Dog owners, who recognize the early signs and symptoms of illness or pain in their dogs, will not only relieve their loved one's suffering but may also be able to save themselves an expensive trip to the veterinarian. Not only is it important to recognize these signs early to relieve pain and suffering, but it is much more effective to treat an illness when it is detected early.
The dog owner should keep an accurate and detailed account of their dog's symptoms to help the veterinarian correctly diagnose and effectively treat the dog's illness or condition. Most canine illnesses are detected through a combination of various signs and symptoms:
Temperature, Respiratory Rate and Heart Rate
A newborn puppy will have a temperature of 94-97º F. which will eventually reach the normal adult body temperature of 101.5º F. at the age of 4 weeks old. Take care when trying to take your dog or puppies temperature as the thermometer can easily be broken off in the canine's rectum. Also any form of excitement can cause the temperature to rise by 2-3º when the dog is actually in normal health. If your dog's temperature reaches 105º or above OR 96º or below please take him/her to the emergency vet immediately!
An adult dog will have a respiratory rate of 15-20 breaths per minute (depending on such variables as size and weight) and a heart rate of 80-120 beats per minute. You can feel for your dog's heartbeat by placing your hand on his/her lower ribcage just behind the elbow. Don't be alarmed if the heartbeat seems irregular compared to a human's heartbeat, it is irregular in many dogs. Have your vet check it out and get used to how it feels when it is normal.
Behavior Changes
Any behavior changes that are not associated with a change in the household atmosphere, such as jealousy over a new pet or child may be an indication of an illness. Signs of behavioral changes may be:
? Depression
? Anxiety
? Fatigue
? Sleepiness
? Trembling
? Falling/Stumbling
If your dog shows any of these signs, he/she needs to be kept under close watch for a few hours, or even a few days, until positive signs develop or he/she has returned to normal. Do not try to exercise the dog or put him/her in any situation that may cause stress. Most veterinarians will want for you to keep track of when the symptoms first appeared, whether they are getting better or worse, and also whether the symptoms are intermittent, continuous, or increasing in frequency.
Pain
Dogs that are in pain will likely indicate that they are suffering by giving you clues as to where the area of discomfort is. For instance, a dog that has abdominal pain will continually glance toward their belly, bite or lick the area, and will not want to leave his/her bed. The dog may stand hunched over, or take the 'prayer position' which is when a dog gets down on it's forelegs with the hind legs still standing, because of the pain in her abdomen area.
Dogs can not tell you that they are hurting or cry real tears but a dog may vocalize their pain in a different way. A dog that is hurt suddenly (such as being stepped on) will cry out or wimper in pain. This also happens when an external injury or internal injury (such as an organ) is touched. Whining or vocalization that is unprovoked may be caused from an internal injury as well. Some breeds of dogs (such as the American Pit Bull Terrier) have a higher pain threshold and need to be watched more closely for signs of pain. Breeds with a high pain tolerance are more likely to endure the pain without vocalization.
Another clue to pain is a change in temperament. A dog that is in pain may show signs of aggression. Please take note of this before concluding that a dog has become vicious and let your veterinarian know so that the correct treatment can be administered. Also females in general (even humans!) have days when they are just in a bad mood for no obvious reason. Take note of days of times that these mood swings occur as well as any events that might have triggered them.
Other signs that your dog may be sick:
? Ears: discharge, debris, odor, scratching, crusted tips, twitching or shaking.
? Eyes: redness, swelling or discharge.
? Nose: runny, thickened or colored discharge, crusty.
? Coughing, sneezing, vomiting or gagging.
? Shortness of breath, irregular breathing or prolonged/heavy panting
? Evidence of parasites in the dog's stool, strange color, blood in the stool, or lack of a bowel movement (constipation).
? Loss of appetite or not drinking as much water as normally would.
? Weight Loss.
? Strange color of urine, small amount of urine, straining, dribbling, or not going as frequently as normal.
? Bad odor coming from mouth, ears, or skin.
? Hair loss, wounds, tumors, dander or change of the skin's color.
? Biting of the skin, parasites, scratching or licking the skin frequently.
The preceding article was meant to help educate you to the signs and symptoms of probable pain or sickness in your dog. If any of these symptoms occur over a prolonged period of time, please seek the help of a veterinarian. I hope that this article will help stress the importance of keeping watch over your dog's health patterns and the importance of keeping an accurate, detailed health record for your veterinarian's convenience.
