If your pet is in distress right now, stop reading and get them to a vet. Our emergency vet care in Dubai page shows what to do, step by step. This guide helps you recognise an emergency and act while you get help. It does not replace a vet seeing your pet.
Every pet parent dreads the moment. Your dog collapses on a walk. Your cat suddenly cannot stand. In those minutes, knowing what to do, and where to go, can save your pet's life.
Is it an emergency?
Some signs mean you go now, day or night: difficulty breathing or choking, collapse, a seizure, bleeding that will not stop, suspected poisoning, a swollen, hard belly with retching in a dog (bloat), a male cat straining to wee with little or nothing coming out, and heatstroke. Vomiting or diarrhoea in a puppy, kitten, older or already unwell pet needs a vet within a few hours, and straight away if there is blood, a swollen belly, they cannot keep water down or they seem flat. The full list, sign by sign, is in Signs Your Pet Needs Emergency Care Immediately.
Where to go in Dubai
Paws & Co opens in Motor City in January 2027, and on Hessa Street in mid-February 2027. Until then, go to your nearest open emergency vet. Call the clinic before you set off, or on the way, so the team can get ready for your pet and talk you through what to do until you arrive. If you are not sure, treat it as urgent and call a vet.
What to do on the way
Stay calm: a pet in pain may bite or scratch, even yours, so speak softly and move slowly. Keep them still: a towel or blanket makes a stretcher for a dog, and a cat is safest in a carrier. If their back or neck might be hurt, slide them onto something flat and firm. For heavy bleeding, press firmly on the wound with a clean cloth or gauze and keep pressing. Bring any medicine your pet takes, their vaccination record, and the packaging if they have swallowed something. Never give your pet a human painkiller.
Heat
Dubai summers pass 45 degrees. Heatstroke is common in the UAE, and often preventable. Watch for heavy panting, drooling, bright red gums and stumbling, especially in flat-faced breeds like Pugs. Cool your pet on the way to the vet, and do not hold off leaving until they have cooled down. Move them into shade or air conditioning, wet their coat with cool water, not ice-cold, and travel with the air conditioning on. On a hot day, pavement and sand can burn paws in about a minute. From May to September, walk your dog before 8am or after 7pm. More in Heatstroke in Dogs.
Poisons
Common dangers in UAE homes include chocolate, grapes and raisins, and xylitol, the sweetener in sugar-free gum and some peanut butters. Lilies are an emergency for cats, even the pollen or the water in the vase. Rat poison is often put down in the shared areas of buildings, and antifreeze pools in car parks. If you think your pet has swallowed something toxic, call a vet straight away, even if they seem fine. Do not try to make them sick. Bring the packaging, or a photo of it. More in Common Household Poisons for Pets in the UAE.
Snakes and scorpions
The UAE has venomous snakes, including the saw-scaled viper and the Arabian cobra. If your pet is bitten, or you see sudden painful swelling after a walk on sand or scrub, keep them still and calm, note the time and get to a vet. Do not use a tourniquet, put ice on the bite, or cut or suck it. Scorpion stings are usually painful but not life-threatening for dogs and cats. Ask a vet for advice, and go straight away if your pet is very young, very old, or becomes unwell.
Be ready before it happens
The best time to prepare is before anything goes wrong. Put together a pet first aid kit and keep it where everyone at home can find it. Save your vet's number in your phone, and find the emergency vets near you that are open at night, and the quickest way to reach them. Keep your pet's vaccination record somewhere easy to reach, ideally on your phone.
strong>Five minutes on a calm day saves you searching in a panic./strong>
