10 Signs Your Dog is Having a Veterinary Emergency

In the panic of the moment, some mild conditions can appear very serious or even life-threatening to the untrained eye. Below are some helpful tips to determine whether your dog’s condition can wait until the morning or whether they need immediate assessment by a veterinarian.

1. Blood loss

Severe blood loss is always an emergency – whether from a wound, from the mouth, or within vomit or diarrhoea. When faced with a bleeding dog, it is easy to panic, and it can look like there is more blood than there is.

Take a breath and try to quantify the amount of blood calmly – would it fill a coffee cup or a bucket? Being able to explain to your veterinarian a rough estimate of how much blood there is will help decide whether it is an emergency and assist the veterinarian in beginning preparation for treatment like a blood transfusion if required.

2. Collapse or weakness

There are many causes of collapse or weakness, but if your dog is suddenly unable to stand, this is a veterinary emergency. The only potential exception to this rule is if a dog has had mobility issues for a long time and has gradually deteriorated. In this instance, if their pain is controlled, this can wait a few hours until your local clinic is open.

3. Vomiting or retching

If your dog is suddenly vomiting profusely, for example, more than four times in an hour, they are likely to become dehydrated and so should see a veterinarian immediately. Similarly, if they cannot keep water down or are constantly retching but bringing nothing but white foam up, they should be assessed by a veterinarian as an emergency. Additional symptoms like bloating or swelling of their belly also suggest emergency intervention could be required.

4. Breathing distress

Any sustained difficulty in breathing —be that choking, coughing, wheezing, or panting— could be a veterinary emergency. If your pet’s breathing pattern is not right, call your veterinarian right away.

5. Not passing urine

If your dog isn’t peeing, this can be a serious emergency as it can indicate an obstruction in the urethra (the tube that takes urine from the bladder out of the body). If your dog is straining but passing no urine or cannot form a stream of urine, this is an emergency as the bladder can become over-full and even burst (rupture) if the urine isn’t passed.

6. Severe pain

If your pet is in severe pain, this could be considered an emergency – whether it’s due to an acute injury or illness or an existing condition where prescribed pain relief is not working. No dog should ever be in severe, uncontrolled pain, but try to calmly consider the level of discomfort they are in and whether they genuinely need to be seen immediately.

7. Severe limping

If your dog is not putting any weight on one of their legs for an hour or more, or there is a visible fracture to the leg, seek veterinary advice immediately. Not only do they need pain relief, but assessing the injury as possible will mean a better chance of a full recovery.

8. Neurological signs

If your dog has had a trauma to the head and is showing unusual signs like incoordination, being less alert, or fitting, this is a veterinary emergency.

If your dog has a series of seizures in a short time or does not come around fully from a fit, this would be an emergency. Seizures lasting more than five minutes should also prompt a veterinary visit.

9. Problems in labor

If a female dog is giving birth and has been consistently pushing for half an hour or more, this could signify that a puppy is stuck in the birth canal, and veterinary help should be sought immediately. However, remember that there can be significant gaps between pups in normal labor, so this is not an emergency if there is no straining.

10. Heatstroke

If it is a warm day in Macau and your dog has been exercising or unable to get to shade, they may suffer from heatstroke. Brachycephalic dogs with short snouts and narrow airways (Like Pugs and Bull Dogs) are particularly prone to heatstroke and may suffer on days when the temperature isn’t excessively high. Signs include panting excessively, laying down, and difficulty breathing, but seizures, coma, and death are all possible consequences if untreated. Heat exhaustion is an emergency, and you must contact your veterinarian right away if you suspect your dog is suffering from it.

Hope this info helps, Till next time!.

Dr Ruan Bester

Royal Veterinary Centre

Tel: +853 28501099

Emergency: +853 66776611

Email: [email protected]