Lone Pine Aussies
Is It An Emergency?
The Emergency Veterinary Clinic of Cincinnati compiled this list of pet health
emergencies. If the animal has any of the following symptoms, call your local
emergency care facility and tell the receptionist that you are bringing in a dog or
cat that has
  • Difficulty breathing,
  • Noisy respiration,
  • Blue tongue,
  • Gasping for breath.
  • Bleeding that does not stop from any part of the body; apply pressure with
    a clean cloth and go!
  • Bloated or distended abdomen or swollen or painful abdomen with or
    without vomiting.
  • Inability to urinate or move bowels but continues to try or has bloody stool
    or urine or painful defecation or urination.
  • Heatstroke
  • Heavy panting
  • Extreme weakness
  • Body temperature about 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Inability to deliver puppies or kittens, labor contractions for longer than one
    hour or more than 15 minutes of labor with the fetus or membrane showing.
  • Loss of balance or consciousness.
  • Seizure, including tremors.
  • Coma.
  • Staggering
  • Convulsions
  • Sudden blindness
  • Tilting of the head
  • Biting at imaginary objects.
  • Sudden changes in disposition such as unusual withdrawal or out-of-
    character aggressiveness.
  • Pain, severe or continuous.
  • Major trauma, injury, or shock from falls, vehicle accidents, wounds, cuts,
broken bones
  • Shows signs of weakness
  • Collapse
  • Shallow breathing
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Bewildered appearance
  • Dilated pupils
  • Ingested poison; bring the container or the commercial or chemical name
    of the product or a list of ingredients if you have it.
  • Penetrating wounds anyplace, but especially in the chest or abdomen.  
  • Lameness and cannot bear any weight on the leg.

Any other signs that look serious, such as:
  • Eye problems
  • Severe itching with self-mutilation
  • Severe hives