What counts as an emergency?
The hardest question is whether something is urgent right now. The list below helps you decide. If you are unsure, call us — better to ask once unnecessarily.
Call immediately, do not wait for opening hours
Loss of consciousness or collapse. Difficulty breathing: open-mouthed gasping, blue or white gums. Continuous bleeding that will not stop. An accident — hit by a car, a fall from height, a bite wound. A bloated, hard abdomen, especially with retching that brings nothing up (gastric torsion). A seizure lasting more than two minutes, or seizures one after another. Suspected poisoning: rodenticide, chocolate, grapes, antifreeze, medication. Inability to urinate, particularly in male cats. Labour lasting more than two hours without result. Heatstroke: a hot car, direct sun.
Book an appointment for today
Repeated vomiting or diarrhoea, especially with blood. Loss of appetite for a day in a puppy or kitten, two days in an adult. Severe lameness with no weight on the limb. A swollen, watering or closed eye. Abdominal pain or a hunched posture. Skin injury or a bite mark, even a small-looking one. Unusual lethargy or restlessness.
Can wait until the next consultation
Skipping a single meal. Occasional vomiting or soft stool with an otherwise good general condition. Mild lameness that is improving. Itching that has been unchanged for days. Vaccination, deworming, microchipping, pet passport — do book an appointment for these.
While you are on your way
Call us in advance if you can, so that we can prepare for your arrival. Move an injured animal as little as possible. Always bring cats in a carrier and dogs on a lead. If you suspect poisoning, bring the packaging or the plant with you. With vomiting or diarrhoea, do not give food — and never give human medication, as several are toxic to animals.