Five signs your dog needs a vet this week, not next month

Most of what worries a dog owner turns out to be nothing, and a vet would rather tell you that than have you sit on something that matters. The problem is knowing which is which. These five are the ones where waiting changes the outcome.

1. Straining to pass urine, or passing none

In a male dog this is an emergency, not a symptom. A blocked urethra backs pressure up into the kidneys and an animal can be in serious trouble within a day. Repeated squatting with nothing coming, crying while trying, or licking constantly at the penis are all the same sign. Go the same day.

2. A swollen, hard belly with unproductive retching

A deep-chested dog - a German Shepherd, a Labrador, a greyhound type - that is trying to vomit and bringing up only froth, with a belly that looks drum-tight, may have a twisted stomach. Hours matter. Do not wait to see whether it settles, and do not try to make the dog vomit.

3. Drinking and urinating far more than usual

This one is easy to miss because it creeps up, and easy to dismiss because the dog seems fine. A dog that has started emptying the water bowl twice a day when it used to last, or that has begun having accidents indoors after years of not doing so, is telling you something about its kidneys, its liver, its pancreas or, in an unspayed bitch, its uterus. All of those are better found early. A blood test settles it.

4. A cough that has lasted more than a few days

Kennel cough is common, self-limiting and noisy. A cough that persists beyond a week, that is worse at night, or that comes with tiring on walks is a different thing - the heart and the lungs are both on the list, and both are far more treatable before the dog starts struggling to breathe.

5. A lump that has changed

Dogs get lumps, and most are harmless fatty ones. What matters is change: a lump that has grown noticeably in a few weeks, changed texture, become fixed to the tissue underneath, or started to ulcerate. A needle sample takes minutes and answers the question. The wait-and-see approach costs nothing when the lump is benign and costs a great deal when it is not.

What does not need to be this week

A single episode of vomiting in an otherwise bright dog. A mild limp after a long walk that improves with rest. One loose stool. Watch these for a day or two - but if the animal is also quiet, off its food, or the sign is still there on day three, book the appointment.

If you are not sure which category you are in, that itself is a good reason to ask. A phone consultation costs less than a wasted trip and takes fifteen minutes.