Seizures – especially lasting longer than 5 minutes

Collapse – it does not matter what causes it, if your pet suddenly collapses and becomes unconscious, seek veterinary assistance

Unable to Urinate – we see this most commonly in males and particularly, male cats. However, if your pet cannot urinate, regardless of species or sex, they need to be seen immediately!

Distended Abdomen – especially in a large breed dog that occurs suddenly as it may be a sign of Gastric Dilitation and Volvulus (GDV). Commonly referred to as bloat, this disease can be rapidly fatal.

Uncontrollable Bleeding – if your pet is bleeding and you cannot get it to stop, seek veterinary assistance. This does not usually include ‘quicked’ toenails but sometimes a little sedation is required. This does include nosebleeds as they can commonly be a first sign to more serious bleeding problems.

Trauma – Hit By Car – if your pet has been hit by a fast moving car or has sustained a significant trauma (fell off 3rd story balcony, etc.), then he or she needs to be seen immediately to assess whether additional damage may have occurred. Many animals that have sustained trauma appear normal at first…until the adrenaline wears off.

Difficulty Breathing – if you feel that your pet is struggling for breath or notice that his/her gums appear pale or blue/purple, seek veterinary assistance immediately.

Abdominal Contents – if you are seeing any abdominal contents or organs coming out of a wound or previous surgery site, your pet needs to be seen immediately.

Puppies with Vomiting/Bloody Diarrhea – especially puppies that have not been vaccinated or received their full vaccination series.

Severe Diarrhea or Vomiting – many dogs will have a bout of diarrhea or vomit occasionally. If your dog is continuously having diarrhea or is vomiting, he or she needs to be seen immediately. It does not matter whether they appear sick at the time or not. Vomiting more than 3 times per day and profuse amounts of diarrhea typically indicate dehydration and an underlying disease that needs to be corrected.

Unsuccessful Labor in Pregnant Pet – if your pet has been unsuccessfully straining to produce a puppy or kitten for more than 20 minutes, seek veterinary assistance!

Toxin Ingestion – our pets commonly eat things that are toxic to them. If your pet has gotten into something, please contact the ASPCA Poison Control at 1-888-426-4435 to find out if the substance is toxic to your dog. There is a charge for this service. After speaking to a representative from Poison Control, you will be given a case number where a veterinarian can consult with the toxicologist at the Poison Control center.

Again, we would like to thank you for visiting our website. Please continue to monitor this list as it will continually be updated.

Dr. Jay Taylor
Outer Banks Veterinary Hospital