Symptoms in dogs and cats

Symptoms are how the body tells you something is wrong. Some — like a single soft stool in a bright dog — settle quickly. Others — like open-mouth breathing in a cat or repeated unproductive retching in a deep-chested dog — are emergencies.

Every page in this section leads with the most useful first action, then explains how to recognise the symptom, what to do, what NOT to do, and when to phone the vet immediately. Pages are colour-coded by urgency.

Emergency — phone the vet now

Cat
Blood in a cat's urine

Blood in cat urine, especially with straining, is an emergency in male cats — phone the vet now to rule out blocked bladder.
Dog
Blood in a dog's vomit

Fresh red flecks or coffee-ground (digested) blood in vomit needs same-day vet contact; large amounts, repeated vomiting, or pale gums are e…
Cat
Cat breathing through an open mouth

Open-mouth breathing in a cat is always an emergency — phone the vet now; cats hide breathing problems until decompensation, and panic worse…
DogCat
Dog or cat having a seizure (fitting)

Stay calm, do not touch the mouth, time the seizure, and clear furniture from around the pet.
DogCat
Dog or cat that has collapsed

Check breathing and heartbeat, keep the pet flat on its side with airway clear, and drive to the emergency vet now.
Dog
Dog struggling to breathe

Difficulty breathing in a dog is always an emergency — phone the vet now and head straight to the practice; do not delay for showers, food, …
DogCat
Pale or white gums in dogs and cats

Pale, white, blue, yellow or muddy gums always need an emergency vet — they are a sign of poor oxygen, blood loss, shock, or poisoning.
Cat
Yellow gums or eyes in a cat (jaundice)

Yellow gums, eyes, or inner ears in a cat indicate liver problems and are always an emergency — phone the vet now.

Urgent — same day vet contact

Dog
Blood in a dog's stool

A small streak of fresh blood with otherwise normal stools and a bright dog can be monitored briefly; black tarry stool, large blood volumes…
Dog
Blood in a dog's urine

Visible blood in urine needs vet review the same day — UTIs, stones, prostate disease, and tumours all present this way.
Cat
Cat coughing — when to worry

Cats cough far less than dogs — any persistent cough warrants a vet visit, and any breathing difficulty alongside is an emergency.
Cat
Cat hiding or acting differently

Cats hide pain and illness — sudden hiding, withdrawal, or behavioural change usually signals a medical problem; book a vet check.
Cat
Cat limping or holding up a leg

Cats hide pain well — any limp lasting more than 24 hours, any non-weight-bearing leg, or any cat with visible swelling or wound needs a sam…
Cat
Cat panting in the car or after stress

Brief panting after extreme stress in a fit young cat may settle in minutes; persistent open-mouth breathing in any cat is an emergency.
Cat
Cat refusing to eat (anorexia)

A cat that has not eaten for 24 hours needs vet contact today — feline hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver) can develop within 2–3 days of fastin…
Cat
Cat scratching ears, head shaking, or ear discharge

Black coffee-ground discharge in a kitten or young cat is typically ear mites; persistent scratching, head shaking, or pain in any cat needs…
Cat
Cat that has stopped grooming

Reduced grooming or matted coat in a cat is rarely behavioural — it usually signals pain, illness, or arthritis; book a vet appointment.
Cat
Cat vomiting — when to worry

A cat vomiting more than once or twice in 24 hours, going off food, or hiding needs same-day vet contact — cats decompensate fast.
Cat
Cat with diarrhoea — when to worry

Mild loose stool in a bright, eating cat can be monitored briefly; any blood, lethargy, refusal to eat for over 24 hours, or kitten with dia…
Dog
Dog coughing — when to worry

An occasional cough in a bright dog is rarely urgent; persistent coughing, soft moist cough with froth, breathing changes, or any blue-tinge…
Dog
Dog drinking more water than usual (polydipsia)

A persistent increase in thirst is rarely benign in dogs — book a vet appointment within a few days; sooner if accompanied by vomiting, weig…
Dog
Dog limping or holding up a leg

