First aid for pets

First priority: get to emergency veterinary care

If a pet has trouble breathing, loses consciousness, bleeds heavily, has a prolonged seizure, suffers major trauma or may have swallowed a poison, call an emergency veterinary clinic and organise transport. First aid is a bridge to professional care, not a substitute for an examination. Tell the clinic the species, approximate age and weight, what happened, when it started, and whether the animal is breathing and responsive. Ask for instructions tailored to the case and confirm the clinic treats that species.

In Barcelona a route that looks short on a map may take longer in traffic or across transport connections. Save the details of two emergency clinics, your usual veterinarian's number, an accessible carrier and copies of medicines and records. If you search our emergency veterinary directory, phone to confirm opening hours, location and availability; a directory entry cannot promise that staff are present at this moment.

Bleeding and wounds

Protect yourself: an animal in pain may bite or scratch unintentionally. Use clean gauze or cloth and apply direct pressure to visible bleeding while arranging professional assistance. The American Veterinary Medical Association advises immediate travel to a veterinary hospital when bleeding is severe. Follow the team's advice if the dressing soaks through. Do not spend crucial time deeply cleaning a major wound before leaving.

Do not remove a deeply embedded object yourself: doing so may worsen blood loss or tissue damage. Avoid alcohol, unprescribed wound powders and human medicines. After suspected fracture or a road accident, minimise movement while arranging safe transport. A small bite mark may conceal a deeper injury, so ask how it should be assessed.

Heat and breathing problems

Heavy panting, weakness, confusion, vomiting or abnormal gum colour during heat are warning signs described by AVMA. Move the animal to a cooler place and call a veterinarian immediately for instructions on cooling and transport. Do not wait to see whether it recovers after getting home. Seemingly improved behaviour does not rule out complications that need clinical assessment.

Our Barcelona heat guide discusses prevention and early signs. If travelling by car, ensure cooling works and another person can watch the animal; never leave it in a parked vehicle while making the call. Exact cooling steps should follow the professional advice given for the pet's condition.

Suspected poisoning or choking

If the animal may have eaten a medicine, hazardous food or chemical, keep the packaging, photograph ingredients and note the likely amount and time. Call emergency care before trying a home treatment. Do not induce vomiting or give milk, oil or activated charcoal without professional instruction; depending on the substance, that could make matters worse. An animal that cannot breathe or paws frantically at its mouth needs immediate help. The Red Cross has species-specific dog and cat first-aid resources, but invasive procedures without training can also cause injury.

CPR should be attempted only when an animal is unconscious and not breathing, following prior hands-on training or immediate professional instruction. Do not perform chest compressions on a conscious animal or sweep blindly inside a mouth for an object you cannot see. A practical first-aid class is more useful than trying to learn a technique for the first time during the emergency.

Prepare a small kit and health record

Keep gloves, gauze, a bandage, clean cloth, carrier or lead, torch, medical records and up-to-date phone numbers together. Do not stock human drugs “just in case”. Record allergies, conditions, usual medication, microchip and an alternative contact. With a cat, leaving its carrier open during normal days can make entry less stressful when time matters.

This page is for dogs and cats. Birds, rodents and reptiles need different handling and clinics with relevant experience. Reviewed on 23 September 2026 using the AVMA pet first-aid booklet ↗, Red Cross dog first-aid resources ↗ and VCA cat first-aid guidance ↗.

Make an emergency card before it is needed

Save your pet's name, species, approximate weight, regular medication and known conditions alongside your usual vet's contact number. Add the number and address of an emergency veterinary hospital you have checked in advance. For a suspected ingestion, keep the substance packaging, the estimated amount and the time; for an injury, note when it happened and whether breathing or consciousness has changed. This information is more useful to a clinician than a guess about a diagnosis. Use a carrier or secure restraint appropriate to the animal so that transport does not create another hazard.

A home first-aid kit can hold clean towels, a spare lead, disposable gloves and copies of key records. It is a transport aid, not a substitute for examination or for medicine prescribed by a veterinarian. Do not give human painkillers or attempt to induce vomiting without professional instruction. Revisit the emergency card when you move or change phone number, because outdated contact information costs valuable time.