Pets and health

Your pet health care is one of the most important task as a pet owner. In partnership with your vet, you can take steps to prevent dog health problems. Feed your pet with healthy dog food as a preventive care. Keep your dog health in check by paying attention to his eating habits, how much he eats, plays and sleeps. Below are some guidelines on your dog health care and dog health problems.

Early signs of illness

There may be changs in your dog's normal behaviour. Your dog may be less active and refused to go for a walk. If your dog face this changes for a day or two, take further action.

Consult your vet if your dog shows any of the following signs :-

  • Unusual tiredness and lethargy
  • Abnormal discharges from body openings
  • Excessive scratching, licking or biting at any part of the body
  • Remarkably increased or decreased appetite
  • Excessive water consumption
  • Abnormal, uncontrolled or difficult waste elimination
  • Remarkably weight gained or weight loss
  • Abnormal behaviour such as hyperactivity, aggression or lethargy
  • Lameless
  • Abnormal swelling on any part of the body
  • Difficulty in getting up and down

Pain in dogs

Pain results from many causes but usually it is the result of injury, infection, poisoning, or inflammatory reaction. It is one of the earliest sign of disease. Dogs may cry out or even snap at you if you touch a painful part of its body. However, there may be some indication that something is wrong with your dog.

  • If your dog suffers from joint pain, it may cry out when getting up or lying down
  • Cramp will cause muscle tremors, and the dog may whimper
  • Pain or irritation from its anal glands will cause it to 'scoot' its bottom along the ground. The dog may turn and frequently inspect the painful hind-end
  • Pain in an eye will cause it to paw at the affected area or rub it against objects
  • Pain in an ear usually results in the dog tilting its head to the affected side and shaking it frequently
  • Mouth pain may cause salivation and the dog may yawn frequently

Spinal pain in dogs

Look out for these signs and you may suspect spinal pain if your dog :-

  • Seems to be lame but no limb is affected
  • Resents bring touch along its back
  • Humps its back and/or trembles when standing up
  • Is incontinent
  • Has difficulty assuming normal posture for defecation
  • Collapses on its hind quarters

Head pain in dogs

Look out for these signs and you may suspect head pain if your dog :-

  • Has half closed eyes, but no obvious eye problem
  • Presses the top of its head against objects
  • Gently but regularly shake its head
  • Stares vacantly

Internal pain in dogs

Look out for these signs and you may suspect internal pain if your dog :-

  • Spends more time lying down, and/or lies in a curled up position
  • Is particularly restless and unable to settle down
  • It keeps its abdonimal muscles tensed or stands in a hunched-up position
  • Continually looks around at its abdomen, or bites, or licks at it
  • Adopts a position where its forelegs down and hind legs up
  • Continually strains to pass a bowel movement, but fails
  • Is usually docile and inexplicably becomes aggressive