When to take your dog to the vet: a calm checklist

If you are worried about your dog, call your vet: it is always safest to ask. Some signs mean go now, some mean call your vet the same day, and some mean note it down, watch closely and call if it carries on or gets worse.

Signs that mean go to a vet now

Go to your vet or an emergency vet straight away, and call on the way, if your dog has any of these.

• Working harder to breathe, or struggling to breathe. Go now. Breathing that takes an obvious effort is a go-now sign.
• Collapse, sudden weakness, or not being able to stand or walk. Go now. Do not wait to see whether it passes.
• Pale gums. Go now. Gums that look paler than usual are a go-now sign.
• Severe pain or distress. Go now. The University of Sydney's vet hospital lists this among the signs that need urgent care.
• A seizure, such as fitting, twitching, or full body shaking your dog cannot stop. Go straight away.
• Straining to pee but producing nothing, or only drops. This needs to be seen straight away.
• Vomiting or diarrhoea with blood in it. Go now. The University of Sydney's vet hospital lists both as signs that need urgent care, and the PDSA says to contact your vet immediately if there is blood in vomit.
• Continuous retching, or a swollen, bloated tummy. Go now. The PDSA calls this a life threatening emergency.
• Swelling, especially of the face, or an insect bite or sting followed by trouble breathing, vomiting or collapse. Go straight away.
• Any known accident, such as a fall or being hit by a car, even if your dog seems fine. Go now. The University of Sydney's vet hospital advises that known trauma should be assessed.
• Eating something that can be toxic to dogs. Go now. The University of Sydney's vet hospital lists these as emergencies: chocolate, grapes, sultanas and raisins, xylitol, onions, rat bait, snail bait and human medicines.
• A dog who stops eating, or eats far less than usual. Go now. The University of Sydney's vet hospital lists a lack of appetite among the signs of an emergency. A dog who has had no food for more than 24 hours has passed the outer limit; that is never a window to wait out.
• Any drop in eating, even a little less, along with vomiting, diarrhoea, low energy or any other sign on the go-now list. Go now. The University of Sydney's vet hospital lists vomiting, diarrhoea and inappetence among the signs of an emergency, and says that if you are unsure, it is always safest to bring your pet in.

If you are unsure whether it is an emergency, the University of Sydney's vet hospital puts it simply: it is always safest to bring your pet in.

Signs that mean call your vet today

Call your vet for advice the same day if your dog has any of these.

• Vomiting more than once. One vomit in a dog who is otherwise well may not need the vet straight away, but vomiting again is different.
• Low energy. A dog who is quiet or flat is worth a call.
• A painful tummy. The PDSA lists a painful abdomen among the signs to call about.
• Signs of dehydration, such as sticky gums or sunken eyes. Call the same day.
• Diarrhoea that has gone on for more than 24 hours. Contact your vet as soon as possible once it goes beyond that point.
• Mucus in the diarrhoea, or severe or constant watery diarrhoea. Call rather than wait.
• Eating a little less than usual, or picking at food, while otherwise bright. That is a reason to call the same day, not to wait.
• Limping or stiffness. Contact your vet if your dog is limping or appears stiff.

The PDSA also advises calling sooner if your dog is very young or very old, has an existing health condition, or is taking medication.

The University of Sydney's vet hospital lists persistent vomiting or diarrhoea among the signs of an emergency. If any of these is severe or persistent, or comes with a sign from the go-now list, do not wait: go now. If you are not sure whether the vomiting counts as persistent, go now: the University of Sydney's vet hospital says that if you are unsure, it is always safest to bring your pet in.

When to note it and watch

The PDSA's view is that a dog who vomits once and is otherwise bright and well may not need the vet straight away, and neither may a dog who has had diarrhoea for less than 24 hours and is otherwise well. Watch them closely, write down what happens, and call your vet the same day if it carries on or gets worse; go now if anything from the go-now list appears.

Watching is not the same as waiting it out. It means paying close attention, and writing down what you saw and when, so you can describe the change rather than guess at it. If your gut says something is wrong, call.

When to take your dog to the vet for vomiting

Call your vet the same day if your dog vomits more than once. Go now if there is blood in it, or if the vomiting is persistent or severe. The PDSA also lists low energy, a painful tummy, dehydration, disorientation or collapse as reasons to call. Continuous retching, or a bloated tummy, is a life threatening emergency: go straight away.

Note a few things while they are fresh. What time it started. How many times it has happened. What came up. Whether your dog is eating and drinking.

For what to note when your dog brings up white foam or yellow bile, see Dog vomiting white foam or yellow bile: when to call the vet.

