How do I know if my pet needs an emergency vet?

The answer

Call the nearest emergency clinic whenever something is clearly different from your pet's normal behavior and you are worried; there is no single rule, and this site cannot diagnose your pet. Trouble breathing, collapse, seizures, serious injury, suspected poisoning, repeated vomiting with a swollen belly, and straining to urinate are widely treated as urgent. Many animals hide pain, so a problem may be further along than it looks. When in doubt, call the clinic or an animal poison control line and follow the instructions the staff give you by phone.