Symptoms
What your pet's symptoms might mean — 40 triage topics covering dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, reptiles, small pets, horses and farm animals, grouped by how urgently to act. Use our symptom checker for personalised triage guidance.
Quick answer
PETHEALTH+ lists 40 symptom triage topics for UK pets — from breathing problems and collapse to itching and mild tummy upsets. Each page says how urgent the symptom is, links the matching plain-English guides, and gives the red flags that mean call your vet now. Information only — not a diagnosis.
Emergencies — phone a vet now
These signs can be life-threatening. Phone your vet or an out-of-hours clinic before travelling.
- Breathing difficultiesDifficulty breathing, choking, or blue/grey gums
- CollapseCollapse, or unable to stand
- Seizures and fittingSeizure or fitting
- Severe bleedingSevere or uncontrolled bleeding
- Suspected poisoningSwallowed something toxic (chocolate, rat bait, lily, xylitol…)
- Pale gumsPale or white gums
- HeatstrokeVery hot, collapsed or distressed heavy panting after heat or exercise
- Difficulty giving birthStraining to give birth for 30+ minutes with nothing born
- Bloat (GDV) in dogsSwollen, hard belly with unproductive retching (bloat/GDV)
- Straining to urinate in catsStraining in the litter tray, or crying when toileting (especially a male cat)
- Gut stasis in rabbitsNot eating, or no droppings, for 12 hours or more
- Flystrike in rabbitsMaggots or a soiled, wet bottom (flystrike)
- Respiratory distress in birdsTail bobbing, open-mouth breathing, or fluffed-up all day
- Egg binding in birdsStraining to lay an egg, or sitting on cage floor for hours
- Overheating in reptilesGasping, very lethargic, or hot to touch in vivarium
- Wet tail in hamstersDiarrhoea with wet bottom (especially hamsters)
- Bloat in guinea pigsSuddenly bloated, painful abdomen (guinea pig)
- Colic in horsesPawing, rolling, looking at flank, or not passing droppings (colic)
- Laminitis in horsesReluctance to walk, leaning back on heels, hot hooves (laminitis)
- Cast horse (unable to rise)Stuck on their side and unable to rise
- Sudden deaths in backyard flocksMultiple sudden deaths in the flock
Urgent — call your vet today
Book a same-day appointment; treat any worsening as an emergency.
- Head tilt in rabbitsSudden head tilt or loss of balance
- Bleeding in birdsBleeding from beak, wing, or broken blood feather
- Retained shed in reptilesRetained shed on toes, tail tip, or eyes for several days
- Mouth rot in reptilesSwollen mouth, pus, or refusing food for 3+ days
- Respiratory problems in small petsNoisy breathing, sneezing, or discharge from nose
- Respiratory disease in poultryGasping, swollen face, or drop in egg production with lethargy
- Egg binding in hensEgg bound hen straining without passing an egg
- Repeated vomitingRepeated vomiting, or can't keep water down
- Not eatingNot eaten for 24 hours (12 hours for rabbits/small pets)
- Lethargy and weaknessUnusually tired, weak or unresponsive
- Signs of severe painSigns of severe pain (crying, can't settle, hunched)
See a vet soon
Not usually an emergency, but needs a routine appointment in the next day or two.
- DiarrhoeaDiarrhoea
- Limping and lamenessLimping or lameness
- Persistent coughingPersistent cough
- Sore, runny or cloudy eyesSore, runny or cloudy eye
- Ear scratching and head shakingHead shaking or scratching ears
- Drinking more than usualDrinking much more than usual
- Hiding and behaviour changesHiding or behaving unlike themselves
Monitor at home
Mild signs to watch — call your vet if they persist or worsen.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When should I worry about my pet's symptoms?
- Seek emergency vet care for difficulty breathing, collapse, seizures, pale gums, uncontrolled bleeding, or suspected poisoning. For other symptoms, use our symptom checker or contact your vet if symptoms persist beyond 24 hours.
- Can I use this instead of seeing a vet?
- No. Symptom guides help you understand what signs might mean and how urgently to act. They cannot examine your pet or make a diagnosis. Always consult a veterinary surgeon for persistent or worsening symptoms.