🚨 Health · 3 min read
When it's vet-o'clock
The difference between 'watch it at home' and 'go now'.
⚕️ This is general information for pet parents, not veterinary advice. Schedules and needs vary by pet — always confirm with your veterinarian.
Go now — don't wait
- Laboured or noisy breathing, blue or pale gums
- Collapse, seizure, or can't wake properly
- Repeated vomiting or diarrhoea with blood, or with listlessness
- A swollen, hard belly — especially in deep-chested dogs
- Straining but unable to urinate (an emergency in male cats)
- Suspected poisoning: chocolate, xylitol, grapes/raisins, lilies (cats), rat bait, human medicines
- Heatstroke signs, road accidents, falls or bite wounds
Book an appointment soon
- Not eating for over 24 hours (cats sooner — they crash fast)
- Limping that lasts more than a day or two
- Persistent scratching, head-shaking or a bad-smelling ear
- Drinking or urinating noticeably more than usual
- A lump that is new, growing or bothering the pet
Probably fine to watch at home
One-off vomit with normal energy, a single soft stool, or a day of the sniffles usually just needs rest, water and observation. The rule of thumb: if energy and appetite are normal, watch; if either dips, call. When in doubt, a phone call to your clinic costs nothing.
Grooming is health care too
Clean coat, trimmed nails, checked ears — every Petgully session covers the basics.