Check the paw for cuts, splinters, or broken nails first; rest and monitor mild limping for 24 hours, but any non-weight-bearing leg, severe…
Dog
Dog scooting, licking back end, or smelly back end (anal glands)

Scooting, excessive licking, or a fishy smell often points to anal gland issues — a vet or trained nurse can express the glands; never try a…
Dog
Dog scratching ears, head shaking, or ear discharge

Persistent scratching, head shaking, or smelly ear discharge points to ear infection or foreign body — book a vet appointment promptly to pr…
Dog
Dog shaking head persistently

Persistent head shaking points to ear problem, foreign body, or in rare cases neurological disease — book a vet visit promptly to prevent ea…
Dog
Dog straining to defecate (constipation or obstruction)

Mild straining with eventual production of stool is usually constipation; persistent straining producing nothing, with vomiting or distress,…
Dog
Dog vomiting — when to worry

Withhold food for 4–6 hours, offer small sips of water, and phone the vet if vomiting repeats, contains blood, or the dog seems unwell.
Dog
Dog with diarrhoea — when to worry

A bright dog with mild loose stool can be managed at home for 24 hours with bland food; blood, repeated episodes, lethargy, or any puppy/sen…
Cat
New skin lump on a cat

Any new skin lump in a cat needs a vet visit — feline lumps are more often malignant than dog lumps; do not wait and watch.
Dog
Persistent sneezing in dogs

Sudden violent sneezing, especially after sniffing in grass, can be a foreign body; persistent sneezing or bloody nasal discharge needs vet …
Dog
Skin mass that's growing or changing on a dog

Any rapidly growing, ulcerating, or changing skin lump needs prompt vet review with fine-needle aspirate or biopsy — early diagnosis matters…
Dog
Sudden aggression or growling in a usually friendly dog

A sudden change to growling or snapping in a previously friendly dog often signals pain — book a vet visit; do not punish or correct, this c…

Monitor — routine vet appointment

Dog
Dog with bad breath (halitosis)

Bad breath is rarely 'just dog breath' — book a dental check; persistent halitosis usually means dental disease and sometimes points to syst…
Dog
Dog with itchy skin (chewing, licking, scratching)

Persistent itching deserves a vet appointment — fleas, allergies, and mites all need different treatments, and self-trauma escalates quickly…
Dog
New skin lump on a dog

Any new skin lump deserves a vet check — most are benign but mast cell tumours and other cancers can look unremarkable, and early diagnosis …

Emergency — phone the vet now

Blood in a cat's urine

Blood in a dog's vomit

Cat breathing through an open mouth

Dog or cat having a seizure (fitting)

Dog or cat that has collapsed

Dog struggling to breathe

Pale or white gums in dogs and cats

Yellow gums or eyes in a cat (jaundice)

Urgent — same day vet contact

Blood in a dog's stool

Blood in a dog's urine

Cat coughing — when to worry

Cat hiding or acting differently

Cat limping or holding up a leg

Cat panting in the car or after stress

Cat refusing to eat (anorexia)

Cat scratching ears, head shaking, or ear discharge

Cat that has stopped grooming

Cat vomiting — when to worry

Cat with diarrhoea — when to worry

Dog coughing — when to worry

Dog drinking more water than usual (polydipsia)

Dog limping or holding up a leg

Dog scooting, licking back end, or smelly back end (anal glands)

Dog scratching ears, head shaking, or ear discharge

Dog shaking head persistently

Dog straining to defecate (constipation or obstruction)

Dog vomiting — when to worry

Dog with diarrhoea — when to worry

New skin lump on a cat

Persistent sneezing in dogs

Skin mass that's growing or changing on a dog

Sudden aggression or growling in a usually friendly dog

Monitor — routine vet appointment

Dog with bad breath (halitosis)

Dog with itchy skin (chewing, licking, scratching)

New skin lump on a dog