Symptoms of Sick Dog

One of the most popular Internet searches on the subject of dogs is "symptoms of sick dog". Many people turn to the Internet for information to help them assess their pet when it is not behaving in a normal manner. Using informational websites can be a good first step in helping you evaluate a possible health concern for your pet. However, if you think your dog is sick, it is best to take him to a veterinarian for evaluation and treatment. So, how can you tell if your dog is sick?

Often, one of the first signs that a dog is not feeling well is lethargy. A dog that is in pain or feeling ill will often not have energy for or interest in doing things he likes to do.

A lack of appetite is also a common trait for dogs who are feeling under the weather. If your dog is refusing to eat his food, he may feel ill or is possibly having dental issues.

Sick dogs often display signs of gastric upset such and gas, diarrhea and vomiting. This can be something as simple as an upset stomach from a food that did not agree with him to a more dangerous ailment such as poisoning or parvo.

Discharge coming from the eyes, ears or nose can often indicate an illness in your dog. This is also a common symptom of allergies that can become secondary infections if left untreated.

If your dog is displaying any of the symptoms listed in the previous section, you may wish to further evaluate him by getting information about his vital signs. This will be useful information to give your veterinarian when you call him.

• Respiration: The normal respiration rate for dogs is 10-30 breaths per minute for an adult dog. If your dog's breathing is not within this range, he may be stressed or he may have a health issue that is causing him to have difficulty breathing.

• Heart rate: A dog's heart rate should fall between 70-160 beats per minute. Puppies can have a heart rate of up to 180 beats per minute. Knowing your dog's normal heart rate can be useful in analyzing this information. Younger, smaller dogs tend to have higher heart rates.

• Gum color: Your dog's gums should be a shade of pink. Yellow, blue, gray or white discoloration can indicate serious health problems such as internal bleeding, anemia or shock.

• Capillary refill time: Pressing your finger against your dog's gums will cause the blood to be pushed out of the spot you touch. When you remove the pressure of your finger from that spot, it should go from being white to returning to it's normal shade of pink in 1.5 seconds.

• Temperature: Take your dog's temperature using a rectal thermometer. A puppy will have a normal body temperature of 96-100 degrees. And adult dog will have a temperature of 100-101 degrees. An elevated or low temperature would indicate that your dog should be evaluated as soon as possible by a veterinarian.

If you found this article because you are concerned about the way your dog is acting and you were doing an online search for "symptoms of sick dog", you may wish to check your dog's vital signs and call your vet, just to be on the safe side. Some dog illnesses can become deadly very quickly if treatment is not started right away.

Dogs are often sick for a while before they begin to display symptoms like refusing to eat or drink, lethargy or gastric upset. It is always better to take a dog to the vet and find out that it was nothing to worry about rather than wait too long and incur very large medical bills or worse yet, lose your best friend.

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