October is Pet Emergency Awareness Month, making it a good time to review the situations that can’t wait until tomorrow.

As a veterinarian, one of the most important things I tell pet owners is this: you do not need to diagnose the problem at home. You just need to recognize when something may be serious enough to need immediate veterinary care.

Here are 11 pet emergencies every dog and cat owner should know.

1. Difficulty Breathing

Any pet that is struggling to breathe should be evaluated immediately.

Warning signs can include open-mouth breathing, exaggerated chest or abdominal movement, noisy breathing, pale or blue gums, or a pet that cannot comfortably lie down.

Breathing problems can worsen quickly, so this is not a situation to monitor at home.

2. Suspected Poisoning or Toxic Ingestion

Pets can get into medications, foods, household products, plants, and recreational substances in seconds.

Common toxic exposures include:

• Grapes and raisins
• Xylitol
• Chocolate
• Human medications
• Rodenticides
• THC products
• Certain plants and household chemicals

If you suspect your pet ate something toxic, call your veterinarian, an emergency hospital, or a pet poison-control service right away.

3. Repeated Vomiting or Severe Diarrhea

One isolated episode of vomiting may not always be an emergency, but repeated vomiting, inability to keep water down, severe diarrhea, blood in the vomit or stool, abdominal pain, or significant lethargy deserves prompt veterinary attention.

Young animals, senior pets, and small dogs and cats can become dehydrated especially quickly.

4. Seizures

A seizure that lasts several minutes, multiple seizures occurring close together, or a pet that does not recover normally afterward requires emergency care.

During a seizure, keep your pet away from stairs and furniture, dim the lights if possible, and avoid putting your hands near the mouth.

Time the seizure if you can. That information can be very helpful to your veterinarian.

5. Heatstroke

Heatstroke can become life-threatening very quickly.

Signs may include excessive panting, weakness, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, bright-red gums, confusion, collapse, or seizures.

Move your pet to a cooler environment and begin gentle cooling with cool—not ice-cold—water while arranging immediate veterinary care.

Never leave a pet in a parked vehicle, even for a short period of time.

6. A Bloated or Painful Abdomen

A suddenly enlarged abdomen accompanied by restlessness, drooling, repeated attempts to vomit without producing anything, or obvious discomfort can indicate gastric dilatation-volvulus, or GDV.

GDV is most common in large and deep-chested dogs and requires immediate emergency treatment.

Do not wait to see if it improves.

7. Heavy Bleeding or Serious Wounds

Bleeding that does not stop after several minutes of steady pressure needs veterinary attention.

For active bleeding, apply firm direct pressure using clean gauze or cloth.

Avoid repeatedly lifting the material to check the wound, because that can disrupt the clot that is trying to form.

Deep wounds, puncture wounds, animal bites, and wounds near the chest, abdomen, eyes, or major joints should also be evaluated.

8. Collapse, Extreme Weakness, or Sudden Inability to Stand

A pet that suddenly collapses, becomes extremely weak, cannot stand, or seems mentally altered may have a serious underlying problem.

Possible causes range from internal bleeding and heart disease to low blood sugar, toxin exposure, neurologic disease, or shock.

Sudden collapse should always be taken seriously.

9. Eye Injuries

Eye injuries can deteriorate quickly and may threaten vision.

Seek prompt veterinary care for squinting, severe redness, sudden cloudiness, trauma to the eye, bleeding, a visible foreign object, or an eye that suddenly appears enlarged or displaced.

Do not attempt to remove an object that appears embedded in the eye.

10. Trauma

Being hit by a car, falling from a height, being bitten by another animal, or sustaining other significant trauma should prompt veterinary evaluation even when the pet initially appears normal.

Internal injuries are not always immediately obvious.

Keep an injured pet as calm and still as possible during transportation.

11. Straining to Urinate — Especially in Male Cats

A cat that is repeatedly going in and out of the litter box, straining to urinate, crying, licking the genital area, or producing only a few drops of urine may have a urinary obstruction.

This is especially concerning in male cats, because their urethra is narrow and can become completely blocked.

A blocked cat may initially look like they are constipated, but a urinary obstruction is a true emergency. As pressure builds in the bladder, dangerous electrolyte abnormalities and kidney problems can develop quickly.

Warning signs include:

• Frequent trips to the litter box
• Straining with little or no urine produced
• Crying or vocalizing while trying to urinate
• Urinating outside the litter box
• Excessive licking of the genital area
• A painful or tense abdomen
• Vomiting, weakness, hiding, or collapse as the condition worsens

If you are unsure whether your cat is trying to urinate or defecate, do not wait to figure it out at home. A male cat that is straining and not producing a normal stream of urine should be evaluated by a veterinarian immediately.

Do not press on the abdomen or attempt to manually empty the bladder.

A urinary blockage cannot be safely treated at home and requires emergency veterinary care.

Be Prepared Before an Emergency Happens

Emergencies are stressful, and preparation can make it much easier to respond calmly.

Every pet owner should know the location and phone number of their regular veterinarian and the closest 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital.

It is also helpful to keep a well-stocked pet first-aid kit accessible at home and when traveling.

Useful supplies may include gauze, nonstick pads, bandage material, gloves, saline or pet-safe wound wash, styptic powder, a thermometer, an emergency blanket, and other basic first-aid supplies.

The Most Important Rule: When in Doubt, Call

Pet owners sometimes hesitate because they are unsure whether a situation is “serious enough.”

You do not have to make that determination alone.

Calling your veterinarian or an emergency hospital and describing what you are seeing can help determine the safest next step.

During Pet Emergency Awareness Month, take a few minutes to check your supplies, save your emergency numbers, and make sure everyone in your household knows what to do.

A little preparation before an emergency can make a very big difference when minutes matter.

Dr. Leah Hill, DVM
Founder, Pet Vet Products
Veterinarian-designed first aid and emergency preparedness for pets.