Are there signs which indicate that your dog is not feeling well and suffering with a potential problem? In which situations do you need to take them immediately to the vet? How do dogs signal that they are not feeling well?
The Dogiz team has prepared a thorough article for you that will help you identify common symptoms of certain diseases and medical issues regarding your dog. In case you identify one of these symptoms, we suggest you take your dog to the vet immediately without delay.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that you know your dog better than anyone. If there are any major changes in its behaviour, you should be able to notice it. There are different symptoms which might indicate a disease, distress, or a medical issue. You must not ignore these symptoms, it’s extremely important to consult with a vet as soon as possible.
Common Symptoms of Diseases in Dogs
Before we present to you the most common symptoms for diseases and medical issues regarding your dog, you should know that some of the symptoms indicate a problem which requires a professional diagnosis, but don’t necessarily mean it’s an emergency situation and you will be able to schedule an appointment to the vet without distressing in vain. However, there are certain symptoms which might indicate a serious problem or an emergency situation. In those cases, you must rush your dog to the vet without delay.
Moreover, you must act with discretion, and if you have adopted a puppy recently and you notice a change in its behaviour and signs of pain or distress, it’s crucial to get to the vet immediately, since puppies require special attention, exactly like babies.
The Dogiz team recommends in any case of behavioral change or if you detect symptoms which might signal that there is a medical problem, to contact your vet’s clinic. The clinic’s staff will be able to help you over the phone in identifying the issue, give you advice regarding the necessary medical treatment until you get to the clinic or the vet gets to you.
What are the symptoms that might indicate an emergency?
Here are the symptoms which usually indicate an emergency situation that require immediate vet attention:
- Apathy- when your dog is acting totally apathetic, and doesn’t respond to you when you call its name, doesn’t eat or drink and so on, you must rush to the vet.
- Difficulty Breathing- difficulty in breathing might signal a serious problem, disease or distress. If your dog breathes rapidly and doesn’t stop, or if it’s hard for it to breathe, it probably suffers from a problem that requires immediate treatment.
- Shaking and Spasms- shaking, physical convulsions and excess drooling are considered signs of distress that indicate that your dog is not feeling well. These symptoms usually show that your dog might have been poisoned, and you mustn’t postpone treatment.
- Bloody Vomiting- if your dog is vomiting and it contains blood, it probably suffers from a gastrointestinal problem which requires immediate attention at the vet’s clinic.
- Redness in the Eyes or Foggy Eyes– you can learn a lot of things about your dog’s health situation by looking at its eyes. In any case of redness or fogginess, it’s important to get to the vet without delay since these cases might signal a severe infection.
- Paralysis- if your dog isn’t able to stand up or move you must contact your vet and take your dog to get diagnosed.
- Diarrhoea- excess diarrhoea indicates a medical condition which requires quick treatment, especially if you are raising a puppy. Chronic diarrhoea might signal several medical conditions, therefore you must take your dog to get diagnosed and treat the problem accordingly.
Symptoms which indicate a medical issue that are not considered an emergency:
There are symptoms which might indicate that there is a certain problem and that your dog is not feeling well, but are not considered an emergency, therefore you are able to schedule an appointment at your vet’s clinic for a general examination.
The most common symptoms include:
- Behavioral Change- if your dog is not acting as it usually does, it’s probably suffering from a medical problem and you should schedule an appointment at your vet’s clinic.
- Excess Fatigue- this symptom in dogs indicates a disease or an issue and you should see your vet in order to diagnose the problem and treat it accordingly.
- No Appetite- if your dog doesn’t eat as much as it usually does, and lacks appetite, it’s probably in pain or suffers from a different problem.
- Restlessness- dogs that are wandering non-stop around the house or in the yard in restlessness, are usually suffering from a medical issue or are in pain.
Our team at Dogiz always recommend to watch after your dog’s behaviour and pay attention to any changes, in case you are in doubt, you should not take any risks and it’s important to go to your vet for an examination.
*This article has not been written by a veterinarian and is considered a recommendation only.
