Medical conditions in dogs and cats

Emergency — phone the vet now

• DogCat

  Acute allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) in dogs and cats

  Severe allergic reactions can kill within minutes — head straight to the emergency vet at the first sign of facial swelling, hives, vomiting after a sting/injection, or breathing difficulty.

• Dog

  Addisonian crisis in dogs

  Sudden weakness, vomiting, and collapse in a young-to-middle-aged dog can be Addison's crisis — phone the vet now; this is life-threatening but very treatable.

• Cat

  Cat asthma attack

  Crouched neck-extended posture, harsh dry cough, open-mouth breathing — phone the vet now; severe asthma attacks can be fatal without prompt intervention.

• Cat

  Cat exposed to permethrin (dog flea spot-on)

  Permethrin is highly toxic to cats — never use dog flea spot-ons on cats; if exposed, do not wait, phone the vet now and head to the practice.

• Cat

  Cat has been exposed to lily (plant or pollen)

  All true lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis species) are deadly to cats — even pollen on the fur can cause fatal kidney failure; phone the vet now even if the cat seems fine.

• Cat

  Cat has eaten paracetamol

  Paracetamol kills cats — even one tablet is potentially fatal; phone the vet now and head straight to the practice.

• Cat

  Cat unable to urinate (blocked bladder)

  Get to an emergency vet now — a fully blocked male cat can die within 24–48 hours.

• Cat

  Cat with sudden hindleg paralysis (saddle thrombus)

  Sudden hindleg weakness and crying out in a cat is almost always saddle thrombus — phone the emergency vet now; this is one of the most painful feline emergencies.

• Cat

  Diabetic emergency in cats

  Diabetic cat that's vomiting, breathing fast, weak, or off food — phone the vet now; ketoacidosis is a life-threatening emergency.

• Dog

  Diabetic emergency in dogs

  Vomiting, weakness, fast or laboured breathing in a diabetic dog can be ketoacidosis or hypoglycaemia — phone the vet now.

• Dog

  Dog has eaten cannabis or marijuana edibles

  Wobbliness, dilated pupils, urinating uncontrollably, hypersensitivity to noise after suspected cannabis ingestion — phone the vet, be honest about what was eaten.

• Dog

  Dog has eaten coffee, tea, or caffeine

  Caffeine is highly toxic to dogs — phone the vet for any meaningful ingestion of coffee, tea, energy drinks, or caffeine pills.

• Dog

  Dog has eaten grapes, raisins, or sultanas

  Treat any grape, raisin, sultana, or currant ingestion as a vet emergency — toxic dose is unpredictable and acute kidney failure can follow within 72 hours.

• Dog

  Dog has eaten ibuprofen, paracetamol, or aspirin

  Phone the vet immediately for any human painkiller ingestion — small amounts can cause severe stomach ulceration, kidney failure, or liver damage.

• Dog

  Dog has eaten mouldy food (mycotoxin poisoning)

  Mouldy food can contain tremorgenic mycotoxins — phone the vet; tremors and seizures can develop within hours.

• Dog

  Dog has eaten rat poison (rodenticide)

  Phone the vet immediately with the product name and active ingredient — the antidote depends on the chemical and works only within a defined window.

• Dog

  Dog has eaten xylitol (sugar-free sweetener)

  Xylitol causes life-threatening low blood sugar within minutes and liver failure within 24–72 hours — phone the vet immediately, even for tiny amounts.

• DogCat

  Dog or cat antifreeze poisoning (ethylene glycol)

  Antifreeze is rapidly fatal — phone the vet and Animal PoisonLine (01202 509000) immediately even if the pet seems fine; the antidote works only in a narrow window.

• Dog

  Dog poisoning from foxglove or other garden plants

  Phone the vet or Animal PoisonLine if your dog has eaten foxglove, yew, lily of the valley, daffodil bulbs, oleander, rhododendron, azalea, or other suspected toxic plants.

• Dog

  Dog with bloat or suspected GDV (twisted stomach)

  Suspected bloat is a true minutes-count emergency — drive to a 24/7 vet now, do not wait.

• Dog

  Dog with low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia)

  Rub a teaspoon of honey, golden syrup, or glucose gel onto the gums of a wobbly or collapsing toy-breed puppy, diabetic, or working dog, then phone the vet immediately.

• Dog

  Eclampsia in nursing female dogs

  Restlessness, panting, tremors, then seizures in a recently whelped or nursing bitch is eclampsia (low blood calcium) — emergency vet now.

• Dog

  Laryngeal paralysis in older dogs

  Older Labrador or Golden Retriever with noisy breathing, exercise intolerance, gagging, or sudden severe breathing distress in heat — emergency vet.

• Dog

  Male dog unable to urinate (urinary obstruction)

  Straining with no urine production in a male dog is an emergency — phone the vet now; bladder blockage can be fatal within 24–48 hours.

• Cat

  Newborn kitten not feeding or fading

  A weak, cold, or non-feeding newborn kitten needs warming and immediate vet contact — fading kitten syndrome kills within hours.

• Dog

  Newborn puppy not feeding or fading

  A weak, cold, or non-feeding newborn puppy can die within hours — warm gradually and phone the vet immediately.

• Dog

  Postnatal emergencies in dogs (after whelping)

  After whelping: foul vaginal discharge, fever, off food, mastitis (red painful mammary gland), or eclampsia signs — phone the vet now.

• Cat

  Pregnancy and queening emergencies in cats

  Queen in active labour over 2 hours without producing a kitten, or over 2 hours between kittens, or any green/black discharge before the first kitten — emergency vet.

