When to Seek Emergency and Urgent Care

EMERGENCY & URGENT VET CARE FOR:

• Accidental Ingestion

  • Chocolate
  • Fatty Human Foods or Bones
  • Foreign Objects (socks, toys, string)
  • Grapes/Raisins
  • Human Medications
  • Lilies (cats only)
  • Marijuana (including edibles)
  • Rat Bait / Rodenticides
  • Toxic Plants (Common SoCal Plants: Sago palm, oleander, poinsettia, azalea)
  • Xylitol (sugar-free sweetener)

• Accidents

  • Animal Attacks/Fights

  • Burns (chemical, electrical, heat)

  • Disconnected (amputation) Limb or Tail

  • Falls

  • Foreign Object Stuck

  • Hit by a Car

  • Near-drowning

• Allergies

  • Ear Infections

  • Facial Swelling/ Hives

  • Hot Spots/ Skin Infections

  • Itchy Skin/ Excessive Scratching

  • Red, Irritated Eyes

  • Severe Allergic Reaction (anaphylaxis)

  • Vaccine Reactions

• Bleeding

  • Bleeding from Nose, Mouth, Rectum

  • Blood in Vomit or Stool

  • Broken or Torn Nail

  • Open Wounds/ Deep Cuts

  • Post-Surgical Bleeding

• Constipation

  • Blood in Stool

  • Discomfort while pooping

  • Straining to Defecate with Little or No Result

• Dermatologic Issues (Skin)

  • Ear Infections (redness, odor, shaking)

  • External Parasites (fleas, ticks, mites)

  • Hair Loss with Redness or Scabbing

  • Hot Spots (red, oozing skin)

  • Rash or Hives

  • Severe Itching/Scratching

  • Skin Wounds or Open Sores

  • Swelling Under the Skin

  • Unusual Lumps or Bumps

• Diarrhea

  • Diarrhea After Eating Something Unusual

  • Diarrhea Lasting More than 24–48 Hours

  • Diarrhea with Blood

  • Frequent or Watery Diarrhea

  • Sudden Onset of Diarrhea in Very Young, Old, or Sick Pets

  • Vomiting along with Diarrhea

• Environmental Disease/ Injuries

  • Heatstroke / Heat Exhaustion

  • Hypothermia (in cold/wet conditions)

  • Insect Stings or Spider Bites

  • Smoke Inhalation

  • Snake Bites

  • Sunburn (especially on noses, ears)

  • Toxin Exposures from Pesticides or Lawn Treatments

• Eye Problems

  • Cloudiness or Bluish Appearance

  • Dilated or Unequal Pupils

  • Eye Discharge

  • Eye Injury

  • Foreign Object in Eye

  • Proptosis (eye popped out of socket)

  • Redness or Inflammation

  • Squinting / Holding Eye Shut

  • Sudden Vision Loss / Bumping into Things

• Gastrointestinal Disease

  • Food Bloat (from overeating)

  • Frequent Gagging or Dry Heaving

  • Loss of Appetite / Not Eating

  • Straining to Defecate (with or without stool)

  • Swollen or Painful Abdomen

  • Vomiting / Diarrhea (with or without blood)

• Lethargy

  • Disinterested in food

  • Extreme tiredness

  • Lethargy after Exposure to Heat or Following Injury/ Trauma

  • Sluggishness/ Lying Down and Refusing to Get Up

  • Unresponsive to Stimuli (touch or sound)

• Reproductive Problems

  • Abnormal Vaginal Discharge
  • Bleeding During Pregnancy or After Birth
  • Penis Stuck Out and/or Swollen
  • Prolapsed Uterus or Vaginal tissue
  • Sudden Swelling or Pain in Mammary Glands
  • Trouble Giving Birth/ During Birth

• Respiratory Diseases

  • Blue or Pale Gums
  • Coughing, Hacking, Gagging, Choking
  • Labored / Rapid Breathing
  • Nasal Discharge
  • Open-Mouth Breathing (in cats)
  • Smoke Inhalation
  • Wheezing / Noisy Breathing

• Seizures

  • Convulsions/ Uncontrollable Muscle Activity
  • Loss of Awareness
  • Uncontrollable Shaking

• Signs of Obvious Pain

  • Aggression or Sensitivity to Touch
  • Crying, Whimpering, or Whining
  • Hiding/ Avoiding Interaction
  • Limping or Not Bearing Weight on a Limb
  • Panting or Trembling at Rest
  • Refusing to Move, Jump, or Climb
  • Sudden Changes in Postures
  • Sudden Yelping when Touched/ Lifted

• Swelling

  • Facial Swelling

  • Neck Swelling

  • Scrotal or Mammary Gland Swelling

  • Swollen Limbs or Paws

  • Sudden Swelling after a Walk or Hike

  • Swelling Near Wound or Surgical Site

• Trouble Breathing

  • Choking or Gagging

  • Labored or Fast Breathing

  • Noisy Breathing (wheezing, gasping)

  • Open-Mouth Breathing (in cats)

  • Pale, Gray, or Blue Gums

  • Panting Excessively without Exercise or Heat

  • Sudden Collapse after Exertion

• Unconsciousness

  • Fainting or Collaps
  • Unresponsive to Voice or Touch

• Urination Problems

  • Blood in Urine
  • Crying or Vocalizing while Urinating
  • Frequent Attempts to Urinate
  • Frequent / Unusual Accidents Indoors or Outside of Litterbox for Cats
  • Leaking Urine or Dribbling
  • Straining to Urinate with Little or No Urine
  • Swollen or Firm Abdomen with No Urination

• Vomiting

  • Inability to Keep Food or Water Down

  • Projectile Vomiting

  • Repeated or Nonstop Vomiting

  • Vomiting after Eating/Drinking Toxin or Foreign Body

  • Vomiting with Blood, Lethargy, or Collapse

  • Vomiting with Diarrhea

• Wounds

  • Bite Wounds
  • Burns
  • Lacerations
  • Open Wounds/ Cuts, especially with Bleeding
  • Puncture Wounds
  • Wounds Near Eyes, Ears, Genitals
  • Wounds with Visible Bone, Muscle, or Tissue