When your dog develops sudden or severe symptoms, it may be challenging to determine whether you should rush to an emergency clinic or can wait until the morning to see your routine veterinarian. Here we will cover some of the most common emergencies seen in dogs. If your general veterinarian is closed and you are questioning whether your pet needs emergency care, you can always call your closest emergency clinic for insight.

If your pet has developed labored or rapid breathing, this is an emergency and warrants an immediate visit to the vet. You can check your dog’s gums and tongue – if they appear blue/purple instead of pink, this is confirmation that you should seek veterinary assistance right away. Many things can cause labored breathing: heat stroke, laryngeal paralysis, a collapsing trachea, heart failure, pneumonia, cancer, etc. Regardless of the cause, if your dog is experiencing respiratory distress, please take them to the closest emergency veterinarian immediately.

Vomiting and diarrhea are very common problems seen in dogs. They can be caused by something as simple as having eaten table food, or because they ate sticks and acorns outside. More concerning causes include diabetes, cancer, or an emergency intestinal obstruction from a foreign object. If your dog has vomited a single time and seems comfortable and happy with no other symptoms, you can continue to monitor and contact your general veterinarian for further instruction. If your dog has vomited multiple times, this is much more concerning, and you should call your veterinarian right away to schedule an appointment. If your pet is also lethargic, refuses to eat, or seems uncomfortable, this warrants a visit to an emergency veterinarian. Likewise, if your pet is having multiple episodes of diarrhea and seems lethargic, consult an emergency clinic.

Lethargy can be a symptom of many problems. If your pet is suddenly much more quiet than normal, this can be very concerning and warrants a trip to an emergency clinic. If your dog is very lethargic, you can easily check the color of their gums at home: lift their upper lip, and if their gums are pale or white instead of the typical pink, then this is confirmation that you should take your pet to a veterinarian immediately.

If your dog has eaten something they shouldn’t have, this may be cause for concern. If they ate something potentially toxic or an object that could cause an intestinal blockage, please take your pet to a veterinarian immediately. Treatment may include inducing vomiting to see if we can recover the object before it causes your pet harm. Common toxicities in dogs include chocolate, grapes and raisins, rat poison, outdoor mushrooms, and medication overdose. Treatment for a toxicity depends on what was eaten, but may include hospitalization in severe cases. Foreign objects that frequently cause GI obstructions include toys, corn cobs, socks, and plant debris. GI obstructions typically require surgical removal, although some objects may be removed with an endoscope.

If your pet is having a seizure at home, please ensure that they are safely on the ground and remove any nearby objects to minimize risk of injury during the episode. Seizures can have many causes, such as epilepsy, low blood glucose, tick-borne diseases, brain tumors, and liver disease. If your pet has a single seizure and is acting otherwise normal, call your regular veterinarian to determine if an exam is recommended. When dogs have multiple seizures in a day, they are considered “cluster seizures”, and a visit to an emergency clinic is recommended for treatment . If you think your dog may have eaten something toxic to cause a seizure, or if their seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, take them to an emergency clinic right away.

When dogs are suddenly unable to walk, this is absolutely an emergency that needs to be addressed quickly. Often this can be caused by a compressed disc in their spine, which is very painful. Other reasons for inability to walk are fractures, heart failure, metabolic disease, and cancer. Carefully transport your pet to an emergency veterinarian for an assessment.

If your dog is straining to urinate, this could be due to a urinary tract infection, bladder stones, a urinary obstruction, or even a bladder or urethral tumor. If your straining dog is still producing large puddles of urine and seems otherwise comfortable and happy, call your regular veterinarian to schedule an appointment. If your pet is repeatedly straining, seems uncomfortable, or has bloody urine, schedule an appointment right away or take your dog to the emergency clinic. If your dog has not produced a full puddle of urine in 12 hours despite straining, seek veterinary care immediately.