When to call, and where to look.

Get helpRead the urgent section before you need itReviewed 7 November 2026

Phone your vet now. Don’t wait to see if it passes.

If it’s out of hours, your vet’s phone line will give the emergency number.

  • Difficulty breathing, blue or very pale gums, or constant noisy breathing
  • Collapse, fainting, or unable to stand
  • A seizure, especially one lasting more than two minutes or several in a row
  • A puppy that is weak, trembling, wobbly or limp (possible low blood sugar)
  • Suspected poisoning, even if your dog seems well
  • Heatstroke: heavy panting, drooling, wobbling, vomiting
  • A fall from a height, being stepped on, or any road accident
  • Bleeding that won’t stop within five minutes of firm pressure
  • Straining to pass urine with nothing coming out
  • Repeated vomiting or bloody diarrhoea, particularly in puppies
  • A sudden painful, swollen, red or cloudy eye
  • A bite from another dog, even if the wound looks small

Small dogs can deteriorate quickly. If in doubt, phone: a vet would always rather hear from you early.

01See a vet the same day, or soon

  • Same day: limping that doesn’t ease within an hour or so, a skipping leg that has become constant, crying when picked up, not eating for a day (sooner for puppies), vomiting more than twice, squinting or rubbing at an eye, a honking cough that keeps coming back, sudden tiredness.
  • Within a day or two: scratching at the ears or head shaking, scooting, bad breath with red gums, a new lump that is growing, drinking much more than usual, accidents indoors in a house-trained dog.
  • Mention at the next check-up: gradual stiffness, small stable lumps, changes in sleep, mild tear staining, slowly increasing weight.

This is general guidance. Your vet knows your dog and you know what’s normal for them. If something feels wrong, phone.

02Suspected poisoning

  1. Move your dog away from the source, and stop them eating more.
  2. Phone your vet straight away, even if your dog seems fine. Some poisons, such as grapes, xylitol and rat bait, cause no symptoms for hours or days.
  3. Don’t make your dog sick unless a vet tells you to. Salt water and other home remedies are dangerous.
  4. Take the packaging, plant or a sample with you, and note the time and amount if you can.

Animal PoisonLine

Run by the UK’s animal poison centre, staffed by vets, nurses and toxicologists. Available 24 hours. It costs £35 per case from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, £45 at other times, paid by card. If your vet then calls the centre’s professional line about your dog, the owner’s fee is refunded.1

01202 509000

Common household dangers are listed in our home preparation guide.

03Out of hours

Vets in the UK must provide or arrange 24-hour emergency cover for their clients. When your practice is closed, its phone line or website will give you the number for its out-of-hours service, which may be at a different location.2

  • Save your vet’s number and the out-of-hours number in your phone today.
  • Know roughly where the out-of-hours clinic is and how you’d get there at night.
  • Phone ahead so the team can prepare.
  • Out-of-hours care costs more. This is where insurance and an emergency fund matter.

04First aid basics

First aid keeps your dog stable on the way to the vet. It doesn’t replace treatment.

Press firmly on the wound with a clean pad or cloth for at least five minutes without lifting to check. Add more padding on top if blood soaks through. Head to the vet.

Keep your dog as still as possible. Slide a towel or flat board underneath and carry them supported. A dog in pain may bite, even you: protect your hands, and use a soft muzzle or towel loosely around the head only if your dog is breathing normally. Phone your vet on the way.

Rub a little honey, glucose syrup or golden syrup on the gums (don’t pour liquid into the mouth of a dog that can’t swallow). Wrap them warmly and phone your vet immediately.

Move to shade or a cool room. Pour cool (not ice-cold) water over the body, and use a fan if you have one. Offer small amounts of water to drink. Phone the vet and keep cooling on the way.

Don’t put your hands near the mouth. Move furniture away, dim lights and keep the room quiet. Time the seizure. Phone your vet; if it lasts more than two minutes, or another follows, it’s an emergency.

If you can see the object and remove it easily, do so carefully. Don’t push blindly down the throat. If your dog can’t breathe, hold them with their back against your chest and give firm upward thrusts just below the ribs, then go straight to a vet. A pet first-aid course teaches this properly.

A pet first-aid kit is worth assembling: a blanket, bandages and non-stick pads, sterile saline, a tick hook, blunt scissors, a small soft muzzle, honey sachets, and your vet’s numbers.

05Guide index

Every guide and section in the journal. Search, or filter by topic.

Sources

  1. PDSA, “Animal PoisonLine”. pdsa.org.uk
  2. Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Code of Professional Conduct: 24-hour emergency first aid and pain relief.

This page is general guidance, not a diagnosis. Reviewed 7 November 2026.