Pet Emergency
First Aid & Veterinarians
Your pet needs help.
Follow clear steps to help your pet and keep them safe until you can reach a veterinarian — whether you are travelling locally, offshore, or in remote areas.
You do not need to be an expert. Follow the steps calmly.
Emergency Affecting You
You can’t care for your pet right now.
Follow clear steps to keep your pet safe and arrange their care when an emergency means you cannot care for them yourself — whether you are travelling locally, offshore or in remote areas.
This section does not provide human medical or first-aid advice.
For emergency readiness guides, equipment, and checklists — not real-time first aid — visit Emergency & Safety Readiness
Immediate First Aid Support
S.A.F.E. Before You Help
S — SCENE
Check for danger. Look for traffic, water, fire, electricity, unstable ground, cliffs, dangerous animals or other hazards.
A — APPROACH
Approach carefully. A frightened, injured, distressed pet or pet in pain may bite or scratch — even if they normally wouldn’t
F — FIRST PROBLEM
Check the immediate problem. Is your pet responsive? Can they breathe? Is there severe bleeding or another immediate danger?
E — EMERGENCY HELP
Start First Aid & get help. If someone is with you, ask them to contact a veterinarian or appropriate rescue/emergency service while you help your pet.
Do not put yourself or anyone else in danger to reach or rescue your pet. If you cannot approach or reach them safely, get appropriate rescue assistance.
Travel / Activity Emergencies
Pet Overboard / In the Water / Drowning
Immediate rescue steps, help them recover, and support breathing.
⛰️
Pet Stranded / Fallen — Difficult Terrain
Your pet has fallen, become trapped or is somewhere they can’t recover from.
💥
Major Accident / Trauma
Your pet has been hit, suffered a serious injury, collision or other major impact.
First Aid Emergencies
🆘
CPR / Not Breathing / Unresponsive
Your pet is unresponsive or not breathing.
🦴
Choking
Something may be blocking your pet’s airway.
🫁
Breathing Difficulty
Your pet is breathing but struggling to breathe.
⚡
Seizure / Convulsions
Keep your pet safe during a seizure and know what to do as they recover.
🩸
Heavy Bleeding / Cut / Wound
Control bleeding and protect the wound.
☀️🌡
Heatstroke / Overheating
Cool your pet safely and reduce heat danger.
🐍
Snake / Venomous Bite
Known or suspected snake or venomous animal bite.
🐝
Allergic Reaction / Anaphylaxis
Sudden swelling, hives, vomiting, weakness or breathing problems after a possible allergic trigger.
☠️
Poison / Toxin Exposure
Suspected poisoning from something eaten, licked, inhaled or contacted.
🫃
Swollen Abdomen / Trying to Vomit
Recognise dangerous abdominal swelling or repeated attempts to vomit without bringing anything up.
🤢
Severe Vomiting or Diarrhoea
Support hydration and watch for danger signs.
🚽
Straining / Cannot Urinate
Repeatedly straining to urinate, passing little or no urine, or appearing painful.
🩻
Limping / Suspected Broken Bone
Protect the injury, limit movement and get veterinary help.
🧰❓
Not Sure What’s Wrong?
If your pet’s condition doesn’t match the cards above, find the symptoms and follow the right steps.
Contact a Vet Fast — On the Road or Aboard
Even when travelling or in remote places, veterinary help may still be available — either in person or through tele-vet services.
Contact a veterinarian as soon as you can.
🩺 Find a Vet
Search local or international clinics by country, region, or city/port.
Note: Use the dropdown filters on the left to select your Country, Region, and Location.
📞 Tele-Vet Services
Access a veterinarian via video call for urgent advice from anywhere
Note: Available worldwide. Ensure your time zone is set correctly (bottom right of screen).
⚠️ Get urgent veterinary help if your pet:
Has trouble breathing, collapses, has severe bleeding, has repeated seizures, may have eaten something harmful, or is rapidly getting worse.
If You Can’t Care for Your Pet
Take care of your pet when something happens to you.
(This guidance does not provide human medical or first-aid advice.)
🐾
Your Pet Is With You
You need medical help and your pet is still with you..
📍
Your Pet Is Somewhere Else
You can’t reach your pet or return to them right now
❓
Helping Someone Who Cannot Respond
Another person needs help caring for their pet.
⚠️ Your safety comes first.
Don’t delay emergency medical care for yourself to arrange care for your pet.
Emergency & Safety Readiness
These guides and checklists help you build emergency readiness before you travel.
They are not for real-time emergencies.
🛟 Emergency & Safety Readiness
Prepare for injuries, emergencies, evacuation and situations where someone else may need to care for your pet.
📚🩹Pet First Aid
TrainingLearn practical skills to stabilise pets in emergencies.
Your Pet Travel App
Everything you need to prepare, travel and respond — wherever the journey takes you.
Help
Requirements
& Checklists
Details