When to take your dog to the vet for diarrhoea

Call your vet as soon as possible if diarrhoea is ongoing for more than 24 hours. If there is blood in it, go now: it is on the go-now list above. Call your vet today if there is mucus, if it is severe or constant and watery, if your dog seems unwell, or if they are very young, very old, on medication or living with an existing health condition.

What to note: how often it is happening, the colour, whether there is blood or mucus, and whether your dog is eating, drinking and keeping it down.

When to take your dog to the vet for limping

Contact your vet if your dog is limping or seems stiff, and straight away if they are in severe pain, cannot put a leg down, or have a serious wound.

What to note: which leg it is, when it started, and whether it is worse after rest or after exercise. If you can, take a short video on your phone of your dog walking, so your vet can see the movement.

What to note for your vet

When something changes, these details help your vet see the whole picture:

• What you saw, and when it started, with the date and time.
• How often it is happening, rather than a general sense that it is frequent.
• Eating, drinking, toileting and energy, in your own words.
• Anything that changed around then, such as food, routine, an outing, or something they might have eaten.
• Any medicines they take.
• A photo or a short video, if it helps show what you are seeing.

You do not need to work out what any of it means. That is your vet's job. Your part is the noticing.

How My Furly helps you keep track

My Furly is a place to keep your dog's health story, so the details are there when you need them.

Talk it through with Furly. Furly, the companion inside My Furly, knows your dog's own history. You can talk through what you have noticed, or ask how to put a question to your vet. Furly is not a vet, and is built to point you to one when it matters. It does not decide whether you should go, or how serious something is. You and your vet do.

A dated entry as it happens. When something changes, add a dated entry to your dog's record. Symptoms sit on one timeline with vet visits, medicines and notes, so you can see how often something has happened, and since when.

Keep the photo on the record. If you took a photo, keep it on your dog's record, alongside vet reports and documents, so what you want to show your vet is in one place.

A private link for your vet. When you choose to, you can create a private link with an access code and send it to your vet. They see your dog's timeline, vaccinations, weight and documents, so the conversation starts from the full picture. You stay in control, and you can replace the link at any time.

None of this replaces your vet, or a call to an emergency clinic. It means that when you do call, you have the answers to their first questions.

Frequently asked questions

When should I take my dog to the vet?

If you are worried, call your vet, because it is always safest to ask. Go straight away for any sign on the emergency list, such as struggling to breathe, collapse, pale gums, a seizure, blood in vomit or diarrhoea, or a known accident.

When should I take my dog to the vet for diarrhoea?

Contact your vet as soon as possible if diarrhoea lasts more than 24 hours. If there is blood in it, go now. Call your vet today if there is mucus, if it is severe or constant and watery, if your dog seems unwell, or if they are very young, very old, on medication or living with an existing health condition.

When should I take my dog to the vet for limping?

Contact your vet if your dog is limping or seems stiff, and straight away if they are in severe pain, cannot put a leg down, or have a serious wound.

What counts as a dog emergency?

The University of Sydney's vet hospital lists signs that need to be seen urgently, including working harder to breathe, collapse or weakness, pale gums, a seizure, blood in vomit or diarrhoea, swelling of the face, and known trauma. Continuous retching or a bloated tummy is a life threatening emergency. If you are unsure, it is always safest to bring your pet in.

What should I tell my vet when I call?

Tell them what you saw and when it started, how often it is happening, and how your dog is eating, drinking, toileting and behaving. Mention any medicines they take.

Sources

• The University of Sydney (University Veterinary Teaching Hospital). Signs of an emergency and FAQs. www.sydney.edu.au/vet-hospital/emergency/signs-and-symptoms-faqs.html. Accessed 19 October 2026.
• PDSA. Vomiting in dogs. Published October 2024. www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/symptoms/vomiting-in-dogs. Accessed 19 October 2026.
• PDSA. Dog Diarrhoea. Published May 2023. www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/symptoms/diarrhoea-in-dogs. Accessed 19 October 2026.
• PDSA. Limping and stiffness in dogs. Published July 2019. www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/symptoms/limping-and-stiffness-in-dogs. Accessed 19 October 2026.

More on when to see a vet

For calmer ways to handle the worrying moments, see Never face the 3am worry about your pet alone. For why your dog's own normal matters, see You know your pet best. Furly remembers the rest. For how a shared history changes a vet visit, see Your vet, already up to speed before you sit down.

Start keeping your dog's health history at myfurly.ai.

A gentle note

Furly helps you organise and understand your pet's history, and prepares you for the vet. It is not a diagnosis tool and does not replace professional care. If something worries you, or your dog shows any sign of an emergency, speak to a licensed vet or an emergency clinic straight away.