Veterinary Emergencies
The following signs and symptoms are “red flags” that may mean your pet is experiencing a serious health problem. If your pet is showing one or more of these symptoms, you should contact an emergency veterinarian as soon as possible:
- Pale, white, or blue/grey gums, tongue, and skin
- Struggling to breathe, or seeming to have difficulty breathing
- Bloated or distended abdomen (“pot belly”)
- Not able to urinate
- Collapse, unable to walk, or unresponsive
- Multiple seizures within 24 hours, or any seizure lasting longer than 5 minutes
- Paralysis in one or more legs, or dragging the hind legs
- Irregular heart rate (very fast or very slow)
- Trying to vomit but nothing coming up
- Severe wounds (bite wounds, puncture wounds, anything that bleeds heavily)
- Trauma (hit by car, hit by blunt object, falls)
- Pregnant animal struggling to give birth (greater than 2 hours in between deliveries or no delivery after 4 hours)
- Fatal or dangerous toxin or object ingestion (e.g. antifreeze, batteries, sharp objects)
- Vomiting and diarrhea for greater than 24 hours duration, especially if not eating
- Nose bleeding
- Swelling of the face or neck
- Severe, sudden lethargy or loss of appetite
- Severe pain (crying out, aggressive when touched, trembling or twitching)
- Sudden changes in behavior (uncharacteristic aggression, hiding, anxiety, etc.)