating, drinking, and active
- No blood present
- Call vet in morning for guidance
Limping or Lameness
Emergency if:
- Complete inability to bear weight on limb
- Obvious deformity or dangling limb
- Severe swelling
- Open wound or bone visible
- Extreme pain when touched
Can likely wait if:
- Mild limp but still using the leg
- No visible injury or deformity
- Pet is otherwise comfortable and acting normal
- Rest overnight and call vet in morning if not improved
Eye Injuries
Emergency if:
- Obvious trauma to eye
- Eye appears to be out of socket
- Sudden blindness in one or both eyes
- Severe swelling, redness, or discharge
- Squinting with visible pain
Can likely wait if:
- Mild redness without pain
- Slight discharge without other symptoms
- Schedule appointment within 24 hours
Loss of Appetite
Emergency if:
- Won't eat or drink for 24+ hours
- Accompanied by lethargy, vomiting, or other symptoms
- In diabetic pets (can lead to serious complications quickly)
- Very young or very old pets
Can likely wait if:
- Skipped one meal but drinking normally
- Otherwise acting completely normal
- No other symptoms
- Monitor and call vet if persists beyond 24 hours
Monitor at Home (But Stay Alert)
These situations can usually be monitored at home, but watch carefully for any worsening:
- Mild lethargy - A single "off" day, especially if pet is eating and drinking
- Minor scratches or abrasions - Clean, apply antibiotic ointment, monitor for infection
- Mild coughing or sneezing - Without other symptoms; monitor for 24-48 hours
- Decreased activity in senior pets - If gradual and no pain signs; discuss at next regular checkup
- Minor changes in stool - Slight softness without blood or severe diarrhea
However, if any of these persist beyond 24-48 hours or worsen, contact your vet.
Special Considerations for Specific Conditions
Diabetic Pets
Diabetic emergencies require immediate care:
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar): weakness, trembling, confusion, seizures
- Won't eat after insulin dose
- Excessive thirst and urination (sudden worsening)
Heart Disease Patients
Watch for sudden worsening:
- Increased respiratory rate at rest
- Coughing that worsens or changes
- Exercise intolerance worse than baseline
- Fainting or weakness
Pregnant or Nursing Pets
Seek emergency care for:
- Labor lasting more than 2 hours without producing puppy/kitten
- More than 30 minutes of active straining without progress
- Dark green discharge before first puppy/kitten is born
- Fever, lethargy, or loss of appetite while nursing
What to Tell Your Vet
Whether you're calling for advice or heading to emergency care, provide:
- What you observed - Specific symptoms and when they started
- Changes in behavior - Eating, drinking, elimination, activity level
- Medical history - Current medications, previous conditions, recent changes
- Possible exposures - New foods, plants, chemicals, trauma
- Vital signs if you can safely check - Temperature, breathing rate, gum color
Building Your Judgment Skills
Knowing when to seek emergency care becomes easier with experience and preparation:
- Learn your pet's normal behavior and vital signs
- Keep your vet's number and nearest emergency clinic's contact info easily accessible
- Take a pet first aid course to build confidence
- Don't hesitate to call for advice - vets would rather you call than wait too long
- Trust your instincts - if something feels wrong, it's better to check
The Cost Question
Emergency vet visits are expensive, and that reality factors into decision-making. However, delaying care for a true emergency can lead to worse outcomes and often higher costs in the long run.
Consider:
- Many conditions are cheaper to treat when caught early
- Some emergencies, if untreated, become life-threatening
- Emergency clinics often offer payment plans
- Pet insurance or emergency savings can ease financial stress (see our guide on Financial Planning for Unexpected Vet Bills)
Your vet can help you weigh the urgency against cost if you discuss finances openly.
Trust Yourself
You know your pet better than anyone. If your normally bouncy dog is lethargic and just not acting right, even without obvious symptoms, that's worth a call to your vet. Subtle behavior changes often signal that something's wrong before more dramatic symptoms appear.
On the flip side, don't panic over every small thing. Pets occasionally have off days, minor upsets, or small injuries that resolve on their own. The key is knowing when to watch and wait versus when to act immediately.
Keep our Emergency Preparedness Checklist handy, learn basic first aid skills, and always err on the side of caution. Your quick recognition of a true emergency could save your pet's life.