Most owners know their dog’s normal very well. You notice when they are slower to get up, leave food they would usually finish or seem quieter than usual. The difficult part is deciding whether that change means you should monitor them at home, call your vet clinic or leave for an emergency vet straight away.
The urgency rarely depends on one symptom alone. How your dog is breathing, moving and responding to you, whether they can keep water down and whether the problem is improving or worsening all help build a clearer picture.
Start by looking at your whole dog
Before focusing on one symptom, look at how your dog is functioning overall:
- Breathing: Is it comfortable and quiet, or is your dog breathing with more effort than usual?
- Responsiveness: Are they alert and interacting normally?
- Movement: Can they stand and walk comfortably?
- Food and water: Are they eating, drinking and keeping water down?
- Urination: Are they passing a normal amount of urine without straining?
- Progression: Is the problem improving, staying the same or getting worse?
Several mild changes occurring together are often more concerning than one isolated symptom.
Imagine that two dogs each vomit once in the evening. One goes straight back to normal, drinks comfortably and keeps a small meal down. Monitoring overnight is reasonable. The other vomits again, becomes quiet, looks uncomfortable and cannot settle. In that situation, call an emergency clinic and speak to the medical team that night.
Age and medical history also affect how long it is sensible to wait. I would use a lower threshold for puppies, frail or elderly dogs, pregnant dogs and those with conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease. They can deteriorate more quickly and may have less reserve when they become unwell.
How urgently does your dog need help?
For practical purposes, think of symptoms in three groups:
- Go to an emergency vet now.
- Call your vet clinic today.
- Monitor closely for the next 12–24 hours.
These are general guidelines rather than rigid rules. If your dog seems seriously unwell or you are uncomfortable waiting, call your vet clinic or an emergency clinic for advice.
Go to an emergency vet now
Do not wait if your dog has any of the following:
- Difficulty breathing. Your dog may be breathing with obvious effort, using their abdominal muscles, stretching their neck out, making unusual breathing noises or struggling to settle. Blue, grey, white or very pale gums are particularly concerning.
- Collapse, loss of consciousness, sudden severe weakness or an inability to stand.
- Seizures: your dog’s first seizure, a seizure lasting five minutes or longer, repeated seizures within 24 hours, or another seizure before your dog has properly recovered from the first. If possible, time the seizure. It often feels much longer than it is.
- Heavy bleeding that is not slowing with firm, continuous pressure.
- Possible poisoning. This includes foods such as xylitol, grapes, raisins and chocolate, as well as human medication, rodent bait, pesticides and household chemicals. Do not wait for symptoms to develop.
- Repeated retching with little or nothing coming up, especially if the abdomen looks swollen, tight or painful. This may be gastric dilatation-volvulus, commonly called bloat, which can become life-threatening very quickly.
- Repeated attempts to urinate with nothing, or only a few drops, coming out. A urinary blockage is an emergency. Male dogs are at higher risk, but any dog that cannot pass urine needs urgent care.
- Signs of heatstroke, including relentless heavy panting, thick drool, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea, confusion, collapse or seizures after heat exposure or exercise.
- Major trauma, such as being hit by a car, a serious fall, an animal attack or a deep wound. Internal injuries may not be obvious immediately.
- Sudden, severe pain. This may look like crying out, trembling, guarding the abdomen, repeatedly changing position, refusing to move or being unable to settle.
- An allergic reaction causing breathing difficulty, collapse or repeated vomiting. Mild facial swelling or hives without these signs still warrant an urgent call to your vet clinic.
If your dog is struggling to breathe, has collapsed or is having a prolonged seizure, leave for the nearest emergency clinic. Call on the way if it is safe to do so, so the team can prepare for your arrival.
Call your vet clinic today
These problems may not all require an emergency visit, but they should be discussed with the medical team at your vet clinic that day:
- Repeated vomiting or diarrhoea, or either one accompanied by lethargy, pain or loss of appetite
- Blood in the vomit or stool, or black, tarry stool
- Vomiting that prevents your dog from keeping water down
- Refusing food for 24 hours; call sooner for a puppy, an elderly dog or a dog with an existing health condition
- A clear drop in energy or responsiveness that is unusual for your dog
- An eye that is squinting, red, cloudy, swollen, injured or producing a lot of discharge
- A new or persistent cough, provided your dog is still breathing comfortably
- Limping, especially if your dog will not bear weight on the leg
- Drinking or urinating noticeably more or less than usual
- Straining to urinate or defecate, even if something is still passing
- New confusion, circling, a head tilt, loss of balance or a marked change in behaviour
- Signs of pain, even without crying or yelping
- A new lump, or a lump that has grown, changed shape, become red, started bleeding or seems painful
Describe what is happening as clearly as you can. The medical team can then advise whether your dog should be brought in immediately, seen later that day or booked for an appointment within the next few days.
