Emergency vets
Is this a dog emergency?
If you are unsure, call a vet. The conditions that always need immediate veterinary attention are difficulty breathing, collapse or sudden weakness, seizures, suspected poisoning, pale or white gums, a bloated or hard abdomen, eye injuries, suspected broken bones, heatstroke, and any situation where the dog has eaten a known toxin. Do not wait to see if it passes.
Always immediate: the red list
These presentations require you to call a vet or drive to an emergency practice right now, without waiting to see if they resolve. Difficulty breathing or laboured breathing. Collapse or sudden inability to stand. Seizure or convulsion of any duration. Suspected ingestion of a toxin including chocolate, xylitol, grapes, onions, any medication, or any household chemical. Pale, white or blue gums. A hard, swollen or bloated abdomen, particularly in large dogs, which may indicate bloat, a life-threatening condition. Any penetrating eye injury. Suspected fractures or dislocations. Core temperature over 40 degrees Celsius.
Should-call-today: the amber list
These situations are not necessarily life-threatening in the next hour but should be assessed by a vet the same day rather than left until the next available appointment. Persistent vomiting or diarrhoea lasting more than 12 hours. Blood in vomit or stool. Limping that does not resolve within a few minutes of rest. Known ingestion of a potentially toxic food where the dose is uncertain. A wound that is deep enough to require stitches. Urinary straining without producing urine, particularly in male dogs, which can indicate a blockage.
The sign you are missing: behaviour change
A dog that is suddenly very quiet, withdrawn, reluctant to move, not interested in food, or not responding normally to you and the household is showing you something. Behaviour change is often the earliest sign of significant illness. It does not tell you what is wrong, but it tells you that something is. If your dog is not acting like themselves, particularly combined with any of the other symptoms above, call the vet and describe what you are seeing. Do not dismiss it as a bad day.
When in doubt
Call a vet. The consultation costs a few minutes of your time. A three-minute phone call in which you describe what you are seeing and a vet tells you to monitor at home costs nothing. The same call, if the vet says bring them in now, could save your dog's life. The asymmetry is obvious. If you are asking whether this is an emergency, that alone is sufficient reason to make the call.