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Not sure when you should take your pet to the vet? If your pet experiences any of the following please take them to your vet as soon as possible:
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collapses or becomes very weak
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has severe diarrhoea or repetitive vomiting
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is bleeding
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looses its appetite for more than 24 hours
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lethargy for more than 24 hours
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cannot urinate or defecate at all or without pain
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breathes rapidly, shallowly, or with difficulty
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develops a severe cough
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ingests a poison or suspected poison
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sustains trauma (hit by a car, jumping from a window, or other cuts or injuries)
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If you think there is an emergency:
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seek immediate veterinary care
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transport your pet to a vet clinic as gently as possible, preferably in a suitable animal carrier/crate/cage
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avoid putting your face or hands in or near a pet's mouth or feet as pain may cause your pet to bite or scratch you
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if you believe that an animal has been poisoned, bring the label, container of the suspected substance, or a piece of what was ingested (plant, foodstuff etc) with you to the vet clinic
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if your pet is bleeding excessively from a cut, apply a clean cloth or bandage over the cut using consistent pressure only (do not apply a tourniquet as this may do more harm than good)
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The information contained in this site is not intended to replace a physical examination by a qualified veterinarian. If you think your pet is ill, please contact a veterinarian right away.
A checklist to help you evaluate your pet's health
If you answer ‘yes’ to any of the following, please telephone your local vet clinic to discuss the situation with a vet or to make an appointment for your pet to have a check-up.
My pet:
- is inactive or seems depressed
- has discharge from the nose or eyes
- has soft, bloody or watery bowel movements
- drinks more than normal
- urinates more than normal or more often than usual in a day
- has fleas, ticks or mites (an infestation can potentially kill puppies by making them anemic)
- walks or goes to stand with stiffness, pain or difficulty
- has smelly ears or excessive recurring ear wax
- has discoloured teeth or reddened gums
- has bad breath (a sign of the deadly parvovirus is a distinctively smelly breath, please take your dog to the vet as soon as possible just to be sure)
- has unusual lumps anywhere
- eats less than normal (unless its a very hot day, you probably wont want to each much either!)
- has been gaining excessive weight
- has been losing excessive weight (this could even be a sign of diabetes - it happened to my 12 year old cat)
- has difficulty breathing or has a cough
- limps
- has a dull or scaly coat
- has sores on its skin or oily skin
- scratches excessively
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