If your pet has an accident or suddenly collapses, every minute counts. Yet under stress it is easy to panic. This guide gives you the keys to assess the situation, do the right things and call for help at the right time.
Check the vital signs
Before you call, try to gather these three indicators (without putting yourself at risk if the animal is aggressive from pain):
- Breathing: Is it fast? Wheezy? Are the mucous membranes (gums) a healthy pink, or white/bluish?
- Heart rate: Place your hand on the left side of the chest, just behind the elbow. The pulse should be regular.
- Temperature: A normal temperature in dogs and cats is between 38°C and 39°C. Above 40°C or below 37°C, it is an emergency.
The 5 absolute pet emergencies
- Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV, bloat): Mostly in large dogs. The abdomen swells and the dog tries to vomit without success. It is a life-threatening emergency where every minute matters.
- Urinary Blockage: Especially in male cats. The cat strains to urinate but nothing comes out. There is a risk of acute kidney failure and a ruptured bladder.
- Acute Pulmonary Oedema: The animal breathes with its mouth open and seems to be choking. Often linked to a decompensated heart condition.
- Poisoning: Eating chocolate, antifreeze, rat poison or toxic plants (lilies for cats). Do not wait for symptoms to appear before calling.
- Bleeding or Serious Trauma: A fall, a deep bite, a road accident. Even if the animal seems fine, internal bleeding is possible.
- Symptom Checker: A simple decision tree: "My pet is struggling to breathe", "My pet is having a seizure", and so on. The app tells you straight away "EMERGENCY" or "MONITOR".
- Emergency Directory: Finds out-of-hours vet clinics open 24/7 near you, with direct calling.
- Emergency Card: A summary available offline with your pet's weight, allergies and chronic conditions, so the on-call vet can treat them right away.
- Poison Centres: Direct access to the French veterinary poison centres CAPAE-Ouest and CNITV for expert toxicology advice.
Life-saving steps and what to avoid
DO: Keep the animal warm and limit its movement. For external bleeding, apply steady pressure with a clean cloth. For poisoning, write down the name of the product and the time it was swallowed.
DON'T: NEVER give human medicines (paracetamol, aspirin), which are deadly to animals. Do not make the animal vomit without explicit advice from a vet or a poison centre.
How does Son Espace Santé help in an emergency?
The app includes tools designed for these moments of crisis:
Being prepared is your best weapon. Download the Son Espace Santé app today so these life-saving tools are always at hand.