• Dog

  Pregnancy and whelping emergencies in dogs

  Bitch in labour for over 2 hours without producing a puppy, more than 2 hours between puppies, or any green/black discharge before the first puppy — phone the vet now.

• Dog

  Pyometra in unspayed female dogs (womb infection)

  An unspayed female dog showing illness in the weeks after a season needs urgent vet review — pyometra is a life-threatening womb infection.

• DogCat

  Recognising and managing shock in dogs and cats

  Shock is a circulatory collapse that kills — pale gums, weak pulse, fast breathing, cold extremities; keep warm, lay flat, head slightly low, and drive to the vet now.

• Dog

  Sudden back pain or inability to walk in dogs (suspected disc disease)

  Sudden back arching, reluctance to move, or weakness in back legs — emergency vet today; intervertebral disc disease has a tight surgical window.

• Dog

  Sudden balance loss in older dogs (vestibular disease)

  Sudden head tilt, walking in circles, eye flicking in an older dog often points to idiopathic vestibular disease — looks like a stroke, but most recover; vet assessment essential.

• Dog

  Suspected leptospirosis in dogs

  Sudden lethargy, fever, vomiting, jaundice, or red urine after suspected exposure to rat-infested water or wildlife — phone the vet now; lepto can be rapidly fatal but treatable.

• Dog

  Suspected pancreatitis in dogs

  Vomiting and a hunched, painful belly after a fatty meal — phone the vet today; pancreatitis ranges from mild to fatal and needs prompt treatment.

• Dog

  Suspected parvovirus in a puppy

  Bloody diarrhoea and vomiting in an unvaccinated puppy is a parvo emergency — phone the vet now and warn them; isolation and intensive care give the best chance.

• DogCat

  Suspected poisoning in a dog or cat

  Phone Animal PoisonLine on 01202 509000 and your vet — bring the packaging or a sample, do not wait for symptoms.

Urgent — same day vet contact

• Cat

  Cat flu (upper respiratory infection)

  Sneezing, runny eyes, runny nose, off food in a cat — phone the vet today; cats can lose smell and stop eating dangerously fast.

• Dog

  Dog has eaten a cooked bone

  Phone the vet or Animal PoisonLine — cooked bones can splinter and cause choking, throat or gut tears, and obstruction; do not induce vomiting.

• Dog

  Dog has eaten chocolate

  Phone the vet or Animal PoisonLine with the chocolate type, weight, and your dog's weight — toxicity depends on cocoa content; dark and cooking chocolate are far more dangerous than milk.

• Dog

  Dog has eaten onion, garlic, leeks, or chives

  Onion, garlic, leek, and chive (Allium family) cause delayed red blood cell damage in dogs — phone the vet for any meaningful ingestion.

• Dog

  Dog has swallowed a foreign object

  Phone the vet for any swallowed object — toys, socks, stones, batteries; some pass safely with monitoring, others need urgent decontamination or surgery.

• Dog

  Dog vomiting or unwell after vaccination

  Mild dullness 24 hours after vaccination is common; vomiting, facial swelling, hives, breathing difficulty, or collapse is allergic reaction — phone the vet today.

• Dog

  Lungworm in dogs

  Coughing, breathing difficulty, unexplained bleeding, or sudden weakness in a dog who eats slugs or snails needs urgent vet review for lungworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum).

• Dog

  Lyme disease in dogs

  Shifting lameness, fever, lethargy, off food in the weeks after a tick bite — phone the vet for Lyme testing.

Monitor — routine vet appointment

• Cat

  Cat with fleas

  Use only cat-specific flea treatments — never dog products; treat the home, all pets, and continue monthly.

• Cat

  Chronic kidney disease in cats

  Older cats drinking more, urinating more, losing weight, and eating less often have kidney disease — book a vet appointment for bloods and urine testing.

• Dog

  Cushing's disease in dogs

  Older dog with pot belly, increased thirst, hair loss, and ravenous appetite — book a vet appointment to test for Cushing's disease.

• Dog

  Dog with fleas

  Treat the dog AND the home — fleas spend most of life in carpets and bedding; vet-recommended product on every pet, plus thorough environmental treatment.

• Cat

  Hyperthyroidism in older cats

  Older cat eating ravenously but losing weight, drinking more, or restless and vocal — book a vet appointment for thyroid testing.

• Cat

  Managing arthritis in cats

  Cats hide arthritis well — reduced jumping, less grooming, sleeping more in older cats often signals treatable joint pain; book a vet check.

• Dog

  Managing arthritis in dogs

  Stiffness after rest, slow on walks, reluctant to jump — book a vet appointment; arthritis is treatable and quality of life can be restored substantially.

• Dog

  Older dog confused, anxious, or disoriented (cognitive decline)

  Pacing at night, getting lost in the house, anxiety in older dogs may be canine cognitive dysfunction (dementia) — treatment can help; book a vet review.

• Cat

  Overweight cat — health risks and what to do

  Overweight cats face diabetes, arthritis, and fatty liver risk — vet weight check and structured plan; never crash-diet a cat (hepatic lipidosis risk).

• Dog

  Overweight dog — health risks and what to do

  Overweight dogs face shorter lives and higher disease risk — book a weight check with the vet nurse for a structured plan.

• Dog

  Suspected kennel cough in dogs

  Harsh dry hacking cough after kennelling, daycare, or training class — most cases settle in 1–2 weeks; vet contact if not improving, breathing changes, or systemic illness.

• Dog

  Tapeworm in dogs

  Rice-grain segments around the bottom or in stool point to tapeworm — buy a vet-prescribed wormer, treat fleas too (transmission link).