The following list is a guide to many emergency conditions and signs/symptoms that indicate whether you should bring your pet in for emergency care. We believe that you, as the owner, know your pet the best and are a reliable judge of whether something is wrong.

If you are concerned and not sure whether to come in, the friendly nursing team at AEC are happy to advise you over the phone (08) 9204 0400.

  • Abdominal distension (swelling/bloating): Especially when hard to the touch with unsuccessful attempts to vomit
  • Abnormal gum colour: White/blue/yellow/red
  • Acute deterioration: Of an existing medical condition. Any abnormal behaviour that you’re worried about (e.g., acting aloof or particularly clingy)
  • Bleeding: Severe or continues for more than 5 minutes, blood from eyes, ears, mouth, nose, or rectum, blood in urine, faeces, or vomit.
  • Breathing difficulties: Choking, gagging, something stuck in the throat, increased breathing effort, no breathing
  • Broken bones (or suspected broken bones)
  • Coughing: Constant and unable to settle, especially if associated with increased breathing rate, effort or history of heart disease
  • Diarrhoea or vomiting: That lasts more than 24 hours
  • Disorientation: Suddenly begins bumping into things
  • Extremes of temperature: Heatstroke or hypothermia signs
  • Eye Injuries: Ulcers, foreign bodies or glaucoma and other eye irritations
  • Ingestion (or suspected ingestion): Of toxic substances or foreign materials that may cause obstruction
  • Loss of mobility: Collapse, sudden inability to walk or stand, unable to balance, extreme lethargy
  • Seizures: Especially prolonged, multiple, or non-terminating
  • Severe allergic reaction/Anaphylaxis: Facial/throat swelling, collapse, white gums, hives
  • Signs of severe pain: Crying, shaking, sudden withdrawal/aggression
  • Snakebite: Collapse followed by seeming recovery, witnessed bite, blood in urine, progressive paralysis (DO NOT attempt to catch snake or bring it in)
  • Trauma: Hit by car, dog attack, fall from height, penetrating injury etc
  • Tremoring (involuntary): Unconsciousness (cannot be woken)
  • Urination problems: Straining or inability to release bladder contents (especially male cats)
  • Whelping: With more than 4 hours between delivery of puppies or kittens