When it is reasonable to monitor at home
Short-term monitoring may be reasonable when an otherwise healthy adult dog is bright, comfortable, breathing normally, drinking, urinating and behaving much like themselves. It is not appropriate if your dog is getting worse or showing any of the emergency signs listed above.
Examples include:
- One episode of vomiting, followed by a return to normal behaviour and the ability to keep water down
- One or two loose stools without blood, pain, vomiting or lethargy
- Missing one meal while remaining bright and otherwise well
- A very mild limp when your dog is still bearing weight and it is clearly improving with rest
- Mild, occasional scratching without redness, swelling, broken skin or hair loss
Monitor for the next 12–24 hours rather than allowing a mild problem to drift on for several days. Call your vet clinic if the symptom continues, returns, worsens or is joined by anything new.
Repeated stiffness after sleeping is slightly different. It is not usually an emergency, but it should not be dismissed as normal ageing. Stiffness that keeps returning may be an early sign of joint or spinal pain and is worth discussing at a routine appointment.
Track what matters. A simple weekly check-in on your dog's energy, appetite, comfort, stools, sleep, and thirst makes changes far easier to spot.
Dogs in pain do not always cry
Many painful or unwell dogs still eat, wag their tail or come over to greet their owner. Those normal behaviours do not rule out a problem.
Pain is often much quieter. A dog may walk more slowly, stop jumping onto the sofa, play less, avoid being touched, struggle to settle or lose interest in food. Research published in 2026 found that changes in walking, play, exploration and eating were among the behaviours owners commonly noticed in dogs experiencing acute pain.
Because you see your dog every day, you may notice a change before it becomes obvious to anyone else. Something that looks minor on a checklist can still be meaningful when it is completely out of character.
Before you call or leave for the clinic
When you phone your vet clinic, you will usually speak to a nurse or another member of the medical team rather than directly to your vet. They can ask the relevant questions, check with your vet when necessary and advise you on the next step.
A little preparation makes that conversation more useful:
- Note when the problem started, how often it has happened and whether it is changing.
- Take a short video of unusual breathing, a seizure, limping or abnormal behaviour when it is safe to do so.
- Have a list of your dog’s current medication and any existing medical conditions.
- Bring medication packets, food packaging or a photo of any substance your dog may have eaten.
Do not give human medication unless your vet has specifically told you it is safe for your dog and given you the correct dose.
Do not try to make your dog vomit after a suspected poisoning unless a veterinary professional instructs you to do so.
Questions owners often ask
Am I overreacting if I call about something minor?
No. You are not expected to decide how urgent the problem is on your own. A clear description over the phone is often enough for the medical team to advise you on the next step.
My dog seems normal between episodes. Can I ignore it?
Not if it keeps happening. Intermittent vomiting, limping, coughing, fainting or changes in appetite still deserve investigation, even when your dog looks well between episodes. Write down when each episode occurs and take a video if you can.
The bottom line
Learn the signs that need emergency care and pay attention to anything persistent, worsening or simply out of character for your dog.
An important clinical tip: you do not need to know what is wrong before calling your vet clinic. If you are unsure, simply pick up the phone and speak to the medical team. Describe the symptoms or changes you have noticed, and they can help you decide whether your dog needs to be brought in, how urgently they should be seen or whether it is reasonable to monitor them at home.
Calling your vet clinic for advice is free, so do not hesitate to contact the medical team when you are in doubt. It is better to ask early than to wait until your dog’s condition has deteriorated. Waiting until your dog is more unwell can mean more discomfort for them, more complicated treatment and a higher veterinary bill.
What to Do This Week
Save your regular vet clinic’s number and your nearest emergency clinic’s number in your phone, and note their opening hours. Then write a short list of the emergency signs above and keep it somewhere easy to find.
When to See a Vet Urgently
Leave for an emergency vet now for difficulty breathing, collapse, a first or prolonged seizure, heavy bleeding, suspected poisoning, repeated unproductive retching with a swollen abdomen, an inability to pass urine, heatstroke signs, major trauma or sudden severe pain. Call your vet clinic the same day for repeated vomiting or diarrhoea, blood in the vomit or stool, refusing food for 24 hours, unusual lethargy, eye problems, a new cough, limping, changes in drinking or urination, new confusion or a new or changing lump.
This article is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional veterinary advice. If your dog is unwell, please consult your veterinarian.
Early detection is one of the seven pillars of canine longevity.
About the Author
Dr Kelly Yeo graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2009 and has extensive experience in companion animal medicine, with a special interest in geriatric care, chronic disease management, palliative care, and canine longevity.
Her work focuses on helping dogs live longer, healthier, and more comfortable lives through early detection, thoughtful nutrition, practical preventive care, and compassionate support for owners.
