Pet advice

When Your Pet Is Unwell

General notes on warning signs and when to seek direct professional help.

When Your Pet Is Unwell — New Hall Pet Care

Care articles are useful for background reading, but they are not a triage service. The purpose of this page is narrow: to help you decide, quickly, whether to watch, to phone, or to go now.

Go now

Do not wait, do not search further, and phone ahead so the practice is expecting you if any of these apply:

laboured, noisy or open-mouthed breathing, or blue-tinged gums
collapse, unresponsiveness, or a seizure lasting more than about five minutes
bleeding that does not stop with pressure, or a road traffic accident of any kind
a swollen, hard abdomen with unproductive retching, especially in a deep-chested dog
a male cat straining repeatedly in the litter tray and producing nothing
suspected poisoning, or eating something that will not pass — take the packaging with you
severe pain: crying out, unable to settle, guarding the abdomen, panting at rest
a rabbit or small pet that has stopped eating and passing droppings
a birthing animal straining without progress, or a heatstroke case

Phone the same day

Vomiting or diarrhoea lasting more than a day, or with blood; drinking or urinating noticeably more; a new lameness; a wound; sudden weight loss; an eye that is closed, cloudy or weeping; ear pain and head shaking; a change in voice or breathing effort; a lump that has changed; and any lethargy or appetite loss in a very young, elderly, pregnant or already unwell animal.

What to note before you call

You will be asked, and having answers ready saves time:

what changed, and when it started
what has been eaten or drunk in the last 24 hours, and whether droppings, urine and vomit look normal
your pet’s approximate weight, age and any current medication
whether they could have reached anything toxic — chocolate, grapes and raisins, xylitol sweetener, lilies for cats, antifreeze, slug pellets, human medicines, or a chewed toy
a short phone video of the breathing, the limp or the seizure, which is often more useful than any description

What not to do

Do not give human medicines. Do not make an animal vomit unless you are told to. Do not offer food or water if surgery might be needed. Do not apply creams or ointments to eyes. Do not restrain a frightened, painful animal alone if you can avoid it — even a gentle pet may bite when hurt.

Trust the change you have noticed. Owners are usually right that something is different, and being told it is nothing serious is a good outcome, not a wasted call. When in doubt, act on the animal in front of you rather than continuing to read.

Do not wait if

Breathing is difficult
There is severe pain, collapse, poisoning risk or major bleeding
A rabbit, guinea pig or small pet stops eating or passing droppings
A young, old, pregnant or fragile animal deteriorates
You are worried and the situation is changing quickly

Frequently asked questions

Can I give my pet a painkiller from the medicine cabinet?

No. Paracetamol is lethal to cats and dangerous in dogs, ibuprofen and aspirin cause stomach ulceration and kidney damage in both, and human doses bear no relation to animal ones. Never give human medication, or medication prescribed for a different animal, without direct professional instruction — an unnecessary drug can also mask the very signs needed to make a diagnosis.

How do I know whether it can wait until morning?

If breathing is affected, if there is collapse, uncontrolled bleeding, a suspected poison, repeated unproductive retching in a deep-chested dog, straining to pass urine in a male cat, a seizure lasting more than a few minutes, a road accident or obvious severe pain, it cannot wait. Otherwise, phone the practice and describe what you are seeing — telephone triage is free and quick, and the answer is often reassurance.

Why do small pets deteriorate so fast?

Rabbits, guinea pigs, rodents and birds are prey species that instinctively hide weakness, so illness is concealed until it is advanced. Their body reserves are also small: a rabbit that has not eaten for twelve hours may already be in gut stasis, which is an emergency, not a case of fussiness.