When your pet needs an urgent care vet right now

Your pet needs an urgent care vet right now if your dog is retching with nothing coming up, your cat is straining in the litter box and producing little or no urine, or your pet is struggling to breathe, bleeding heavily, having a seizure that lasts longer than five minutes, or may have been poisoned. Those signs cannot wait for morning. This page sorts the rest into two more groups, call today and watch at home, so you can make the now-or-morning decision with a clear head.

Key takeaways

Go now for retching with nothing coming up, a cat passing little or no urine, trouble breathing, poisoning, bleeding that will not stop, a long or repeated seizure, heatstroke, a serious injury, pale or blue gums, or sudden weakness or paralysis.
Call us the same day for vomiting or diarrhea that keeps going, a seizure that has stopped, or a sudden change in behavior.
Never make your pet vomit unless a veterinarian or a poison control center tells you to. For cats, there is no safe way to do it at home.
Pink gums whose color returns in one to two seconds are normal. Pale, white, blue or slow means go now.
During hospital hours, call first so we are ready for you. Make your after-hours plan today, while nothing is wrong.

Dog bloat symptoms: retching with nothing coming up

Bloat, or gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), comes first because the American College of Veterinary Surgeons calls it a rapidly progressive, life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. The early signs it lists are an anxious look or looking at the belly, standing and stretching, drooling, a swelling belly, and retching without producing anything. ACVS links GDV with a deep chest, being fed a single large meal once a day, and older age, and names Great Danes, Weimaraners, St. Bernards, Irish setters and Gordon setters among the breeds commonly seen.

You cannot tell a gassy stomach from a twisted one at home. ACVS says abdominal x-rays confirm the diagnosis and surgery is indicated once GDV is established, and that dogs who have shown signs for more than six hours face a higher risk of death. Our hospital uses diagnostic imaging, including ultrasound and digital x-ray. If you see these signs, do not wait to see whether they pass.

A cat straining to urinate with little or no urine

A cat who keeps going back to the litter box, strains, cries out and produces little, if any, urine may have a blocked urethra. Cornell’s Feline Health Center calls urethral obstruction a true medical emergency. Male cats are at greater risk because their urethra is longer and narrower. While the urine is blocked, the kidneys’ ability to remove toxins from the blood is compromised, and the time from complete blockage to death may be less than 24 to 48 hours. Cornell says any cat suspected of a blockage must receive immediate veterinary attention, so do not wait for morning and do not try to treat it at home.

Other signs that need an urgent care vet now

The American Animal Hospital Association’s ten signs of a pet emergency and the AVMA’s first aid tips for pet owners are the basis for the list below. Our own first aid page is worth reading on a calm day. If someone else can drive, call from the road. During hospital hours, please call us first so we are ready for you when you arrive.

Trouble breathing

AAHA says changes in breathing are always a concern. Watch for gasping for air, wheezing, excessive panting, noisy breathing, and gums that are blue, gray or purple. Do not wait to see whether it settles.

A known or suspected poisoning

If your pet swallowed or touched something that may be harmful, the AVMA says to call your veterinarian, an emergency veterinary clinic or a poison hotline immediately. Keep the package.

Poison help, any hour. ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661. A consultation fee may apply. Have your pet’s species, breed, age and weight ready, along with what was eaten, how much and how long ago.

Bleeding that will not stop

Press a clean cloth or towel firmly over the wound and keep pressing for at least three minutes before you check. If blood soaks through, add more towels on top instead of removing the first, so you do not disturb a clot. Severe bleeding means go now. So do the AVMA’s signs of internal bleeding: bleeding from the nose, mouth or rectum, coughing up blood, bloody urine, pale gums, collapse, and a weak, rapid pulse.

A long or repeated seizure

Go now if a seizure lasts longer than five minutes, if your pet has two or more in 24 hours, or if the seizure activity does not stop. While it is happening, move furniture and objects away, do not restrain your pet, keep your hands away from the mouth, and time it with a watch.

Heatstroke

Signs include heavy panting, excessive drooling, weakness or drowsiness, confusion, vomiting or diarrhea, and gums that are an abnormal color or dry and sticky. Start cooling right away and keep driving: lay towels wetted with room-temperature water on the neck, armpits and groin, and use a fan if you have one. Do not put your pet in a tub of cool or cold water, which can make the condition worse.

A serious injury

Being hit by a car or falling from a height should be addressed immediately. AAHA warns that a pet may act normally while hiding internal injuries. Confine your pet in a carrier or box, use a board or blanket as a stretcher for a large dog, and ask someone to help you lift. Do not hug an injured pet; pain and fear can make even the gentlest pet bite.

Gums that are pale, white or blue

AAHA says unusual gum color can indicate shock, anemia or poor circulation, and that blue, gray, white or purple gums often mean too little oxygenated blood is reaching them. The check takes seconds and is explained below.

