When should I take my pet to the vet straight away?
Go to a vet or an emergency clinic now if your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, has pale, grey or blue gums, is bleeding and it won't stop, has a seizure lasting more than five minutes, is a male cat straining without passing urine, is a dog with a swollen belly retching without bringing anything up, or has eaten something toxic. Do not wait for it to get worse: each of these can kill within hours.
Go now instead of waiting if any of these appear
- Struggling to breathe, or gums that look pale, grey or blue
- Collapse, or unable to stand
- A seizure, or one that repeats
- Bleeding that does not stop with pressure
- Pain that is obviously severe — crying out, or not letting you near
- Breathing with an open mouth or panting — normal in a dog, an emergency in a cat
What Pativo's safety rules treat as urgent
These are the rules that run after the AI and can only raise its answer. Each one is a settled veterinary red flag where waiting costs a life or causes permanent harm.
| What you see | Pativo's answer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Struggling to breathe, gasping, or breathing with the mouth open | EmergencyGo now | Breathing difficulty is always treated as an emergency |
| Collapsed, fainted, unresponsive or unable to stand | EmergencyGo now | Collapse or unresponsiveness is always an emergency |
| Pale, white, grey or blue gums or tongue | EmergencyGo now | Pale, white or blue gums can mean poor circulation or oxygen |
| Bleeding that doesn't stop with firm pressure | EmergencyGo now | Bleeding that will not stop needs a vet now |
| A seizure lasting more than five minutes, or one after another | EmergencyGo now | Seizures need a vet; one lasting over five minutes or repeating is an emergency |
| A male cat straining with little or no urine | EmergencyGo now | Straining without passing urine can be a blockage, which is life-threatening in male cats |
| A dog with a swollen, tight belly, retching without bringing anything up | EmergencyGo now | A swollen belly with unproductive retching can be bloat, which kills within hours |
| A cat that chewed, licked or brushed against any part of a lily | EmergencyGo now | Any part of a lily, even pollen, can cause fatal kidney failure in cats |
| Ate xylitol, antifreeze, rat poison or slug pellets | EmergencyGo now | This substance can be fatal before any signs appear |
| A single seizure that has stopped | See a vet todayWithin 24 hours | Seizures need a vet; one lasting over five minutes or repeating is an emergency |
| Any other animal straining to pee without result | See a vet todayWithin 24 hours | Straining without passing urine can be a blockage, which is life-threatening in male cats |
| Ate another known toxin, such as chocolate, grapes, onion or a painkiller | See a vet todayWithin 24 hours | Swallowing this can be toxic; a vet or poison line should hear about it now |
| A rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla that has stopped eating | See a vet todayWithin 24 hours | Rabbits and guinea pigs that stop eating can develop gut stasis within hours |
| A puppy under six months with both vomiting and diarrhoea | See a vet todayWithin 24 hours | Vomiting with diarrhoea in a young puppy can be parvovirus or rapid dehydration |
| A cat that has stopped eating | See a vet soonWithin 48 hours | A cat that stops eating can develop liver disease within days |
What counts as a pet emergency?
A pet emergency is any sign where an hour's delay can change the outcome. Most fall into four groups: the airway and breathing, circulation (gum colour, bleeding, collapse), a blocked or twisted organ (bladder, stomach), and poisons. The table further down lists every sign Pativo's safety rules treat as urgent and the reason for each.
These rules are code, not a suggestion to the AI. They run after the AI has read the case and can only make its answer more urgent. They exist because the cost of under-reacting to these signs is death or permanent harm, while the cost of an unnecessary trip is an evening and a bill.
Why do cats and rabbits hide emergencies?
Cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and birds are prey animals and hide weakness until they can't. By the time a rabbit stops eating, or a bird sits fluffed up on the cage floor, the problem has usually been building for some time. That is why Pativo treats a rabbit or guinea pig that stops eating as "see a vet today", and a cat that stops eating as "see a vet within 48 hours", even when nothing else looks wrong.
Learning your pet's normal helps here. A daily check-in of appetite, energy, thirst and toilet makes a quiet change visible before it becomes a crisis.
How do I check my pet's gums?
Lift the upper lip at the side of the mouth and look at the gum above a canine tooth. Healthy gums are moist and pink (some dogs have patches of black pigment; look at a pink area). Press a fingertip on the gum until it pales, let go and count: the pink should return in under about two seconds. Gums that are white, grey, blue or very pale, or that stay pale after pressing, mean poor circulation or low oxygen and need a vet now.
What if my pet has eaten something poisonous?
Treat a known toxin as urgent even if your pet seems fine. Xylitol, antifreeze, rat poison and slug pellets are always an emergency in Pativo, because they can do fatal damage before the first sign. For other substances, how serious it is depends on what, how much and the size of your pet. Take the packet with you, note the time, and do not make your pet vomit unless a vet on the phone tells you to. The pet toxin guide covers the common ones, species by species, and the poison check in the app works without a connection.
What should I bring to the emergency clinic?
Bring your pet, the packaging of anything they may have eaten, a list of their medication, and your phone with their records. A dated record answers the questions an emergency vet asks first: when did it start, has it happened before, what has changed, what medication and when was the last dose. Pativo's vet report puts that on one page, and after an urgent result it is free to share.
First aid on the way to the clinic
The same steps as the app's offline emergency guide. They are first aid on the way to a vet, never a replacement for one.
Choking
- Open the mouth and look. Only remove an object you can clearly see and grasp — blind sweeps push it deeper.
- For a small pet, hold them with the head down and give five firm blows between the shoulder blades.
- Head for a clinic now, even if the object comes out. The airway can swell afterwards.
Heavy bleeding
- Press firmly on the wound with a clean cloth and keep pressing. Do not lift it to check.
- If blood soaks through, add another layer on top rather than replacing it.
- Keep them warm and still, and go to a clinic immediately.
Suspected poisoning
- Take the packet, plant or substance with you, and note the time and rough amount.
- Do not make them vomit unless a vet on the phone tells you to. Some substances cause more damage coming back up.
- Call a clinic or poison line straight away — many poisons act before symptoms appear.
Overheating
- Move them somewhere cool and shaded, out of the sun.
- Wet them with cool — not ice-cold — water, especially the belly and paws, and keep air moving over them.
- Go to a clinic even if they seem to recover. Internal damage is not visible.
Seizure
- Do not restrain them and keep your hands away from the mouth. Clear hard objects from around them.
- Note the time it starts. Dim the lights and keep the room quiet.
- Any seizure lasting more than a few minutes, or a second one soon after, is an emergency.
Trouble breathing
- Keep them calm and still. Stress makes breathing harder and can worsen it quickly.
- Do not force the mouth open or offer water.
- This is always an emergency. Go now, and call ahead so the clinic is ready.
Questions owners ask
Should I call the clinic before I go?
Yes, if you can do it without delay. Calling ahead lets the clinic prepare, and they can tell you if another clinic is better placed. If no one answers, go anyway.
My regular vet is closed. What now?
Go to the nearest emergency or out-of-hours clinic. Many practices share an out-of-hours service; the recorded message on your vet's phone line usually names it.
Can I wait until morning if my pet seems stable?
Not for any sign on this page. Several of them, such as a blocked bladder, bloat and many poisons, look stable for hours before a sudden collapse.
Is panting a sign of an emergency?
In a dog, panting after exercise or in the heat is normal. In a cat, breathing with the mouth open or panting is an emergency unless it stops within moments of rest.
Does Pativo charge for emergency checks?
No. A symptom check that turns out to be an emergency does not count against the monthly limit, and the offline emergency guide is free for everyone.