When Every Second Counts: The Most Common Pet Emergencies in South Jersey

Written by Dr. Mónica Rodríguez - As seen in Collingswood Living, October 2025

As a veterinarian practicing in South Jersey, I’ve seen how quickly an ordinary day can turn into an emergency. While accidents and illnesses are sometimes unavoidable, many of the urgent conditions we treat are preventable—or can be recognized early enough to dramatically improve outcomes. Below are six of the most frequent emergencies seen in our area year-round, along with the clinical signs, preventive measures, and treatment strategies every pet owner should know.

1. Foreign Body Obstructions

Dogs and cats can be surprisingly creative about what they decide to swallow—socks, hair ties, corn cobs, toys, or rocks. Even if your pet “does not get into things they should not,” there is always a first time. These foreign objects can lodge in the stomach or intestines, leading to a life-threatening obstruction that prevents food and fluid from passing normally. The obstruction causes severe inflammation, pain, and a buildup of gas and fluid. In more advanced cases, the intestinal wall may lose blood supply, leading to necrosis (tissue death), perforation, and life-threatening septic peritonitis (infection of the abdominal cavity).

Cats are especially prone to “linear foreign bodies” (e.g., thread or ribbon), which can saw through the intestines and cause catastrophic damage.

Clinical Signs: Repeated vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, lethargy, drooling, and sometimes diarrhea or a bloated abdomen. Left untreated, intestinal perforation and septic peritonitis can occur.

Prevention: Keep small or chewable objects, trash, and bones out of reach. Offer only vet-approved chew toys and supervise playtime. Discourage picking up objects on walks and use a basket muzzle if this is a known behavior.

Treatment: Diagnosis typically requires abdominal x-rays or ultrasound. Many obstructions require surgical removal; in some cases, endoscopy may be possible. Prompt intervention is critical—delaying care increases the risk of perforation and infection.

2. Pyometra (Uterine Infection)

Pyometra is a life-threatening infection of the uterus that develops in intact female (not spayed) dogs and cats. It occurs when bacteria, most often E. coli, enter the uterus during or after heat, multiply in the hormonally primed environment, and get trapped when the cervix closes at the end of heat. As pus accumulates, the uterus enlarges and produces toxins that spread through thebloodstream, causing systemic illness. In “open” pyometra, vaginal discharge is visible, but in “closed” pyometra, the cervix seals and pus builds up silently until the uterus may rupture. The condition progresses rapidly, overwhelming the body’s ability to fight infection and leading to

septicemia and shock if untreated.

Clinical Signs: Lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, increased drinking/urination, and sometimes foul-smelling vaginal discharge. In “closed pyometra,” no discharge is seen, making diagnosis more challenging.

Prevention: Spaying prior to the first heat eliminates the risk entirely. Even spaying later in life greatly reduces the chance of pyometra and other conditions, such as mammary gland masses.

Treatment: Emergency surgery (ovariohysterectomy) is the gold standard. Intensive supportive care with intravenous fluids and antibiotics is also required. Delay in treatment can lead to uterine rupture, septic shock, and death.

3. Urinary Obstruction (Especially in Male Neutered Cats)

Urinary obstruction occurs when your pet cannot pass urine due to blockage of the urethra, most commonly in young to middle-aged neutered male cats. Causes include urinary crystals, stones, mucus plugs, urinary tract infection, urethral spasm associated with feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD), or neoplasia. Because cats have a very narrow urethra, even small amounts of debris can obstruct flow. As urine builds up, the bladder becomes painfully distended, and pressure backs up to the kidneys, impairing filtration, which results in severely elevated kidney enzymes and toxin accumulation. Dangerous electrolyte imbalances, especially life-threatening hyperkalemia (high potassium), develop within hours, leading to cardiac arrhythmias, weakness,

and collapse. Without treatment, urinary obstruction can be fatal within 24–48 hours.

Clinical Signs: Straining in the litter box with little or no urine produced, frequent trips to the box, crying or vocalizing while attempting to urinate, licking the genital area, lethargy, vomiting, and in advanced cases, collapse. Owners may mistakenly think the cat is constipated.

Prevention: Feeding a high-moisture diet (wet food), encouraging hydration with water fountains, minimizing stress in the household, and weight management reduce the risk of FLUTD and obstruction. Cats with recurrent issues may benefit from prescription urinary diets.

Treatment: This is a true emergency requiring immediate hospitalization. Treatment includes relieving the obstruction (usually by passing a urinary catheter under sedation), correcting electrolyte imbalances with intravenous fluids, providing pain relief, and managing the underlying cause. Cats often require several days of hospitalization. Severe or recurrent cases may require surgical widening of the urethra (perineal urethrostomy).

