When should you rush to the emergency vet?
Some things cannot wait until morning. Others can, and knowing the difference saves you a frightening night and an unnecessary bill. Here is how we would triage it on the phone, and who to ring when we are closed.
Call us on 02 9888 1833
The short answer
Here is the quick version, so you can decide in a minute or two.
Go now, without ringing first, for breathing difficulty, collapse, a paralysis tick, suspected heatstroke, a straining cat that cannot urinate, a swollen hard belly, or a seizure that will not stop. If you are not sure, ring us and describe it. We would much rather talk you through something that turns out to be nothing.
Go now. Do not wait to see if it settles.
- Breathing difficulty of any kind, a tongue that has turned blue, or gums that are white or very pale
- Collapse, or sudden weakness that comes on out of nowhere
- A paralysis tick, even if your pet seems normal or the tick is already off
- Suspected heatstroke after heat or exertion
- A cat straining in the litter tray and passing nothing
- A hard, swollen belly, especially with unproductive retching
- A seizure that does not stop, or repeats
- Suspected poisoning, or something swallowed that should not have been
- A large wound, or bleeding that does not stop with pressure
- A suspected snake bite, even if your pet seems to have recovered
If any of these are happening, ring 02 9888 1833 while somebody else gets the car. During opening hours we will tell you to come straight in. Outside them we refer to our after-hours emergency partner, listed in the footer.
Why do we say go even if you are not certain?
Because some of the most serious things we see look, for a while, like nothing much.
Paralysis tick. Sydney is notorious for paralysis ticks. A pet with one may be acting normally, but even after the tick has been removed, very subtle signs can progress, and early treatment is vital.
Snake bite. Less common, but if you have any reason at all to think your pet has been bitten, get them to a vet now. It does not matter whether you saw the snake, whether you know what kind it was, or whether you can find a mark. Treat every suspected bite as a real one.
The pattern that catches people out is this: sudden weakness, then collapse, then what looks like a full recovery. A dog that wobbles, goes down, then gets up and seems fine has not recovered. That apparent recovery is the most dangerous part of the whole thing, because it is the point at which people decide to wait and see. Do not wait. That window closes.
Heatstroke. You do not need to be certain. If your pet has been in the heat or working hard and something is not right, go. The signs run from relentless panting and drooling, through gums that have gone very red or very pale, to laboured breathing, flatness, weakness and muscle tremors. Heatstroke does its damage fast and it keeps doing it after the panting settles.
There is no safe interval for any of them, which is why you will not find a number anywhere on this page for how long an emergency can wait. Anyone who tells you it will keep for two hours is guessing with your animal. If it is on the list above, go now and ring us on the way.
What can usually wait until morning?
Plenty. A dog that is bright, eating, and has had one bout of vomiting or loose stool. A small cut that has stopped bleeding. A limp that your dog is still weight-bearing on. An itchy ear. A broken nail. None of these are nothing, and all of them should be seen, but they will keep overnight and you will be seen properly rather than triaged at 2am.
The honest test is not the injury, it is the animal. A pet that is bright, breathing normally and interested in you can usually wait. One that is quiet, hiding, breathing oddly or will not settle cannot, whatever the presenting problem looks like.
What happens when you ring us?
Someone will ask you a small number of very specific questions: how is the breathing, what colour are the gums, can they stand, what exactly did they eat and how long ago. That is triage, not delay. It is how we decide whether to tell you to come now, come this afternoon, or go straight to our after-hours emergency partner because you will get there faster than to us.
During opening hours we do see emergencies, even close to closing time. We make time to see them straight away, and a pet is often seen by a vet sooner than at an emergency hospital. Sometimes we assess your pet and then work out with you whether they need to go on to emergency care after we close.
If you are reading this and it is happening now, stop reading and ring 02 9888 1833.
What should you have ready before you need it?
- Our number, and our after-hours emergency partner's, saved in your phone before the night you need them
- Your pet's weight and any medications, which is the first thing we will ask
- A carrier for a cat that lives where you can reach it in the dark
- A towel in the car. It is a stretcher, a blanket and a muzzle
My medium-sized dog required cruciate ligament surgery, so I needed to find a veterinary practice to perform the procedure. I feel very fortunate to have found Macquarie Veterinary Hospital. From my first phone call with Ella, to a consultation with the orthopaedic surgeon Matt, through the surgery, and now during recovery, my dog has been very carefully cared for, and I have been completely informed and educated throughout the process. Dr. Matt provided a comprehensive plan for a TPLO, complete with diagrams, and the cost was a very reasonable fixed price. The vet nurses are absolutely nuts about mutts, and it felt wonderful knowing that my girl was with such loving people. Thank you all.
Kim Smith, Google review · 5 stars
A real review, quoted as written. Read our Google reviews →
Medically reviewed by Dr Michael Stephen, BVSc, MVSc.
References
- RSPCA Knowledgebase: My pet has been bitten by a snake, what should I do? Snake-bite signs, the “apparent recovery” pattern, and treating any suspected bite as an emergency.
- RSPCA Australia: Keeping your pet safe during the heat Heatstroke signs, and that suspicion alone is reason enough to go.
Our snake-bite and heatstroke advice follows RSPCA Australia guidance, sourced above. Updated November 2026. This guide is general information and cannot replace someone examining your animal. If you are unsure, ring us: that is what the phone is for.
If it is happening now, ring us
During opening hours, call 02 9888 1833 and come straight in. Outside them, our after-hours emergency partner, listed in the footer is open when we are not.
Call 02 9888 1833