Nobody wants to make this decision at two in the morning with a frightened animal in the car. Read it now instead.

Come in, without waiting

Difficulty breathing, a distended abdomen with unproductive retching, a seizure lasting more than five minutes or repeating, and any suspected poisoning. All four get worse on a timescale of minutes, and all four are cheaper to treat early.

Call first

Vomiting without other signs, limping on one leg, a wound that is not bleeding heavily, and a pet that seems flat but is still drinking. These are real, and they are usually better handled in the morning with a full team and a laboratory.

Our triage panel asks three questions and gives one of three answers. It is deliberately conservative: if it tells you to come in, come in.