Is My Dog Sick? - 5 Symptoms That Can Point To Illness In Your Dog

It's important to be able to tell if and when your dog is ill. Early detection of sickness can literally save your dog's life. Here are 5 symptoms that often indicate your pooch needs professional care.

Lack Of Appetite---Most dogs have a bottomless stomach. If it looks like food and smells good, they're always up for eating. If your dog is suddenly refusing to eat, this is often a signal that something is not right. Before you panic, determine whether he is refusing all food or just some.

Recently, our dog wouldn't eat his dry food, but would accept all his favorite table foods. With the vet's help we determined that it was a bad batch of dog food. We switched to a slightly different food from the same company, bought the new bag from a different store, and he started to eat again. If he is refusing all food, get to your vet quickly.

Unable to Keep Food Down----If your pooch is excited about eating but throws up, take a look at what is coming up. If the food is digested then you know it's making as far down as the stomach. If you feed dry dog food and you can still see the shapes of the kibble then it is not being digested by the stomach and there may be a blockage.

When our Golden was a puppy, he swallowed part of a sock. The elastic got wrapped around his digestive track and wouldn't let food pass. He had to be opened from stem to stern to remove the elastic.

Change In Social Habits---If you and family are usually greeted with great enthusiasm, or if he usually stays close to people, and suddenly you find that he is avoiding contact, this is definitely cause for concern. He may hurt somewhere and not want to risk that some one will touch him and cause more pain. Pain may also cause him to become nippy, and that means it is definitely time to get your veterinarian involved.

Lethargy ---A general lack of energy, enthusiasm, tail wagging and bright eyes are generally signs that all is not well. Check to make sure that he is drinking the usual amount of water, and that clean water is always available whether it's from a bowl that you provide or from your toilet.

Urination Problems----Too much or too little urination is a troublesome symptom. Frequent urination can be the result of medications such as steroids, diabetes, urinary tract infection, or bladder stones. Too little urination can be indicative of a blockage in the urinary tract, weak bladder muscles in older dogs, or dehydration. All of these are serious conditions and call for immediate professional help.