Sudden weakness, paralysis, unresponsiveness or an eye injury

AAHA calls sudden weakness or paralysis always an emergency. A pet who is disoriented or does not respond to your voice needs immediate attention, and so does an eye that is red, swollen, bulging or visibly damaged.

Call us today: signs that need a visit soon

These do not need a midnight drive, but they do need a veterinarian soon. A phone call settles how soon.

Vomiting or diarrhea that keeps going. AAHA notes that ongoing vomiting or diarrhea can lead to dehydration and weakness, which is especially dangerous for puppies, kittens and older pets. Vomiting several times in a short period, severe diarrhea, or blood in either calls for prompt care.
A seizure that has stopped. Keep your pet warm and quiet and call us right away. A second seizure within 24 hours moves it to go now.
A sudden change in behavior. A friendly pet who turns aggressive, fearful or withdrawn may be sick or in pain, and AAHA says a full exam is needed to find the cause.
A cat with urinary signs who is still passing urine. Frequent trips, urinating outside the box, crying while urinating, blood in the urine or licking the genital area all deserve a call. If the urine slows to a trickle or stops, that is go now.

For a pet who is unwell but stable, start with our wellness care, or see a vet about anything that has lingered. Not every change is an emergency. AAHA notes that occasional stomach upset is common, and also says that if you are worried, err on the side of caution and call.

The gum check you can do at home

Gum color and how fast it returns are on the Merck Veterinary Manual’s list of parameters to evaluate during triage. The check takes seconds and gives you something concrete to say on the phone.

Get light. Keep your pet calm and turn on a bright light. If your pet fights you, stop. Getting help matters more than the test.
Lift the lip. Gently raise the lip at the side of the mouth until you can see the gum above the upper teeth.
Read the color. Pink is normal. Pale or white points to anemia or shock. Blue or muddy points to a severe shortage of oxygen.
Press and count. Press a fingertip on the gum until it pales, let go and count. Color should return in one to two seconds. Longer than two seconds points to poor circulation.
Decide. Pale, white, blue, muddy or slow means go now.

If your pet’s gums are naturally dark and hard to read, do not guess at midnight. Rely on the other signs, and learn what normal looks like on a calm day.

What to bring, and the one thing never to do

What they got into. The container or package, how much, and how long ago. The AVMA suggests sealing anything your pet vomited or chewed in a plastic bag and bringing it.
When it started. The time you first noticed and what you have seen since, in order.
Your pet’s basics. Species, breed, age, sex, weight, and any medicines your pet takes.

Never make your pet vomit unless a veterinarian or a poison control center tells you to. Pet Poison Helpline lists the risks: inhaling liquid into the lungs and developing pneumonia, ulcers of the esophagus or stomach, and injury from bringing up sharp or corrosive objects. For cats, it says there is no safe or effective way to induce vomiting at home.

Urgent care vet questions owners ask

Is my dog's vomiting an emergency?

Retching that brings up nothing, with drooling, restlessness or a swelling belly, is a go-now, because it can be bloat. Vomiting several times in a short period, vomiting with blood, or vomiting with lethargy calls for prompt care, so call us the same day. AAHA notes that occasional stomach upset is common, but call if you are worried.

My cat keeps going to the litter box and nothing comes out. What do I do?

Go now. A cat who strains and passes little or no urine may have a blocked urethra, which Cornell’s Feline Health Center calls a true medical emergency. Male cats are at greater risk, and death can follow in less than 24 to 48 hours. Do not wait for morning or try home remedies. Call us if we are open, and bring your cat in a carrier.

Should I make my dog throw up if he ate something?

Not unless a veterinarian or poison control center tells you to. Bringing something back up can cause pneumonia if liquid is inhaled, damage the esophagus or stomach, and injure the throat if the object is sharp or corrosive. The right answer depends on what was eaten, how much, and when. Call one of the poison numbers above or your veterinarian first.

Where can I find an emergency vet near Parma when you are closed?

Our hospital is not an emergency or overnight hospital, so a go-now sign after hours means a veterinary emergency hospital that is open. Choose yours now, while your pet is well, and save its address and number in your phone beside the two poison hotlines. If you are unsure which signs can wait, the lists above are a good guide.

Can it wait until morning?

Not if you see any sign from the go-now list, including bloat, a blocked cat, trouble breathing, poisoning, heavy bleeding, a long seizure, heatstroke or pale gums. For anything on the call-today list, phone us when we open. AAHA’s own advice is that if you are concerned about your pet’s health for any reason, err on the side of caution and call your veterinarian.

Have a plan before you need one

Please call us first so we are ready for you when you arrive. Read more on our urgent care page and in our post on two telltale signs your pet needs urgent care. Directions and contact details are on our contact page.

Our hospital is at 6270 State Road in Parma. The hospital is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and is closed Saturday and Sunday. Call 440.845.7141 and tell us what you are seeing. When we are closed, go to a veterinary emergency hospital that is open.