The most common pet emergencies vets see — and how to respond

Emergency contacts – save these before you need them:

Animal Poisons Helpline Australia: 1300 TOX PET (1300 869 738) – 24/7 Find your nearest 24-hour emergency vet now, before an emergency happens.

 

The six emergencies every pet owner should know

1. Toxin ingestion

Poisoning is one of the most frequent pet emergencies seen in Australian vet clinics. The culprits range from household foods (chocolate, grapes, xylitol) to garden products (snail bait, rat poison, fertilisers), medications, toxic plants, and baits laid in public spaces. The frustrating thing about toxin ingestion is that symptoms often don’t appear immediately – which can lull owners into a false sense of security.

Signs to watch for

• Vomiting or retching (with or without producing anything)
• Excessive drooling or foaming at the mouth
• Trembling, twitching or seizures
• Collapse or sudden weakness
• Pale, white or blue-tinged gums
• Disorientation, stumbling or glazed eyes
• Rapid or laboured breathing
• Loss of consciousness

What to do right now

Do not wait for symptoms to worsen or try home remedies. Call your vet or the Animal Poisons Helpline immediately (1300 869 738). If possible, bring the packaging or take a photo of whatever your pet may have ingested – it helps vets identify the toxin and choose the right treatment faster. Do not induce vomiting unless a vet specifically tells you to.

Cats are also highly susceptible to certain toxins – including many that are safe for dogs and humans. Lilies are a serious feline hazard, and even small exposures can cause kidney failure. Essential oils, permethrin-based flea treatments designed for dogs, and common household cleaners are also toxic to cats.

2. Fractures and trauma

Road accidents, falls from height, collisions with other animals, and crush injuries are the most common causes of traumatic injury in pets. The damage isn’t always immediately obvious from the outside – internal bleeding, organ damage and spinal injuries can occur without visible wounds. Even if a pet is walking after an accident, there may be injuries that aren’t yet apparent.

Signs to watch for

• Limping, favouring one leg or refusing to bear weight
• A visibly deformed or swollen limb
• Crying out when touched in a specific area
• Shallow or laboured breathing after trauma (may indicate chest injury)
• Abdomen appears swollen or tense
• Unusual stillness or a reluctance to move
• Pale or white gums (sign of internal bleeding or shock)

What to do right now

Keep your pet as still and calm as possible – movement can worsen fractures and internal injuries. Do not try to splint a limb yourself. If your pet can be moved safely, use a flat board or a blanket as a stretcher to minimise movement. Call ahead to your vet or emergency clinic so they can prepare. If your pet is unconscious, breathing is the priority – check the airway is clear and get to a vet immediately.

3. Bite wounds

Dog fights, cat altercations and encounters with wildlife are a regular source of emergency vet visits, especially for free-roaming cats and dogs in suburban or semi-rural areas. Bite wounds are deceptive. What looks like a small puncture on the surface often conceals a much larger wound underneath, as an animal’s teeth and jaws can compress skin over significant tissue damage. Infection can set in rapidly, and some wounds cause injuries to underlying organs.

Signs to watch for

• Visible puncture wounds or lacerations – even small ones
• Swelling, bruising or warmth around a wound site
• Limping or guarding a specific area of the body
• Crying or flinching when touched
• Lethargy or unusual quietness after an altercation
• Wounds on the chest or abdomen (high risk of organ involvement)
• Breathing difficulties after a bite to the chest area

What to do right now

Even if the wound appears minor, have your vet assess it the same day. Bite wounds are frequently more extensive than they look, and bacteria introduced from another animal’s mouth can cause serious infection or abscess within 24–48 hours. Your vet will clean the wound, assess for deeper damage, and prescribe antibiotics as needed. Don’t apply human antiseptics like tea tree oil or hydrogen peroxide – these can be harmful to pets.

4. Heatstroke

Australia’s climate makes heatstroke a serious and recurring risk for pets, particularly dogs. It can happen faster than most owners expect. A dog left in a parked car on a 25°C day can reach dangerous body temperatures within minutes. But cars aren’t the only hazard: dogs exercised in high heat, left on concrete in direct sun, or kept in poorly ventilated spaces are all at risk. Brachycephalic breeds (Bulldogs, Pugs, French Bulldogs, Boxers) are especially vulnerable due to their restricted airways.

Signs to watch for

• Excessive, heavy or frantic panting
• Drooling more than usual
• Bright red gums and tongue
• Staggering or appearing confused
• Vomiting or diarrhoea
• Muscle tremors or seizures
• Loss of consciousness

What to do right now

Move your pet to a cool, shaded area immediately. Apply cool (not ice cold) water to the body – particularly the neck, armpits and groin – and use a fan if available. Offer small amounts of cool water to drink if they’re conscious and able to swallow. Do not use ice or ice water directly on the skin, as this can cause blood vessels to constrict and trap heat in the body. Call your vet immediately – even if your pet appears to recover, heatstroke causes internal damage that must be assessed by a vet.

