How Urgently Does Your Pet Need to See a Vet?

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Animals cannot talk to us, they hide pain, it is our responsibility to recognise the early signs that there is something wrong and take them to the veterinary surgery but how can we know if we have time to wait for a few hours or days? Below is a guide to what type of appointment you may need depending on the symptoms your pet is exhibiting. Always phone your veterinary surgery for advice.

Definition (Collins English Dictionary):

Emergency – an unexpected and difficult or dangerous situation, especially an accident,
which happens suddenly and which requires quick action to deal with it.

Urgent – needs to be dealt with as soon as possible

Always phone ahead to your veterinary surgery NEVER just turn up!

By phoning ahead, you will be saving vital time and ensuring your pet receives treatment more quickly and effectively.

Emergency Veterinary Appointment

Do not waste time, these are life-threatening events:

Breathing difficulties.
Arterial bleed (bright red blood spurting from a wound at high pressure).
GDV/bloat signs…dogs (Unproductive retching, pacing, panting, drooling, agitated, swollen stomach).
Difficulty giving birth.
Collapse.

Urgent veterinary appointment

A same day appointment is required, often within 1-2 hours, these are potentially life-threatening
events:

Continual fitting (over 5 minutes or in and out of fits).
Venous bleed (dark red blood dripping/pooling).
Cats or dogs unable to pass any urine.
Known or suspected road traffic accident.
Continual vomiting/diarrhoea and the animal is lethargic/old/very young/has existing disease.
Discharge (a fluid that comes out of the body).
Rabbits/guinea pigs etc. that have stopped eating (reduced or no appetite for a few hours can be dangerous).
Any signs of illness in small furries (rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, rats etc).