Knowing the difference between an emergency, urgent, or nonurgent pet health issue can ensure your pet gets timely treatment with minimal hassle. When appropriate, urgent care services at Santa Monica Veterinary Group allow pet owners to seek care for health problems that shouldn’t wait. Here, we outline eight common pet injuries and illnesses to help you understand where to go when your pet needs care.

What is urgent veterinary care?

Urgent veterinary care refers to pet health situations that require prompt attention but are not immediately life-threatening. This care fills the gap between primary and emergency veterinary care, addressing conditions that could worsen without care during the next one to two days. Examples include minor injuries, mild allergic reactions, and sudden lameness. 

What is emergency veterinary care?

Emergency veterinary care involves conditions immediately threatening your pet’s life or long-term health. Examples of emergencies include difficulty breathing, severe trauma, or toxin ingestion. Most emergency care facilities offer critical care and hospitalization services 24 hours per day, seven days per week and may have specialists on hand for advanced imaging, procedures, or surgeries.

Scenario 1: Vomiting or diarrhea in pets

Pets with stomach issues who are otherwise behaving normally, eating well, and not showing other illness signs can likely wait for a scheduled primary care visit. If your pet has been having stomach issues: 

  • What to do — Feed small, frequent meals with a bland diet such as chicken and rice.
  • Emergency or urgent? — Seek emergency care if vomiting or diarrhea is severe, contains large amounts of blood, or is accompanied by other “red flag” symptoms such as lethargy, abdominal pain, or an inability to keep down water. Seek urgent care if mild vomiting or diarrhea persists for more than 24 hours despite a bland diet.

Scenario 2: Difficulty breathing in pets

Difficulty breathing is a serious health issue for pets. Breathing may be rapid, shallow, or require extra abdominal movements, and pets may have pale or bluish gums. If your pet is having difficulty breathing:

  • What to do — Ensure your pet remains calm and avoids stress.
  • Emergency or urgent? — Seek emergency care any time your pet is struggling to breathe, as this is always a true emergency.

Scenario 3: Trauma in pets

Trauma in pets may occur if they are hit by a car, fall from a height, or fight with another animal. Trauma often results in internal injuries or shock that may not be immediately apparent. If your pet experiences trauma:

  • What to do — Apply first aid, keep your pet still, and carefully move them to a vehicle using a blanket or improvised stretcher to bring them to a veterinary care facility.
  • Emergency or urgent? — Seek emergency care for trauma, whether you can see apparent injuries.

Scenario 4: Lameness in pets

Lameness is another word for limping or favoring a leg. Pets may limp from various injuries or illnesses, some more serious than others. If your pet exhibits lameness signs:

  • What to do — Check your pet for obvious injuries, encourage them to rest, and assist them with movement as needed.
  • Emergency or urgent? — Seek emergency care if your pet refuses or is unable to move, has an obvious fracture, or appears to be in severe pain. Seek urgent care if your pet has a cut, torn nail, or complete non-weight–bearing lameness. Mild or intermittent lameness can wait for a regular visit.

Scenario 5: Seizures in pets

Seizures can occur in pets of all ages for various reasons, including epilepsy, brain injury, brain malformations, toxins, and metabolic diseases. If your pet has a seizure:

  • What to do — During a seizure, clear the area around your pet to prevent injury and note how long the event lasts and how long it takes for your pet to recover. Keep your hands away from your pet’s mouth.
  • Emergency or urgent? — Seek emergency care if seizures happen back to back, your pet does not regain consciousness after a seizure, you suspect your pet ingested a toxin, or other illness signs accompany the seizures. Seek urgent care if your pet has more than one seizure in 24 hours or a prolonged recovery period. One isolated seizure with a quick recovery and no other illness signs or known toxin ingestion can wait for a regular appointment.

Scenario 6: Allergic reactions in pets

Allergic reactions can happen most commonly in response to bug bites or stings, vaccines, and medications, causing your pet to develop hives or go into anaphylactic shock. If your pet has an allergic reaction:

  • What to do — Administer oral Benadryl if directed by a veterinary professional, then seek care.
  • Emergency or urgent? — Seek emergency care if the reaction progresses and causes vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, or collapse. Seek urgent care for reactions that cause facial swelling or body hives.

Scenario 7: Toxin ingestion in pets

Many foods (e.g., chocolate), chemicals (e.g., antifreeze), and human medications (e.g., ibuprofen) are toxic to pets when ingested, causing signs from mild to severe. If you know or suspect your pet has ingested a toxin:

  • What to do — Gather details about the suspected toxin your pet has ingested and call a poison control hotline for immediate advice. Do not induce vomiting unless directed.
  • Emergency or urgent? — Seek emergency care unless told otherwise by a poison control professional.

Scenario 8: Eye injuries in pets

Although not usually life-threatening, eye injuries can cause significant pain and damage your pet’s vision, sometimes necessitating eye removal. If your pet has an eye injury: 

  • What to do — Keep your pet from rubbing the injured eye. For minor irritations or plant material in the eye, rinse with a sterile eye wash. If the injury appears serious, leave it alone and seek care.
  • Emergency or urgent? — Seek emergency care if your pet sustains blunt, sharp, or chemical eye trauma, the eye appears suddenly intensely red or cloudy, or the eye protrudes from the socket. Seek urgent care if your pet’s eye becomes red, watery, or squinty without a known injury.

Always err on the side of caution if you aren’t sure about the severity of your pet’s condition. Our Santa Monica Veterinary Group team is well-equipped to handle urgent and emergency cases. Contact us to learn more about urgent care and emergency services or to schedule a nonurgent visit.