Unfortunately dogs don’t have the ability to talk to us and tell us they don’t feel well. It always breaks our hearts when we see our Lucy not as rambunctious as she normally is. It’s not always easy to know when our best friends are sick, but we will try to help with some of the many signs to look for and what to do when we see our pals aren’t feeling well. But first and foremost, always keep up on your pet’s yearly, or more frequent if your vet suggests, visits as this is the best way to keep our pets healthy.
Lethargy
Lethargy is a tough one to read. In some situations, this can mean that your dog is just tired or worn down from over exertion, but in other cases it could be due to an actual illness. If this is something you have concerns with or you have noticed, watch for additional symptoms or differences in your dogs behavior over a period of a day or two. If any of the symptoms persist, make an appointment with your veterinarian.
Loss of Appetite
One of the easier to identify and more common symptoms is loss of appetite. Whether your dog is a grazer or chows their food down within minutes (or sometimes seconds), a loss of appetite in your dog is usually quite apparent. This is another symptom that can indicate many different things. If you have recently switched dog food, that would be the obvious thing to change up. If your pup has any other symptoms, for instance drinking more or less water than usual, this could be reason for concern as well. Once again if this persists, contact your veterinarian.
Increased Water Intake and Urination
If your dog is drinking noticeably more water and urinating more frequently, this could be a sign to be concerned about. Some reasons for this could be a fever, kidney problems, diabetes, Cushing’s disease or possibly dehydration. This isn’t always cause for immediate concern, but if other symptoms are apparent as well, then a trip to the vet should be in order. We never like to take a chance with our Lucy, so we always watch for any behavioral differences every day. We all want to keep our furry friends well.
Vomiting or Diarrhea
Vomiting and diarrhea are other common signs that your dog isn’t feeling well. The cause of vomiting could be as simple as eating too fast or possibly a much more serious condition. First, watch how often this occurs, if it happens one or two times in a day and ends, it isn’t likely a reason to be alarmed, but if happens more than a few times and continues into the night or the next day, then it could be something more serious. Second, check the color, a clear or yellowish color will likely indicate it isn’t cause for panic but if it has a darker color to it, it may be more serious, possibly even internal bleeding. At that point a call to the veterinarian would be necessary. Much like vomiting, diarrhea should be monitored for frequency as well. The same rule of thumb applies here, one or two times may not be a major issue, but a continuation could be a sign of something more serious. Both can be attributed to something as simple as eating trash or an upset stomach, but some of the more serious complications can be viral or bacterial infections, parvovirus (in puppies) or from ingesting a foreign object. For the minor situations, wet bland dog food, hamburger with rice or chicken can help our friends feel better. For the more serious symptoms, you will want to get your dog to the vet ASAP.
Weight Loss or Gain
Losing or gaining weight unusually fast could be cause for concern. If either happens quickly (within a week or so) getting he or she to the veterinarian is a very good idea. First, monitor their food intake. If sudden weight loss is the problem, we suggest calling the vet to rule out any major health issues. If gaining weight suddenly is what you are noticing, it could be as simple as overeating, in which case, you would cut back on their food and then continue to monitor their weight. Another cause for weight gain can be a thyroid problem. In either direction, gaining or losing, it is always best to talk with your vet.
Difficulty Standing / Stiffness
Some of our senior dogs, mostly the larger breeds, can develop what is known as hip dysplasia, which makes it difficult for them to get up from a laying or sitting position and even difficult to walk. Other reasons for stiffness or increased trouble standing/getting up can be arthritis, joint problems or even an infection. These are all things that will require a visit to your vet.
Coughing, Sneezing, Trouble Breathing
If you notice your pup having breathing issues, sneezing, wheezing or even coughing, this could be cause for concern. Some causes are a simple cold, kennel cough, canine flu, allergies, an infection or in a worse case scenario, congestive heart failure. Sometimes our smaller dogs can develop a honking cough which can indicate a condition called tracheal collapse. Any of these symptoms are very difficult for us pet owners to diagnose exactly what the problem is, so our advice to anyone who witnesses your furry best friend having these issues is to call your vet right away.
In Conclusion
We definitely don’t want to alarm anyone when your dog isn’t feeling well, but by presenting these facts, we hope to help you keep your pup as healthy as possible….for as long as we can. As you can see throughout this article, the common denominator is keeping the lines of communication open with your veterinarian.
Some pet owners choose to purchase pet insurance to help them with expenses they may incur when testing or even surgery is necessary for the health of their pups. The choice is yours.
As usual, please feel free to share any comments or questions regarding this article and thank you for visiting.