If you’re a dog owner, then you may already be familiar with some of the diseases and health issues that can affect our canine companions, but there’s always more to learn.
Today we’re looking at some of the common symptoms that can affect your dog, so you know what they mean and what you can do about them.
Gastric Trouble
If you’re complaining to friends ‘my dog has diarrhea and vomiting’ then it’s likely not very happy, and neither are you.
Fortunately for you and your dog, much of the time these symptoms are unpleasant, but not too serious.
Dogs can suffer an upset stomach because they’ve eaten something that disagrees with them – whether that’s around the house, in the garden, or out on a walk, as many dogs do love to explore and forage.
Even changing their food from one brand to another can cause vomiting after meals – as can them eating too fast or too much.
Most of the time, you just need to clean up the mess and take care of your dog.
You might need to manage their diet for a short time offering smaller meals spread regularly throughout the day, and made up of easy to digest staples like boiled rice and chicken or white fish.
Make sure they have plenty of clean, fresh water to keep them hydrated.
The worrying symptoms to look out for are loss of appetite and loss of energy, blood in the stool or vomit, or visible worms, or bouts of vomiting and diarrhea that last longer than a day or two.
In those cases – or if anything else makes you feel worried for your dog – it’s time to get an appointment at the vet as a high priority.
Pain and Injuries
One thing you need to be alert for when you have a dog is your pet being injured.
Dogs are adept at hiding pain, so you need to make sure you know what to look for and can get them the help they need as soon as possible.
Whether it’s a fight, play with another dog that gets out of hand or an accident while exploring the consequences can be serious – if your dog gets an infection from a wound, it can progress quickly, so getting them help before this can happen is better.
Don’t just look for open wounds.
Look for limping – your dog sparing a limb when it walks, or over-favouring it – an uneven gait, uncharacteristic aggression or being withdrawn, or if they react strangely to being petted.
All of these could indicate a problem you need to be aware of, and that could require treatment from a vet!