Friday, May 22, 2015

How To Tell if Your Dog is Sick

Like human babies, dogs do not have to ability to say what he wants. Instead, dogs show us what they need by their behavior. Sometimes its hard to tell if your dog is ill. These are some of the red flags that may convey that your pet is sick.

Vomiting:
Dogs vomit on occasion, most often without being sick. It could be something they ate or if they eat too fast. However,  if the bouts of vomiting are several times a day, it’s time to visit the vet. Another symptom consists of blood in the vomit. This can indicate other, more serious problems such as ulcers in the stomach or an irritation caused by ingesting foreign bodies such as sharp pieces of bone, socks, and even children’s toys. 

Diarrhea:
While in the same category as vomiting, diarrhea can a symptom of many other conditions. For example, problems with their digestive system and parasites such as hookworms, roundworms, and giardia all have diarrhea as an indicator.

Lack of Appetite:
Vague symptoms like this are hard to pinpoint, but if they persist, bring your dog to the vet. Dogs will stop eating for many reasons, such as a fever, pain, or stress. It is recommended by veterinarians that if the loss of appetite continues for over 24 hours, they need to be brought to a vet.

Decreased Activity:
This is another vague symptom, but it is sometimes an alert that something isn’t right. Many things can cause lethargy, including but not limited to heart disease. When there is no obvious reason for the lull in activity, you may need to consult your veterinarian, especially if other symptoms such as weakness or loss of consciousness present themselves.

Changes in Bathroom Habits:
More frequent urination can mean liver or kidney disease or adrenal gland disease, but a decrease in urination could be signs of a urinary tract infection or bladder stones. Both problems are enough to warrant a visit to the vet.

Hair Loss:
Fleas, ticks, mange mites, and ear mites are common reasons for hair loss, but there are other problems besides those. It can be a result of endocrine problems, staph infection, fungal or yeast infections, and many more. Have your dog checked out at the vet if he shows this symptom.







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