How to Use TreatCheck Emergency Mode
TreatCheck's Emergency Mode is designed to provide fast access to critical information during a pet health emergency — finding your nearest open vet, displaying pet first aid steps, and providing UK emergency contact numbers. This guide explains how to access it and what to do in a pet emergency.
How to Access Emergency Mode
Emergency Mode is accessible from the pet dashboard. Tap the emergency button (displayed with a red or orange alert icon) at the bottom of the dashboard action grid. Emergency Mode does not require you to have found your pet eating something specific — it is a general emergency resource available at any time.
When Emergency Mode activates, TreatCheck requests your location (with your permission) to help identify nearby veterinary practices. If you decline location access or it is unavailable, you can enter your postcode manually. Emergency Mode works best if you have tested it before you need it — take a few minutes now to familiarise yourself with it.
Finding Your Nearest Emergency Vet
The emergency vet finder uses your location to display registered veterinary practices, prioritising those offering out-of-hours emergency services. In the UK, out-of-hours emergency care is typically provided by specialist overnight referral practices or by the pet owner's own practice during extended hours.
Important: always call ahead to the veterinary practice before driving there in an emergency, to confirm they are open, able to accept your species, and equipped to treat the specific emergency you are facing. Emergency practices have varying capabilities.
For the Animal Poison Line — which provides telephone triage advice for poisoning emergencies — the number is 01202 509 000 (charges apply). Keep this number saved in your phone.
Pet First Aid While Waiting for Veterinary Care
Emergency Mode provides access to first aid guidance for common emergencies including suspected poisoning, suspected heatstroke, choking, and suspected adder bite. These guides are designed to help you keep your pet safe while travelling to the vet — they are not a substitute for professional veterinary care.
For poisoning: keep your pet calm and warm, note the time and substance involved, do not induce vomiting without vet instruction. For heatstroke: move to shade, apply cool (not cold) water, fan, and transport to vet immediately. For adder bite: carry your dog, keep them still, and drive to the vet — do not attempt to treat the bite at home. For choking: for dogs, you can attempt a modified Heimlich manoeuvre if you can see an obstruction, but seek emergency veterinary help simultaneously.
UK Emergency Contacts
Animal Poison Line: 01202 509 000 (charges apply — available 24 hours) RSPCA Emergency: 0300 1234 999 SSPCA (Scotland): 03000 999 999 IWAC (Wales): 01547 529060 PDSA emergency advice: via local PDSA Pet Hospital out-of-hours service
For any serious emergency — difficulty breathing, collapse, suspected poisoning, road traffic accident, uncontrolled bleeding, prolonged seizure — do not search for advice online. Call your vet or the Animal Poison Line immediately and go to the nearest emergency veterinary practice.