If you consider your pets as family members, you’ll agree that their health and well-being are top priorities.

But as diligent as you may be about making sure they’re happy and healthy, they can’t outright tell you when they aren’t feeling their best. That’s why it’s so important to watch out for symptoms that may indicate bigger problems. If your cats or dogs are experiencing any of the 10 warning signs below, it’s definitely a good idea to take them to the vet.

1. If your cat or dog uncharacteristically starts having accidents in the house and drinks much more than usual, it may be a sign of diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, or adrenal gland disease. Alternatively, if they’re urinating much less frequently than normal, they could be dealing with a urinary tract problem or bladder stones. All of these symptoms are urgent and require a visit to the vet.

Flickr / F. D. Richards

2. Occasional vomiting, especially with cats, isn’t too out of the ordinary. However, if your pets are vomiting or having diarrhea multiple times a day, feeling lethargic, and don’t have much of an appetite, it’s time to see the vet. These symptoms could be signaling gastrointestinal illnesses or parasite infections that include hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, or giardia. Blood in their stool or vomit could also indicate a foreign object in the stomach.

Flickr / Jannis

3. Pets experiencing stiffness, lameness, or difficulty rising could be suffering from hip or spine arthritis, disc disease, ruptured ligaments, or hip dysplasia — all of which need attention and treatment from their vet.

Flickr / Mariela M.