Dog Health Symptoms

Dogs have health issues just like us, except when a dog gets sick, they can’t tell us what is wrong with them, and it’s up to us to decipher the signals our dogs are trying to give us to say they aren’t healthy.

For a general overview on what the main signs are of a good healthy dog, check his eyes, nose and behaviour. Eyes can indicate something is wrong when they become dull. Normally a dog’s eyes are bright and full of energy. The nose is a great and quick indicator of dog health. Symptoms like nasal discharge, being warm or dry or all three are signs your dog is sick. When your dog is healthy his nose should be quite cold to the touch and quite wet.

Behaviour is a big sign of your dog’s health but can be difficult to spot. Make sure you know what your dog’s behaviour is like when he is healthy. Is he or she energetic or lazy? Do they crave human affection or saunter around without us? Every dog is different and has different habits and behaviour. Behavioural dog health symptoms are changes in the normal behaviour of your dog. This can vary depending on what your dog is usually like. If your dog’s behaviour is not usual to his normal healthy self, this is a warning sign that the dog is unwell.

Once you have noticed the dog’s behaviour change you will also start to notice other more prominent symptoms like how frequently he or she urinates and if they are itching a lot.

For general colds you can keep your dog inside and warm and make sure they get a lot of rest until they get better again. If the symptoms persist or are worsened and increased go and see the vet at the first available opportunity. Symptoms like blood in urine or stool, accidents around the house, vomiting and diarrhoea are more serious and you should see the vet as soon as these appear.

Noticing the changes in dog health, symptoms and behavioural signs is a bit like trying to figure out if an infant is ill. Dogs suffer just like we do but just like infants they can’t communicate to us what is wrong, where they feel pain and what the pain is like. That’s why it’s so important for us to learn to recognise the signs and symptoms of illness in our dogs and no one knows our dog quite like we do.

If you are at any time unsure about your dog’s health, speak to a vet. Even if it’s just a quick telephone call to the clinic, you can ask them about what you feel unsure about and if it’s a good idea to make an appointment. A dog’s health can deteriorate very rapidly from when we first start to notice the little signs, so if you think they may be troubled by pain, injury or disease get them seen to as quickly as possible.