Signs & Symptoms of a Sick Dog
December 21, 2009
Filed under Dog Health Tips
Dogs are wonderful companions, most often being involved in a loyal, dedicated relationship with their owners. However, just like humans, dogs are also prone to many different health conditions. Because your dog doesn’t have the ability to let you know when they’re feeling ill, it’s important for you to keep an eye on their behavior to notice any changes. In addition to this, there are certain symptoms that can help you to determine if your dog is sick. Here are some of the most common symptoms of a sick dog, along with a few of their possible causes.
LETHARGY
Lethargy is one of the most common symptoms seen in sick dogs. A sick dog will be feeling ill, so will not show as much enthusiasm for daily activities. Lethargy is usually characterized as a general change in your dog’s activity level. For example, a lethargic dog will also display a loss of interest in food, will spend much more time sleeping, and not be as excited about any activity that involves physical exercise. This may also be accompanied by weight loss, hair loss, or some of the other symptoms that can help you to determine when your dog is sick. Lethargy is usually caused by a virus, bacterial infection or other health condition. However, lethargy can also be caused by changes in diet, medication or lifestyle.
DIARRHEA
If your dog has diarrhea, chances are that they are suffering from a health condition that is causing them gastrointestinal distress. Diarrhea can be a sign of many different diseases, though is usually cause for concern. Some parasitic infections can cause diarrhea, which may or may not be accompanied by the appearance of parasites in your dog’s fecal matter.
HAIR LOSS
Sometimes you may notice that your dog is losing their fur. This can either be present in patches, or be a general loss of hair all over your dog’s body. Hair loss can be caused by a number of health conditions, which aren’t always associated with the condition of your dog’s skin. Though some types of fungal infections on your dog’s skin can cause hair loss, this is usually present in patches. If your dog is experiencing generalized hair loss that is not localized to one area, this could be a symptom of a food allergy in your dog. However, there are many other health conditions that can cause hair loss, some of which require immediate medical treatment. If your dog is experiencing hair loss, it’s best to schedule a veterinary visit as soon as possible.
FEVER
If your adult dog has a temperature that is over 103 degrees (97 degrees in puppies), this means that they are suffering from an increase in temperature. A fever in your dog can be indicative of many health conditions, though is most commonly associated with viral and bacterial infections. If your dog has a fever, chances are that you will need to schedule a visit to your veterinarian in order to have them tested for certain infections. After the cause of the infection is determined, your veterinarian may be able to prescribe antibiotics in order to help cure this condition.
What tel-tale signs do you notice when your dog is sick? Please post a comment below and let us know!
Anytime my dog gets really sick, he stops eating so I always know that if he won’t touch his food that there is trouble.
A dog that hangs his head is usually a sick dog
I got so upset I could not see straight after seeing these pictures and very teary eyed
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/rescue-foster-adoption-information-general/130603-humane-sanctuary-busted-oh.html
http://www.canineadvocatesofohio.org…uary/Index.htm
hey what does it mean when ur dog does not have wet nose
jonathan-Hi I wouldn’t worry if his nose is dry as long as it IS NOT crusty and there is NO discharge.If your dog is inside in the air conditioning this removes the humidity-moisture from the air and may cause the nose to be dry.As long as he is energetic and eating well I wouldn’t worry about it.Here is a link to a page about the subject. http://www.purina.com/dogs/health/Noses.aspx
My 9 years old lab-chow mix has thrown-up five times during the night. Need to know what is wrong?
Jim you should take him to the vet, but if you are feeding him Purnia, Beniful, Pedigree, Ol Roy, Bil Jack or any other cheap crappy dog foods it well happen.
Hey Jess I noticed that Jim in the above post name is red so I clicked on it and this is the message I got:”You are about to log in to the site”Yahoo.com”with the username “articman1957″ but the website does not require authentication.This may be an attempt to trick you.Then it says log in Yes-No.So I just clicked No.What’s up with that???
LOL, nothing happened when I clicked on it. You are probably right, the old trickarooo trick..LOL,,,
Sad story about Tony.
Thursday I went to pick up some food. While I was gone into the restaurant to pick up my food, Tony went in the truck, bad poo. He had it all over himself. Well on the way home he freaked out and while going 30 miles an hour he jumped out the window. I thought I had run over him and the people behind me slammed on their brakes. Thank god he wasn’t killed. He has some bad scratches but he is OK. He has been on a canned pumpkin dog food and Orijen diet since. We haven’t done anything since but tomorrow I might play a little ball with him. IT SCARED ME SO BAD THAT WHEN I GOT HOME I STATED SHACKING. And what a big mess it was to clean up.
If your dog has a fever, does it mean the fur on his head is hot?
Are salty human snacks bad for my Cavalier?
Daisy-is that question supposed to be funny? Are you serious?? If you are,the obvious answer is yes.In case your wondering, they are also bad for you.DUH.
A NEW study at Purdue linked to bloat. The reason I bringing this up is because I called some one out about raised food dishes and I got banned because they were advertising them and being paid by that company. Oh well, someone in this country has to have some HONOR…
STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS * Feed two or more meals a day * Feed no more than one cup per 33 pounds of body weight per meal when feeding two meals a day * Feed an energy-dense diet, to reduce volume, but avoid a diet where a high amount of calories are from fats.
* Feed a variety of different food types regularly.
The inclusion of human foods in a primarily dry dog food diet was associated with a 59 percent decreased risk of GDV while inclusion of canned pet foods was associated with a 28 percent decreased risk * When feeding dry food, also include foods with sufficient amounts of meats and meat meals, for example: beef, lamb, poultry, and fish. * Feed a food with larger particles, and include larger pieces of meat to the diet. * Avoid moistening dry foods
• If your dog eats rapidly, find ways to try to reduce his speed of eating
* Avoid raising the food bowl – place it at ground level
* Try to minimize stress for your dog. Stressful events have been reported to be precipitating factors in GDV occurrence. * Restrict vigorous exercise one hour before and two hours after meals. * When you are not in close proximity to your dog, use a baby monitor to alert you if your dog is in distress. * Learn to recognize signs of GDV, which include pacing and restlessness, head turning to look at the abdomen, distention of the abdomen, rapid shallow breathing, nonproductive attempts at vomiting, and salivation. These symptoms can progress rapidly to shock and death. Get to your veterinarian or emergency hospital the moment you suspect GDV
Information from:
Emily K. Hamlyn, Boston University School of Medicine
http://www.crittersitextra.com/pettips/NEW_Purdue_Bloat_Study.pdf