My dog was hit by a vehicle, what do I do?
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
Make the road safe for yourself first, then move your dog to the side on a blanket or board, keeping its head, neck and back steady. Press a clean cloth on any bleeding, keep the dog warm and quiet, give no food or water, and take it to the nearest vet at once, phoning ahead. Go even if it seems fine.
PDSA says any pet in a road accident should be checked by a vet straight away, because serious internal injuries may not show from the outside. A scared, hurt dog may bite, so use a towel or muzzle with care, but never on a dog that is struggling to breathe or has face injuries.
What should I do in the first few minutes?
Work through these in order. Your own safety comes first: a second accident helps nobody.
If Traffic is still moving around you and the dog
Stop, switch on hazard lights if you are driving, and make sure you and your dog are both safe before you touch it. Never put yourself in danger. PDSA
If The dog is frightened, in pain and may bite
Speak calmly and move slowly. Loop a towel or soft muzzle around the mouth to protect yourself, but not if the dog is struggling to breathe or has a face injury. PDSA
If The dog has to come off the road
Slide it onto a large towel, blanket, door or board, keeping the head, neck and spine steady. A dog over about 15 kg needs two people: do not lift it alone. PDSA
If The dog has obviously hurt its neck or back
Keep it as still as you can, phone the vet, and if it must be moved carry it only on a flat surface such as a board. PDSA
If There is bleeding
Press a clean cloth firmly on the wound for at least three minutes, then bandage over it and keep up the pressure on the way to the vet. RSPCA (England and Wales)
If The dog seems dazed, cold or has pale gums
These can be signs of shock or internal bleeding. Keep the head level with the body, keep it warm and quiet, and go to an emergency vet now. RSPCA (England and Wales)
How do I get my dog to the vet safely?
The goal is the shortest safe trip to a vet that is open now, with as little movement as possible.
Phone ahead
Call the nearest vet or 24-hour clinic while someone else drives, so the team is ready when you arrive. Petym keeps a list of checked emergency clinics city by city at /vets. PDSA
Keep the dog flat and warm
Carry it on the blanket or board, with one person holding each corner, bending the knees to lift and walking slowly without jolting. Cover it with a blanket, shawl or coats. PDSA
In the car or auto
A passenger should hold the dog securely. A small dog can travel in a pet carrier. Do not let a dog with a suspected broken leg walk. PDSA
Nothing by mouth
Give nothing to eat or drink until you have spoken to the vet, and no medicine from the house: pain relief is the vet's decision. PDSA
At the clinic
The vet treats life-threatening problems first, such as shock, heavy bleeding and organ damage, then wounds and broken bones once the dog is stable. PDSA
Why does my dog need a vet if it seems fine?
Because the most dangerous injuries after a road accident are the ones you cannot see.
PDSA is clear that any pet involved in a road traffic accident should be checked by a vet straight away, even without obvious signs of injury, because there could be serious internal injuries that cannot be seen from the outside. Internal bleeding is not always obvious at first.
The RSPCA lists the signs of internal bleeding as pale gums, a weak and rapid pulse, a swollen belly and collapse, and says to go to an emergency vet immediately, keeping the dog warm and quiet.
Recovery can take from a few days to many weeks. PDSA notes that minor wounds usually heal within a week, broken bones often take a few weeks and may need strict rest, and that sadly some badly injured pets do not survive: head, spine and chest injuries often cause damage that cannot be treated. Getting to a vet quickly gives your dog the best chance.
How can I tell if my dog was hit when I did not see it?
If your dog comes home hurt, or you find it shaken by the road, look for these signs. Any of them means a vet visit today.
- Scuffed or worn claws, a sign the dog was dragged or skidded on the road. PDSA
- Wounds, grazes, friction burns or bruising. PDSA
- Limping, stiffness or not wanting to stand. PDSA
- Fast, noisy or laboured breathing. PDSA
- Signs of pain: growling, crying, not eating, or guarding one part of the body. PDSA
- Pale gums, and cold feet and ears. PDSA
What injuries do vets look for after a road accident?
