General Care and Nursing - Signs of illness

When a dog is too good, when suddenly he stops his mischievous ways, we begin to suspect that something may be wrong. May be he becomes listless, droops his tail, and doesn’t care about cleaning up his dish. Or perhaps he eats as if he were starved, or drinks so much water that he vomits it right up again. His stomach may even be bloated.

You can help your veterinarian by learning the signs of good health. Every dog is a distinct being with peculiar characteristics that distinguish him from other. Once you learn what is normal for your dog, the subtle changes in general appearance, behaviour, temperature, respiration and pulse that precede illness will be readily apparent.

A dog’s stools, for instance, should be medium brown in colour and well-formed. A puppy may defecate four or five times a day, a grown dog once; don’t worry as long as colour and consistency are right. If the stools are black , watery blood-streaked, or putridsmelling, or if there are more movements than usual, then something is wrong. Fluctuations in a dog’s urinary pattern may indicate changes in body chemistry. Urine should be clear yellow, not orange.

In a puppy, the eyes and nose are often to show on coming illness. Their eyes may tear excessively, possibly with pus collecting at the inner corners; the nose may discharge either clear water or mucus. He may pant continuously, his breathing may be difficult or shallow, his expression strained.

Other signs of a sick dog include fever; excessive weight gaining; changes in appetite or water intake; excessive weight gain or loss; changes in behaviour; swellings or lumps beneath the skin; abnormal discharges from body openings; hair loss, open sores, lesions, or other skin problems; limping or difficulty in moving; and prolonged coughing or sneezing. Not all of these will be noticed, of course, when a dog is getting sick; certain symptoms point to one ailment, others to another. However, they are signs that should be watched for. Any one of them is enough to tell the owner that something is wrong. Don’t wait to see whether the condition will correct itself. Chances are that it won’t don’t experiment with remedies suggested by well-meaning friends. Get the advice of an expert - your veterinarian. Quick action at the first sign of illness is the best shortcut to its cure.