Sick Dog Symptoms - Know The Signs

If your dog is sick, it’s important that you know what warning signs to look out for so you can take appropriate action.

Dog danger signals
It’s an unfortunate fact of life that, just like you, your dog can fall ill. While the more serious problems should be dealt with by your vet, some minor issues like fleas can be dealt with at home.

Learning to interpret the danger signs and knowing what action to take can help you decide the best course of action in the event your dog does start feeling under the weather.

It’s not always easy to detect illness in your dog, so you’ll need to look for a range of subtle signs that may indicate a potential problem. If you do notice anything out of the ordinary, don’t rely on books or websites for a diagnosis. Contact your vet immediately.

Symptoms to watch for in your dog
Diarrhoea
If your dog has persistent constipation or diarrhoea that lasts for longer than 48 hours or there are any differences in the poo such as the presence of blood or mucus, it is recommended to visit your vet and, if possible, take a fresh stool sample with you.

Repeated vomiting, gagging, sneezing or coughing
Persistent sickness or choking when eating is a concern. Vomiting can be a sign of a developing allergy or a more serious infection, particularly in older dogs. Kennel cough can also be a serious contagious illness.

Refusal to eat for over 24 hours
For a range of reasons your dog’s eating patterns may occasionally become irregular. But if your dog refuses food for a day or more, consult your vet.

Excessive thirst or urination
Unusually excessive thirst and frequent urination is a common sign of illness.

Red or swollen gums
Reddened or swollen gums, particularly when associated with bad breath, are an indication of gum disease. When severe, dogs may lose teeth, drop food from their mouths and suffer weight loss due to difficulty eating.

Difficulty urinating
Look out for yelping when urinating, a hunched back or blood in the urine.

Runny eyes or nose
Sneezing, panting, runny eyes and nose or other flu-like symptoms may be signs of respiratory problems, as are gasping or shortness of breath.

Itchy, flaking skin
Skin condition is a good general indicator of health. Skin should be smooth and pink or black. Persistent itching, sores, lumps and signs of dermatitis could indicate an allergic reaction to flea bites. Flea bites are just one of the many examples of insects that could cause these types of allergies and could also transmit some diseases.

Progressive changes in weight
You should be concerned if your dog appears to lose weight progressively over two to four weeks, or shows a slow but steady weight loss over a longer period. Unexpected weight gain can also indicate a problem.

General lethargy, tiredness – just looking unwell
If for any reason your dog just isn’t his or her normal, healthy, active self, it’s worth taking a closer look. Like humans, dogs can just look unwell – and even if there are no obvious clues to what’s wrong, a trip to the vet is a good idea if symptoms persist.

Prevention
Annual vet appointments not only help to detect disease in its earlier stages, when it is most likely to respond to treatment, it can also help you avoid significant medical expense and risk to your dog’s health if an illness goes undetected. In addition, by establishing your pet’s normal baseline when they are healthy, your veterinarian—and you—are more likely to see when something is wrong with your pet.

Annual vet checks are the best preventive medicine!