All dogs should be treated as members of your family. As a family member, you must pay adequate attention to your pet’s health. If appropriate and adequate vaccinations are administered to your dog from the time he is a puppy, most of the common dog illnesses can be easily prevented. Therefore, yearly medical examinations should be undertaken along with regular vaccinations at intervals recommended by your veterinarian. That being said, for various reasons, vaccinations may not have been given, or your dog may come down with an illness that does not have a preventive vaccination.
Sometimes dogs become sick but they may not appear to be ill. Therefore, it is very important to recognize and understand dog illness symptoms.
Some elementary observations are useful to recognize certain common dog illnesses. Dogs need a lot of sleep but their sleep is marked by alertness. If a dog is sluggish then there may be various causes contributing to it, right from anaemia to old age. Whatever the reason for the sluggishness, your dog should be taken to a veterinarian for a thorough check up.
If the dog is limping then you should check for prospective painful areas using a firm and yet gentile hand. If you discover a painful area, then take your dog to the veterinarian to determine what is causing the pain, Thereafter, check for any signs indicating lameness from time to time.
The appetite of most dogs is affected by ill health. Look for any signs of loss of appetite. Before taking the dog to the veterinarian for a thorough check up, make sure that the dog food has not spoiled. Frequently in hot weather, dog food will go rancid fairly quickly.
Another important sign of dog health problems is excessive thirst. Canine parvovirus can cause dehydration in dogs, which will result in prolonged drinking by your dog. Whenever your dog exhibits excessive thirst ensure that you get him to a vet for a check up as soon as possible.
A pronounced weight loss is also an indicator of ill health. Check the eyes for any ulcers, discharges, veins or sores. The mouth of a healthy dog is pink. There should not be any discolouring or cavities in the teeth. Look for signs of discharge from ears. It is advisable to clean the ears from time to time.
The dog's head should be regularly checked for sore patches, hair loss, or deep wounds. Investigate the limbs and trunk for the same signs. If the dog is vomiting, there may be various underlying problems. If the body temperature of your dog is not between the range 38 to 39 Celsius it is an indication of some kind of illness. In all of the previous situations, a trip to the vet is recommended.
Check your female dogs for any kind of foul smelling vaginal discharge, which needs the immediate attention of a vet. The symptoms of pain and discomfort experienced by a dog can give us many clues about the possible underlying illness. If the dog is suffering any abdominal pain, it may be due to canine hepatitis, enteritis or it can be a simple case of constipation.
If your dog’s abdomen swells it could indicate canine bloat. If the same thing happens to a puppy it could indicate roundworms.
Sudden aggression by your dog may indicate that it has contracted rabies. This is particularly true if your dog is slobbering at the same time.
Roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms frequently cause anaemia in dogs. If the lips, tongue or gums of your dog are pale instead of pink, this is a sign of anaemia. Your dog scrubbing his butt on the ground or floor is also a sign of worms, however, this can also be caused by stool stuck to the hair around the anus or to itchiness caused by recent grooming.
Behavioural changes in your dog can be an indicator of worms, arthritis, heart disease or parvovirus. Whenever behavioural changes occur, take your dog to your vet because changes are not a normal occurrence.
Kidney diseases sometimes cause blood in the urine. It could be as simple as kidney stones or as complicated as failing kidneys. If you have ever suffered from kidney stones you will know how extremely painful they are. Kidney problems must be treated by a vet as soon as symptoms are noticed.
Eye infections and entropion cause bloodshot eyes in dogs. These diseases will also, in most situations, be accompanied by tears or squinting.
A ruptured diaphragm, obstructed airway, lungworm, bronchitis, pneumonia, food poisoning, heatstroke or allergies can cause respiratory problems in dogs. If your dog shows signs of laboured breathing, particularly when he is at rest, take him to a vet immediately.
There are various reasons for a sudden change in weight of dogs. To ensure that it is not a serious problem, take your dog for an examination by your veterinarian.
A hernia might be caused due to long term constipation in dogs. Be sure to check your dog’s stool on a regular basis. If it is extremely hard or your dog has difficulty passing it, this is an indication of constipation. If your dog’s stool is runny or very soft, it is a sign that your dog has diarrhea. Any pancreatic disorder, food poisoning or a sudden change in diet can give rise to diarrhea in dogs. Neither constipation or diarrhea is normal for a healthy dog, so a trip to the vet is recommended.
Allergies, parvovirus, hepatitis, lungworm, TB, pneumonia or distemper may be one of the reasons for your dog to cough. Persistent coughing is not normal and needs to be checked out by a vet.
The dog may suffer from hair loss due to mange, red mange demodectic, scabies, cheyletiella mange, or Cushing’s syndrome. All must be treated by a vet.
I hope that the above symptoms will alert you to possible problems in your pet. If you catch problems early, there is a much better chance of a successful outcome. I have found that my veterinarian, who was introduced to me and the other dogs in our house when we were puppies and therefore knows our histories and normal appearance, invaluable in keeping us fit and healthy.
Until next time,
Teia
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