Your dog collapses without warning. Gums pale, breathing shallow. Or your cat darts across the kitchen, knocks over a bottle, then starts vomiting. You freeze. You’re scared and anxious.
You’re on the phone with the vet, on hold, watching the seconds pass. This is where it gets real. The outcome might depend on what you do right now.
In this blog, you’ll learn what steps to take during the most intense moments of a pet emergency—before you even pull out of the driveway.
Know What Normal Looks Like
Before anything goes wrong, take a few minutes to learn what’s normal. Feel your dog’s pulse on the inside of the thigh. Count the beats.
A healthy dog usually falls between 60 and 140 beats per minute. Cats run higher, sometimes up to 220.
Watch the way your pet breathes. Count it. Look at their gums when they’re calm. Pink means good blood flow. Blue or white is not okay.
Put together a kit and keep it somewhere you won’t forget during a panic.
- Gauze and cloth wrap
- Digital thermometer
- Muzzle or soft fabric to tie a snout gently
- Clean towel
- Saline for flushing eyes or wounds
- Your vet’s number and ASPCA Poison Control: 888-426-4435
This is your starting line. Without it, you’re guessing.
Bleeding, Broken Bones, or Collapse
These situations need fast, clear action before a professional veterinary team can take over.
For bleeding, press firmly with a clean cloth for five full minutes. Don’t lift it. If it bleeds through, add more layers. Gently elevate a bleeding limb if possible.
For broken bones, don’t try to move or fix the injury. Keep your pet still and supported with a towel or flat surface during transport.
If your pet collapses and isn’t breathing, start CPR. Lay them on their side. Push on the chest 100 to 120 times per minute. After 30 compressions, give 2 breaths through the nose if you’re trained. The Red Cross Pet First Aid app can walk you through it.
When They’re Choking or Can’t Breathe
If your pet’s pawing at their mouth, gasping, or turning blue, check their throat quickly. Gently pull the tongue forward. If you see something and can safely remove it, do it.
For dogs, a modified Heimlich can work. Stand behind them. Place your fists right under the rib cage and push up and forward. For smaller pets, use short, firm blows between the shoulder blades, then chest compressions.
This needs to happen fast. Waiting for the vet might not be an option.
Heatstroke Starts Quiet and Ends Fast
It sneaks up during summer walks or hot car rides. The dog slows down, drools, and maybe vomits. Then the legs go weak. This isn’t a moment to wait it out. Move fast. Get them into shade. Soak towels in cool water and wrap their belly, neck, and legs. Don’t use ice water. Use a fan if you can. Get their body temp down to 103°F before you move them. A recent study showed dogs survive heatstroke far more often when cooled before transport.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
Write down everything: symptoms, what your pet ate, and how long it lasted. Give that to the vet when you arrive. No detail is too small.
In those first 15 minutes, you don’t need to be perfect. You need to act. One clear decision at a time. Stay focused. Your pet is counting on you.
