Pets grow, fall sick, get healthy, age and eventually pass on. This is the normal cycle of life. Your pet dog will not be an exception. However, you can reduce the chances of your dog getting sick in their lifetime by increasing the probability of them being healthier than sick with the right lifestyle and also detecting the sickness on time to treat it.
Here are some signs that tell you your dog is falling sick and needs a quick visit to the vet:
Restlessness
Your otherwise happy and calm dog should not suddenly start showing signs of restlessness many days a week. This may be a pointer to stress, anxiety, depression or any other challenge to your pooch’s mental health. It may also be a sign of a health challenge, which may escalate if the root cause is not found and taken care of.
Unexplainable physical changes
Physical changes in your dog’s skin, coat and other parts of its body may be a reaction to an illness or disease. It is even more important to urgently treat such symptoms to avoid contracting any disease yourself. Where such visible physical changes are not expertly handled, they could endanger the humans around your dog, especially if you do not know what they are, and they turn out to be fatal.
Weight loss/obesity
Gradual weight gain may be a sign of healthy living and growth, but sudden unexplainable weight gain, which leads to obesity in your pooch is a cause for concern and may be a sign of an underlying illness. Similarly, your pooch losing weight when it is not obese is a strong indication of a health problem and should be checked out immediately.
Decrease in appetite
A healthy appetite is a sign of good health. One way to tell if your pooch is healthy or sick is in their appetite level. A sudden decrease in appetite is a warning that your canine companion may be under the weather, especially if your pooch used to have a healthy appetite. You may also test your pooch by feeding it its favourite meal or treat, and if it shows little to no interest, then see your vet as soon as possible.
Sudden behavioural changes
Is your pooch struggling to sleep properly, or maybe sleeping too much? Does it now bark incessantly, or is awfully quiet? Did it go from super friendly to aggressive? Such switches in normal behaviours are red flags and may be due to underlying health problems.
While your vet can expertly figure out if your pooch is sick and the cause of illness, it is important you take steps in your dog’s daily living to reduce the chances of your dog turning out sick. For instance, all-round good hygiene, including regularly washing your Dog Towel and other personal items, is a way to keep the germs out and ultimately prevent sicknesses and whatnot.
What are some steps you take to ensure your pooch does not always fall sick?
