Is your dog off? As a pet parent, you naturally love your canine buddy. You probably know him or her pretty well. You’d probably notice a change in their situation, but would you recognize when something was bothering them that needed professional attention?
Chances are, you’d know you need to take your dog to the vet if they had been hit by a car, or had a leg that looked wonky, etc. Sometimes, however, the symptoms aren’t quite as obvious. Going to the vet takes time and money. Plus, if you don’t know exactly what the problem is, what do you tell them?
Notice appearance, behavior, physical differences; anything that pops out at you. Get to know them well. Is there something that doesn’t seem right? Just because you can’t put a finger on it, doesn’t mean there isn’t actually is something going on. You know more than you think you do if you trust your instincts and observation.
If you’re paying attention, your dog can tell you a lot. Although they can’t tell you in words, their non-verbal communication and body language can speak volumes.
First, if your dog is off, rule out emergencies
When something is off, the first thing to rule out is an emergency that requires immediate veterinary care. Conditions like severe trauma, potential heatstroke, toxic exposure, gastric volvulus, or cardiac arrest are examples of conditions requiring emergency care. This list is NOT complete, but basically, if they’re unresponsive, bleeding profusely, or severely distressed, you need a vet ASAP! You can refer to the post from Petmd.com for more info on dog emergencies.
How is your dog’s appearance?
Once you’ve decided that you don’t have an emergency on your hands, you have a little time to figure things out. Using your senses can tell you many things. Top of mind is probably your dog’s general appearance. If your dog is off somehow, chances are
- Their usually healthy coat will be dull, rumpled, or otherwise not right.
- Weight can change. It might be more or less than appropriate for breed, age, etc., and not your dog’s normal.
- Eyes could be dull or pinched instead of bright and healthy.
Once you’ve made a mental note of these or other conditions that aren’t normal, you can make your picture more complete by considering the following.
What does behavior tell you?
Is your dog their happy, healthy self or has something changed? If they’re off, you might notice
- a change in their healthy appetite
- resistance to play that they usually like
- a decrease in energy
- a grumpy attitude with other members of the family
- the desire to withdraw from you or other members of the family
- a tendency to bite or nip at an area repeatedly
These are all signs that something is bothering your dog. Being in pain or not feeling well can cause symptoms like those listed, for example.
How are they moving?
You know how your dog moves when they’re feeling good. If something isn’t right, you might notice these things.
- Slow to get up?
- Are they favoring a leg?
- Standing, sitting, or lying in a position that’s unusual for them?
- Not moving fluidly and evenly as usual?
- Presence of lumps, bumps, or swelling that isn’t usually there?
- Any rough patches of fur, broken skin, scabs, etc.?
If your dog is off, they will tend to show it in the way they look, act, and move. Noticing any changes can help you put together a story about the problem that’s hiding underneath.
What do you do when your dog is off?
Based on what you’ve seen and figured out, you could decide to wait and see what happens. If your dog isn’t distressed or in apparent danger, you can certainly do that, especially if you know the cause of the problem. If, however, you’re still not sure of what’s going on, your baby is uncomfortable, or you feel the need to go to the vet, you’ll have more detail to provide to help your vet develop a diagnosis.
Either way, know that your powers of observation can play a key role in keeping your dog happy and healthy. Have you had dogs with conditions you had to figure out? I’d love to hear more from you in the comments below.
Here are some other posts you might find helpful.
No comments:
Post a Comment