4. Seizures

Seizures are caused by abnormal bursts of electrical activity in the brain. Depending on the underlying trigger, they may be isolated events or part of a recurring disorder such as epilepsy. Intracranial causes (tumors, strokes, head trauma, congenital malformations, or inflammation) directly disrupt brain tissue, while extracranial causes (toxins, low blood sugar, liver failure, electrolyte disturbances) alter the brain’s environment and trigger abnormal firing. During a seizure, the brain loses control of motor and autonomic functions, which is why pets may fall, paddle, salivate, or lose bladder/bowel control. Prolonged or repeated seizures can lead to brain swelling, hyperthermia, and long-term neurologic damage if not managed quickly.

Clinical Signs: Sudden collapse, paddling movements, drooling, vocalization, loss of

bladder/bowel control, or loss of consciousness. Afterward, pets may appear disoriented and restless.

Prevention: Prevent exposure to toxins (xylitol, rodenticides, chocolate, grapes/raisins). Pets with diagnosed seizure disorders require consistent medication and regular bloodwork monitoring.

Treatment: A single, brief seizure requires veterinary evaluation, but status epilepticus (seizures lasting >5 minutes) or multiple seizures in 24 hours is a life-threatening emergency. Treatments may include anticonvulsants, hospitalization, and investigation into underlying causes.

5. Respiratory Distress / Labored Breathing

Few things alarm pet owners more than watching their dog or cat struggle to breathe. Respiratory distress can arise from several life-threatening causes, and early recognition is critical. In dogs, congestive heart failure may lead to fluid buildup in the lungs. Airway obstructions—from foreign bodies, collapsing trachea, or laryngeal paralysis—can block airflow. In South Jersey summers, heat stroke is also a common culprit.

Cats frequently present with feline asthma, a condition where airway inflammation and constriction cause wheezing and difficulty breathing. Regardless of the cause, untreated respiratory distress can quickly lead to oxygen deprivation and collapse.

Clinical Signs: Labored or rapid breathing, open-mouth breathing (especially in cats), extended neck, blue or pale gums, coughing, gagging, wheezing, restlessness, or collapse.

Prevention: Maintain a healthy weight to reduce cardiac and respiratory strain, avoid excessive heat exposure (never leave pets in cars), minimize exposure to smoke or dust that can trigger feline asthma, and promptly address coughing or exercise intolerance with a veterinary exam.

Treatment: This is always an emergency. Pets in respiratory distress often require oxygen therapy, intravenous access, sedation to reduce stress, and diagnostics such as chest x-rays or echocardiography. Treatment depends on the cause—diuretics for heart failure, cooling measures for heat stroke, airway relief for obstructions, or bronchodilators and steroids for asthma.

6. Hemoabdomen (Internal Abdominal Bleeding)

Hemoabdomen occurs when blood leaks into the abdominal cavity. In dogs, the most common cause is rupture of a splenic mass, often a hemangiosarcoma (an aggressive cancer of blood vessel cells) or a hematoma (benign nodule composed of encapsulated blood). Trauma, ruptured liver tumors, or clotting disorders (e.g., rodenticide ingestion, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia) are other causes. As blood accumulates, circulating volume drops, leading to hypovolemic shock — where the heart cannot pump enough oxygenated blood to the body. Pets may initially compensate with an elevated heart rate, but once blood loss exceeds the body’s ability to adapt, collapse and

death can occur rapidly. Even if bleeding temporarily slows, re-rupture is common, making this a recurrent and urgent condition.

Clinical Signs: Weakness, pale gums, rapid breathing, lethargy, abdominal swelling, collapse, and sometimes vomiting. Early signs may be subtle and easily missed.

Breed Risk: German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, and Labrador Retrievers are overrepresented due to predisposition to splenic hemangiosarcoma.

Prevention: Routine wellness exams and abdominal imaging can sometimes detect masses before rupture. Restricting unsupervised outdoor access helps prevent traumatic injury.

Treatment: Immediate stabilization with intravenous fluids and blood transfusion may be required. Emergency surgery (splenectomy or mass removal) is often necessary, though prognosis depends on the underlying cause.

Key Takeaway

Emergencies are stressful and often frightening, but early recognition can save lives. By staying informed about warning signs, maintaining preventive care, and seeking veterinary attention quickly when something seems wrong, you greatly improve your pet’s chances of survival and recovery.

Our pets depend on us for their well-being—not only for love and companionship but also for life-saving decisions in critical moments.