PDSA lists these as the common injuries in pets hit by vehicles. Some take hours to show.
- Head injury
- Can cause seizures and brain damage. PDSA
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Not always obvious at first; the reason a vet check matters even when the dog looks well. PDSA
- Ruptured diaphragm
- The muscle between chest and belly tears, so organs and fluid can push into the chest, squash the lungs and make breathing hard. PDSA
- Spinal injury
- Damage to the neck or back is common and can cause paralysis, which is why the dog is carried flat. PDSA
- Broken bones
- The legs and pelvis are among the bones most often broken. PDSA
What if the dog hit on the road is a community dog?
The same first aid applies, with extra care, because a dog that does not know you is more likely to bite when it is hurt. Protect your hands with a towel, keep people and traffic back, and never put yourself at risk: the 2026 RECOVER first aid guidelines advise against first aid when the risk to the rescuer is high.
Many Indian cities have animal welfare groups that run rescue and trauma care for street animals. In Bengaluru, CUPA runs a Trauma and Rescue Centre, and in Chennai, Blue Cross of India runs animal rescues, ambulance services and an animal hospital.
How do I stop it happening again?
On busy Indian roads, with two-wheelers, autos and cars sharing every lane, the simplest protection is to keep your dog from reaching the road at all: a well-fitted collar or harness, a lead near traffic, a reliable recall and a society gate that is kept shut. PDSA adds that microchipping does not prevent accidents but makes it far easier to reunite a lost pet with its owner, and that un-neutered pets are more likely to roam and cross busy roads.
If someone else is caring for your dog while you travel, write the vet, the nearest 24-hour clinic and your phone number on the care sheet. In an emergency a Petym sitter calls the owner and takes the pet to the nearest 24-hour vet on the city's list, and every Petym sitter completes pet first-aid training before their first booking.
Going away soon? Tell us your dates.
A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Questions owners ask
Should I take my dog to the vet if it was hit by a car but seems fine?
- Yes, straight away. PDSA says any pet in a road accident should be checked by a vet even without obvious injuries, because internal bleeding and organ damage may not show from the outside at first. A dog can walk and seem normal for a while before it collapses.
Can I give my dog a painkiller after an accident?
- No. PDSA advises giving your pet nothing to eat or drink until you have spoken to your vet, and that includes tablets from the family medicine box. Pain relief after an accident is the vet's decision, chosen once the vet knows what the injuries are. Spend the time getting to the clinic instead.
How do I lift an injured dog?
- Slide it onto a large towel, blanket or board, keeping the head, neck and spine steady, then lift with one person on each corner and walk slowly. PDSA says not to lift a dog over about 15 kg alone. If the neck or back is hurt, keep the dog still and carry it only on something flat.
What are the signs of internal bleeding in a dog?
- The RSPCA lists pale gums, a weak and rapid pulse, a swollen belly and collapse. PDSA adds cold feet and ears and fast or laboured breathing after an accident. Any of these is an emergency: keep the dog warm and quiet and go to an emergency vet now.
Keep reading
- Pet first aid basicsBleeding, shock and safe handling, step by step.
- Signs your pet needs a vet now
- 24-hour vets by cityChecked emergency clinics, city by city.
- How pet sitters handle emergencies
- Dog walking rules in public
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Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- PDSA: Road traffic accidents (RTA) (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: How to safely move an injured pet (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: First aid for broken bones (opens in a new tab)
- RSPCA (England and Wales): First aid for your dog (opens in a new tab)
- CUPA: CUPA Trauma & Rescue Centre (opens in a new tab)
- Blue Cross of India: Blue Cross of India (opens in a new tab)
- RECOVER Initiative (Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, 2026): RECOVER guidelines: first aid for dogs and cats, clinical guidelines (opens in a new tab)