University Veterinary Teaching Hospitals

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Signs of a veterinary emergency

Emergency vet care for your pet, horse or livestock

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Recognising the signs of an emergency early can make all the difference. Knowing what to look for in your pet, horse, or livestock can help you act quickly when something is wrong and ensure they receive urgent veterinary care when they need it most.

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Contact us

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Locate your closest emergency veterinary clinic

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When should I bring my pet to an emergency vet?

Seek urgent veterinary care if your pet is experiencing:

  • Difficulty breathing or collapse
  • Severe trauma or bleeding
  • Seizures
  • Sudden weakness or paralysis
  • Persistent vomiting or diarrhoea
  • Severe pain or distress
  • Suspected toxin or poison exposure

If you are unsure, it is always safest to bring your pet in.

Signs and symptoms of an emergency in dogs and cats

  • vomiting +/- blood
  • diarrhoea +/- blood
  • inappetence (lack of appetite)
  • can be acute onset, or progress over multiple days
  • change in demeanour or appetite
  • constipation
  • posturing to toilet but producing nothing, or only hard faecal balls

May occur if your pet has ingested the following food or drink

  • alcohol
  • avocado
  • bread dough
  • chocolate
  • coffee
  • garlic
  • grapes
  • macadamia nuts
  • mouldy foods
  • onions and chives
  • sultanas and raisins
  • xylitol

If your pet has ingested the following household dangers

  • rat bait
  • snail bait
  • compost
  • batteries
  • human medications
  • essential oil e.g. Tea tree
  • cleaners and disinfectants
  • lillies e.g. True lillies
  • azaleas and rhododendrons
  • ornamental palms (Sago)

  • pet looks like they are working harder to breathe
  • coughing
  • collapse
  • weakness
  • wheezing
  • pale gums
  • seizures or changes in demeanour

  • straining to urinate (posturing to toilet, but producing nothing)
  • passing only drops of urine
  • blood in urine

  • can be focal seizures: so might drool, have twitching of one side of face
  • can be grand mal seizures: full body convulsions. loss of ability to walk with rigid limbs, may pass urine or faeces
  • Loss of consciousness
  • change in how they are walking
  • not wanting to walk or take weight on certain limbs
  • not walking at all
  • painful when walking, crying?
  • dragging feet or knuckling when trying to walk
  • leaking urine or faeces
  • retching or regurgitation
  • change in facial symmetry

  • wounds
  • lumps that come up quickly
  • rashes
  • change in colour
  • swelling of parts of body, especially face
  • insect bite followed by difficulty breathing or vomiting/diarrhoea/collapse

  • known trauma should be assessed
  • wounds
  • collapse
  • difficulty breathing
  • change in mentation/demeanour (head injury, shock)
  • fractures
  • lameness

Emergency presentations we commonly manage in horses

Traumatic injuries can occur suddenly and may appear minor initially but worsen quickly without treatment.

Urgent signs include:

  • Deep or gaping wounds
  • Heavy or uncontrolled bleeding
  • Puncture wounds (especially to joints or the chest/abdomen)
  • Lacerations near joints, tendons or eyes
  • Swelling, contamination or exposed tissue
  • Injuries following fencing, transport or paddock accidents

Prompt assessment reduces the risk of infection, complications and long‑term damage.

Foaling emergencies can progress rapidly and place both the mare and foal at risk.

Urgent signs during late pregnancy or foaling include:

  • Prolonged or unproductive straining
  • Abnormal foal position or failure of progression
  • Signs of pain, distress or collapse in the mare
  • Premature labour or unexpected early foaling
  • Retained placenta
  • Weak, unresponsive or non‑standing foals

 

Any concerns around foaling should be treated as time‑critical.

Acute lameness, particularly when a horse cannot bear weight, should always be treated as an emergency.

Emergency signs include:

  • Inability or refusal to put weight on a limb
  • Sudden, severe lameness
  • Heat, swelling or pain in the leg or hoof
  • Obvious limb deformity or instability
  • Signs of severe pain or distress

These signs may indicate fractures, serious soft-tissue injuries, or foot conditions that require immediate attention.

Colic refers to abdominal pain and can range from mild, intermittent discomfort to a rapidly life‑threatening emergency.

Urgent signs of colic include:

  • Violent or persistent rolling
  • Sweating, trembling or signs of severe pain
  • Rapid worsening of symptoms over a short period
  • No improvement after pain relief
  • Sudden onset of severe pain in the last few hours

 

If your horse shows these signs, urgent veterinary attention is required. This may involve an emergency ambulatory call‑out or immediate transfer to an equine ICU hospital for further investigation and possible abdominal surgery.

Milder or ongoing signs of colic may include:

  • Pawing, flank watching or lying down more than usual
  • Reduced appetite or manure output
  • Intermittent mild pain that comes and goes

If these signs have been occurring on and off over weeks or months, your horse may be suitable for a chronic colic work‑up to investigate underlying causes.