Emergency warning signs

In some situations, "we will look at it in the morning" means being too late. This article covers the pictures that mean setting off now, and what to do until you get there.

Situations that mean going without delay

Breathing

• Difficulty breathing, stretching the neck out to breathe
• Gums or tongue turning blue or pale
• Open-mouth breathing in a cat — cats do not normally breathe through the mouth, so this is always an emergency
• Persistent coughing or choking sounds

Digestion and abdomen

• A tight, swollen abdomen with retching that produces nothing — in deep-chested large breeds this signals gastric torsion, where minutes count
• Vomiting blood, or bloody / tar-coloured stool
• Uncontrollable vomiting or diarrhoea lasting more than 24 hours
• A severe reaction to the abdomen being touched

Urination

• Inability to urinate, or straining and passing very little — potentially fatal within hours, especially in male cats
• Blood in the urine

Neurological

• Seizures; lasting more than 2 minutes or repeating back to back
• Loss of consciousness, unresponsiveness
• Unsteady walking, circling in one direction, sudden blindness
• Sudden inability to stand, paralysis of the hind legs

Trauma and bleeding

• Hit by a vehicle or a fall from height — internal bleeding is possible even if they look fine
• Bleeding that does not stop under pressure
• Open fracture, deep wound, a blow to the eye
• Bite from a snake, scorpion or unidentified animal

General condition

• A marked drop or rise in body temperature
• Extreme weakness, inability to stand
• During labour, straining for more than 30 minutes with no kitten or puppy delivered
• In hot weather, heavy panting, drooling and unsteadiness — heatstroke

Suspected poisoning

Commonly encountered toxic substances: chocolate, xylitol (sugar-free gum and sweeteners), grapes and raisins, onion and garlic, paracetamol and other human medicines, antifreeze, rodenticides, lilies (for cats), and permethrin-containing dog parasite products (for cats).

What to do:

1. Move the animal away from the substance.
2. Take the packaging or a sample with you — knowing which substance it is determines the treatment.
3. Try to estimate how much was taken and when.
4. Call the vet immediately and wait for their instructions.

Heatstroke

Risk is highest in summer, particularly in flat-faced breeds (bulldogs, pugs, Persian cats). Signs: heavy panting, thick drool, red gums, unsteadiness, vomiting.

• Move them to a cool, shaded place immediately
• Wet them with lukewarm water — do not use iced water, which constricts blood vessels and slows cooling
• Offer lukewarm water if they want to drink; never force it
• Go to a vet even if they seem to recover; organ damage can appear later

Never leave an animal in a parked car under any circumstances; even in shade with a window cracked, the interior reaches lethal temperatures within minutes.

A home emergency kit

• Sterile gauze, bandage, self-adhesive wrap
• Antiseptic solution (the one your vet recommends)
• Blunt-tipped scissors, fine-tipped tweezers, a tick tool
• Digital thermometer, disposable gloves
• A carrier — carrying a panicking animal in your arms is risky
• Your vet's number and that of the nearest 24-hour clinic, stuck on the fridge

Before you set off

• Call the clinic and tell them you are coming — they can prepare
• Take the vaccination card and a list of current medications
• Photograph the vomit, stool or the substance swallowed
• An injured or painful animal may bite; stay calm and wrap them in a towel if needed

If you keep vaccination and medication records in the PATI app, that information is ready on your phone in an emergency — you will not have to go looking for it in a panic.