As a dog owner, you’ll want to do all you can to keep your furry friend happy, healthy, and safe. While a large part of this can be down to your care, some things are totally out of your control. Unlike humans, dogs can’t tell you directly if they’re not feeling well, so if your pooch has been acting out of character lately, here are some warning signs it’s time to take your dog to the vet.
Lack of Appetite
You will have a hard time finding a dog that doesn’t love food. This means if your canine is barely touching theirs, this is a warning sign that something is up. While it’s not unusual for your pooch to skip the odd meal, if you’ve noticed they’re frequently not eating their food, it’s time to go to the vet.
If your dog has developed unusual eating habits, this could be a sign of disease. Your dog may experience sudden weight loss, too, as a result. Don’t delay seeing your vet if you have any worries about their eating habits.
Excessive Thirst
For your dog to thrive and live its best life, it’s vital they’re drinking lots of water. While it’s not too concerning seeing your dog drink from their bowl, if you’ve noticed, you have to top it up more often. This could indicate excessive thirst. Dogs that drink more water than normal could be developing diabetes or kidney disease. This means you need to take your pooch to the vet if you’re worried.
Other signs your dog could be drinking too much water is if they need to go outside more often to urinate, or you find they’re having accidents in your home.
Fatigue
Lots of dogs love nothing more than to get on the couch and sleep the day away. While it’s totally normal to see your dog having a snooze, if they’re sleeping more than normal, you should pay attention to this. Lethargy is a red flag that something could be troubling your furry friend. If your dog has lost interest in going for walks or playing, they may not be feeling right.
While normal fatigue can be put down to high temperatures sometimes, if the weather isn’t roasting hot and your dog seems tired and sluggish, go and see your vet, especially if symptoms last longer than two days.
Unusual Stools
When it comes to your dog’s stools, they are normally a great indicator of their overall wellbeing. This is because a healthy and happy dog will have moist, firm, and small stools. On the other hand, your dog may have hard, dry stools. These could be a sign of dietary issues, dehydration, or health disorders.
Symptoms to look out for which could signal a vet visit include worms present in their stools, diarrhea that has lasted for over 24 hours, mucus or blood in their stools, and straining. If your dog needs to poop more often than normal, or they’re defecating in the house, these are other signs to take your dog to the vet.
Dry or Rough Coat
Regardless of your dog’s breed or age, their coats should be shiny, soft, and thick. If this isn’t the case and you find your pooches coat is rough, dry, and dull, there may be something wrong. Other signs to look out for include bald patches and scratches.
There are many root causes that could be behind a dry or rough coat. For one, you may be feeding your dog the wrong foods. Secondly, they may have an allergy you’re not aware of. In some cases, your dog could have a skin disease causing this. Whatever the issue, only your vet will be able to determine the culprit, so don’t delay in seeking help.
Vomiting
While vomiting isn’t too out of the ordinary for dogs, this should be a concern if they’re frequently vomiting. Animals tend to vomit if something does not agree with them or they’re trying to clear something from their throat.
It’s best to call your vet if your pooch is vomiting several times in a row or you notice blood coming out. If your dog has a fever, this can bring on vomiting too. Seeing your dog in distress can be emotionally upsetting, so make sure you call for help immediately if they continue to vomit.
Ear Scratching
We’re sure you’ll agree that one of the great benefits of owning a dog is giving them loads of ear rubs. However, if you’ve noticed, they’re scratching their ears continuously. This could be a sign of a dog ear infection.
If you find your dog is shaking their head a lot or inflamed or red skin around their ears, this could also indicate they have an ear infection. One tell-tale sign is a foul smell emitting from your dogs’ ears. Whatever symptoms they present, it’s time to get your dog checked over by a vet.
Red or Cloudy Eyes
Red or cloudy eyes could indicate your dog has an injury or infection. Other symptoms include excessive discharge from their eyes and squinting. Like humans, dogs rely heavily on their vision to get around, so if they seem disorientated or aren’t walking in a straight line, there may be something wrong with their eyes.
Sadly, diseases that affect dogs’ eyes can progress very quickly and lead to blindness. Therefore, seeing a vet right away is essential.
Any of the warning signs above may indicate that your dog isn’t in the best of health. A vet visit may be needed to keep your canine companion happy and healthy. Even if you’re not sure if your dog isn’t well, it’s better to be safe than sorry and take them to see a professional.
Featured Image by Mirko Sajkov from Pixabay