Cats are less commonly affected by heatstroke than dogs, but older cats, overweight cats, and flat-faced breeds like Persians and British Shorthairs are still at risk during extreme heat. Make sure cats always have access to shade, fresh water and a cool surface to rest on.

5. Foreign object ingestion

Dogs eat things they shouldn’t. It’s a fact of life. Socks, corn cobs, toy squeakers, underwear, stones, string, and bones are among the most commonly retrieved items from canine digestive tracts. Some objects pass through without incident. Others cause partial or complete intestinal obstructions – blockages that can become life-threatening within hours if left untreated. Cats are more selective, but they’re prone to ingesting linear foreign bodies like string, wool or hair ties, which are particularly dangerous.

Signs to watch for

• Vomiting – especially if repeated or unproductive (dry retching)
• Loss of appetite or reluctance to eat
• Lethargy or unusual quietness
• Abdominal pain – hunching, reluctance to be touched on the belly
• Bloated or distended abdomen
• Straining to pass a bowel motion or no bowel movements
• Visible string, thread or material hanging from the mouth or anus – do not pull it

What to do right now

If you witnessed your pet swallow something or strongly suspect they have, contact your vet straight away. Do not wait for symptoms to develop – the earlier an obstruction is identified, the more treatment options are available (including non-surgical options). If you can see string or thread hanging from your pet’s mouth or coming from the back end, do not pull it – this can cause serious internal damage. Get to a vet immediately.

6. Seizures

Witnessing a pet have a seizure for the first time is an alarming experience. Seizures can look very different depending on their severity – from brief muscle twitching or staring into space, to full convulsions with loss of consciousness, involuntary paddling of legs and loss of bladder or bowel control. Epilepsy is the most common cause in dogs, but seizures can also result from toxin exposure, brain injury, metabolic disorders, heatstroke and other underlying conditions. A first seizure always warrants veterinary investigation.

Signs to watch for

• Sudden collapse or loss of consciousness
• Uncontrolled muscle jerking, twitching or paddling
• Stiffening of the body
• Glazed, unseeing eyes
• Excessive drooling or jaw champing
• Involuntary urination or defecation
• A post-seizure ‘dazed’ period – confusion, circling, temporary blindness or hiding

What to do right now

Stay calm and keep your pet safe from injury – move furniture or hard objects away, but do not restrain them or put your hands near their mouth. Contrary to popular belief, pets cannot swallow their tongue during a seizure. Time the episode if you can, and note any details (duration, behaviour before and after). Most seizures last under two minutes and stop on their own. If a seizure lasts more than five minutes, or your pet has multiple seizures in quick succession, this is a medical emergency – get to a vet immediately. All first-time seizures should be assessed by a vet, even if your pet appears to recover fully.

Universal signs your pet needs emergency care… right now

• Difficulty breathing, gasping or open-mouth breathing (especially in cats – this is always an emergency)
• Pale, white, blue or grey gums
• Collapse or inability to stand
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizures lasting more than a few minutes or repeated seizures
• Suspected poisoning – even before symptoms appear
• Uncontrolled or severe bleeding
• Suspected spinal injury – paralysis or dragging of limbs
• Extreme pain – vocalising, guarding, refusing to be touched
• Bloated abdomen combined with unproductive retching (in dogs – possible bloat/GDV, a life-threatening emergency)

If in doubt, call your vet. You will never be judged for calling about something that turns out to be minor. But waiting too long on something serious can have permanent consequences. When it comes to pets, err on the side of acting.

Be prepared before an emergency happens

• Save your regular vet’s number and after-hours number in your phone
• Find your nearest 24-hour emergency vet clinic and save their address and number
• Save the Animal Poisons Helpline: 1300 TOX PET (1300 869 738)
• Keep a basic pet first aid kit at home – gauze, bandages, a rectal thermometer, a tick removal tool, and your vet’s contact details
• Know your pet’s normal baseline – resting heart rate, normal gum colour, typical behaviour – so you can accurately describe what’s different in an emergency

Emergencies are, by definition, unexpected. You can’t prevent all of them – but you can be the kind of owner who recognises what’s happening quickly, stays calm, and gets their pet to care before the window closes.

The six situations in this article account for a huge proportion of emergency vet visits across Australia. Knowing the signs doesn’t take medical training – it just takes a bit of awareness and the willingness to act when something doesn’t seem right.

Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong with your pet, it probably is. Call first and ask questions – that’s what vets are there for.

Emergency vet bills can run into thousands of dollars. Pet insurance means you can say yes to treatment without hesitating over the cost.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute veterinary advice. In any situation involving your pet’s health, always contact a qualified veterinarian. In an emergency, contact your vet, nearest emergency animal hospital, or the Animal Poisons Helpline Australia immediately.