Symptoms of Sick Dogs

There are various symptoms of sick dogs to look out for when concerned about your dog’s general health. The best way to find out if your dog is displaying symptoms is to make sure you know what your dog’s normal behaviour is. Some dogs can become emotionally needy or distant when sick and depending on what your dog was like prior to the illness you may find it difficult to determine if their behaviour has changed. On the other hand if your dog’s usually quite active and bubbly, symptoms like un-interest and distant behaviour can easily be spotted in contrast to his or her usual personality.

There are many different symptoms to look out for including some more obvious signs such as bloody stool, vomiting, diarrhoea and dramatic weight loss. There are also some symptoms you may not be aware of such as head shaking which can be an indication of an ear infection, or bad breath which can signify periodontal disease. Some common symptoms of sick dogs are inherent in a large variety of illnesses and conditions and that makes it quite difficult to determine the possible causes. These are also the main symptoms you need to watch out for as early indicators of ill health before further more severe symptoms occur.

 

Symptoms of Sick Dogs to Look Out For:

1. An unusual foul smell indicates a digestive disorder may be present.

2. Lethargy or fatigue is a basic symptom for a very large number of dog illnesses and can only be used to determine an illness in conjunction with other symptoms.

3. A Pot Belly can be an indicator of a worm infestation or maybe just a minor case of canine obesity.

4. Coughing can be an indication of heartworm, heart conditions, kennel cough or pneumonia.

5. Bloody Urine is a sign of a possible kidney infection, internal injury or urinary tract infection.

 

There may be other more subtle symptoms that you may be able to spot. You should make sure to check these key symptoms of sick dogs on a fairly regular basis as they are good general indicators that your dog could be developing an illness.

1. Check your dog’s nose! His nose should be quite cold and wet, if it isn’t this is a sign he’s developing an illness especially if the nose also has liquid discharge. Even if it’s just excessive phlegm it still counts as an indication.

2.  Have a good look into your dog’s eyes. In a healthy dog, the eyes are normally bright and active just like ours, when poorly a dog’s eyes become dulled and apologetic. In the same way our own eyes react to how we are feeling, a dog’s eyes can tell us when they are feeling ill and need a cuddle.

3. General abnormal behaviour whether it’s an unusual affection craving change or if your dog is less interested in activity or company than he or she was before any kind of change is an indicator that your dog isn’t feeling well.