Give Your Dog a Basic Check Up–Early Disease Detection
by admin
Filed under Dog Disease, Dog Talk Tips
Let’s switch gears, as it were. I’d like to say a few words about early disease detection. As with humans, prevention is worth an ounce of medicine. Or perhaps that should read a quart of medicine.
Where prevention is concerned, one of the most important actions you can take is to simply keep your eyes open and observe your dog. Often, you can detect disease or some othe pathology early, possibly before it even truly manifests, by spotting abnormal behavior in your pet. If you see your dog behaving in an unusual manner, follow up on it. If you catch your dog repeated atypical behavior like scratching or biting himself, or rubbing its eyes on a rug, check it out. That is clear sign that medical intervention may be needed.
It is also a good idea to give your dog a basic check up once or twice a week. Such a check up only need take a few minutes, but it can save you time and money later on and save your pet from avoidable illness.
Start with a body rub. This makes your pet comfortable. While giving him his rub, check for any signs of flaking or scabs which can be a sign of parasites, a skin disorder, or allergies. Check the ears and the skin around the ears.
Also check for any lumps and bumps. Although they are a normal part of aging in dogs, they can also be a symptom that there is something wrong. Check for any swelling that could indicate parasites, heart trouble, or cancer.
Your dog’s breathing should be smooth and quiet, unless he is panting. If his breathing is raspy or rattling, there could have a respiratory problem.
Your dog’s heartbeat should be regular and strong. To check for his pulse, place your hand against his chest by his left elbow. Count the number of beats in 15 seconds and multiply it by four. The rate should range between 60 and 160.
Examine his ears, eyes, and mouth and check for any signs of abnormalities. Be sure to check the paws and the webbing between the toes. when examining the skin, check for abrasion, signs of chafing, and redness. These could be signs of irritation due to allergy or some other “conflict” with the environment.
Remember, simply observe your dog and once a week give it a check up.
For more information, see the Ultimate Guide to Dog Health.
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[tags]basic dog health,giving your dog a check up,dog health,basic dog exam[/tags]
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