About the Author:
Jennifer Bryant is a life-long lover of dogs. Jennifer loves and breeds American Pit Bull Terriers in her North Georgia home with her 2 young children. Her love of dogs has inspired her to create a website for herself (as well as other breeders) to advertise their occasional litter of puppies and to educate others with dog breed information and useful articles.
Bryant's Red Devils Red Nose American Pit Bull Terriers
This article may be reprinted on your website, but the content and signature of the author must remain intact.
Because your dog lives with humans, he's going to have... Read More
Most of the diseases that threaten goldfish can be cured.... Read More
Every year, hundreds of thousands of cats and kittens are... Read More
Did you know that more than one million north americans... Read More
Buy or Adopt - That is the question.If you intend... Read More
You may be hearing more talk these days about "Essential... Read More
I've been around many people who try to lead a... Read More
So you want to keep discus fish or are already... Read More
Many people consider their dog to be part of their... Read More
If the "tweet, tweet" of little beaks is in your... Read More
When Lucky was starting to show signs of aging, we... Read More
A poorly trained dog can embarrass its owner and offend... Read More
He will be there by your side, as your loving... Read More
Dog's come in all shapes and sizes ? out of... Read More
The wearing of charms dates back to 400 or 500... Read More
Guide for training a dogSo you can use a guide... Read More
Contributed with the help of Karen L Overall of the... Read More
If you are keen on breeding Goldfish, you should know... Read More
This may come as a surprise...but if the tables were... Read More
"On Trust" & "Paid For" for are one of the... Read More
Toys are fun both for our dogs and us. Lucky... Read More
Our dogs are now, more than ever, a very important... Read More
Our pets give us so much. They entertain us, listen... Read More
Most dogs live between ten and seventeen years. The relationship... Read More
My love of horses began at the age of 11... Read More
We all know how special interest groups can blow things... Read More
I have had Goldens and Black Labs for many years,... Read More
The West Highland Terrier is a friendly dog, and is... Read More
Well first of all I was always a cat owner,... Read More
Dog training is not rocket science and is not as... Read More
Do you have some adult discus fish and want to... Read More
Buying dog doors onlineIf you need to buy a dog... Read More
The idea of picking up a horse's hooves can intimidate... Read More
Top five dog breeds for homes with children* Beagle *... Read More
Ok, so everyone who stays on top of the show... Read More
House rabbits are a perfect pet for many people, regardless... Read More
When selecting the best dry food for your dog, why... Read More
Well first of all I was always a cat owner,... Read More
Is your dog or cat tormented by ear infections? Do... Read More
The other day I was doing a research online for... Read More
Because it is intelligent and energetic, a Westie terrier is... Read More
Annual Vaccinations for Your Dog?Are they really necessary? - In... Read More
If Your Dog Suffers From Arthritis, Consider The Natural Alternative:Rimadyl... Read More
Even with the best care, cats can become ill. Sometimes... Read More
Is your dog a gentleman or lady? If so, you... Read More
Grocery Stores could use some larger Dog Food Isles. Not... Read More
How to Deal With Anxiety in Your DogAnxiety in dogs... Read More
Whether you're a new dog owner or have had dogs... Read More
Because it is imperative that discus fish have optimal water... Read More
Training a dog is a fairly difficult task. Some find... Read More
Are there so many great dog breeds out there that... Read More
Over the past couple of years, animal rescues have been... Read More
An essential to your dog's health is his/her regular annual... Read More
"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil... Read More
Did you know that pets outnumber people in the United... Read More
Toy dog breeds include greyhounds, terriers, pinschers, pugs, chihuahuas, pekingese,... Read More
As we find ourselves in the middle of winter, it's... Read More
Beaks, Bills, Face Knives, Beakers - whatever we want to... Read More
What kind of materials should you use when constructing a... Read More
Dog Travel SuppliesThe shopping part along for dog travel supplies... Read More
I get a lot of horse training questions about stopping... Read More
There is a dangerous problem that horse owners should be... Read More
When I first started my interest in reptiles I was... Read More
The first thing to realize when you are training a... Read More
Can Your Dog Stomach This?There's an old adage that says... Read More
Toys are fun both for our dogs and us. Lucky... Read More
Pet |