Catching Dog Diseases by Knowing the Symptoms
Let us assume that you really do want your dog to be around for many years to come. She's become a part of your family and it wouldn't be the same without her there. In order to help make sure that your dog is with you for a long time, you need to make sure that she is in the best possible condition. In order to accomplish this, there are a number of symptoms you should be keeping your eye on.
As a matter of fact, the best way to ensure that you will have a healthy dog for as long as she is with you, is prevention. And self-education is essential to preventing health problems in your beloved pet. If you have educated yourself, you will be prepared to notice and properly react when those symptoms come up. If you don't know the symptoms, you can't be aware of them. And if you haven't self-educated yourself, you can't know what to do when the symptoms do occur.
Here are some of the things to keep an eye on:
- You want to watch for sluggishness in your dog. If she is acting sluggish, if she is not as active and happily glowing with contentment as she typically is, there may be an underlying reason why she is sluggish.
- Watch also for limping. If she has painful areas or if she is limping, prod gently in that area -- or along her leg -- to see if you can find the location that is causing the difficult.
- Another thing to watch for to see if your dog is sick is loss of appetite. If she's not eating the way she has been, you need to check for health reasons that are causing her to be "off her feed."
- Somewhat connected to the last point is weight loss. If she is off her feed, she is also probably losing some weight. So if you notice she is eating less or if you notice that she has lost weight, both of these are causes for you to take a closer look.
- Your sick dog might also be extra thirsty. If she is consuming a lot more water than she typically does. If you notice her going to her bowl a lot, she may not be well and it may be time to take a much closer look at her.
- Watch your dog's eyes, also. If her eyes reveal a pussy discharge, sores, prominent veins, ulcers, then it's possible that she is also suffering from other problems internally. These are possibly not obviously connected to eye problems, but something for you to keep an eye on.
- As another item to watch, look at her mouth. Her mouth should be healthy and pink. If you see cavities or discoloration, it's time to take a deeper look.
- Also take a look at her ears. If there is a discharge, a stinky, foul-smelling discharge, you need take a closer look and make sure she doesn't have an infection. Infected ears can be a serious problem.
- Also take a look at her head from daily to see if there are sore areas, hair loss, or wounds. While you are petting her and enjoying her companionship, take a look at her head.
- Make sure that there are no obvious sores on her legs, feet, or body.
- A dog that is vomiting is probably sick. You may vomit because you had too much to drink, but if your dog is vomiting she is probably sick. This is, once again, something to take a closer look at.
- Additionally, you can check her temperature. The normal range of temperature for a dog is between 100.5 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. If your dog's temperature is above 102.5, begin to get concerned.
- If your female dog has a foul discharge, you need to take her to the vet.
These things to notice -- symptoms and signs -- can give you some idea as to what your dog may be suffering from. Among the possible diseases are:
- Allergies
- Anemia
- Bloat
- Bronchitis
- Canine Hepatitis
- Constipation
- Enteritis
- Eye Infection
- Food Poisoning
- Heart Disease
- Heat Stroke
- Kidney Disease
- Parvovirus
- Pneumonia
- Round Worms, Tape Worms, or Whip Worms
- Ruptured Diaphragm
There is a long list of potential dog diseases that you need to be concerned about. The important thing to remember is that even if you do not instantly know the underlying problem that is causing the symptoms, you should be watching for the symptoms. The more familiar you are with your dog's behavior and with her physical condition, the more likely you are to notice changes as they happen. As you spot the symptoms you will be far better prepared to beat any diseases.
