Could You Identify Common Dog Symptoms of Illness?

Being able to recognize common dog symptoms of illness can help save your dog in an emergency situation by providing effective first aid. Your efforts could buy you some precious time while you take your dog to a medical treatment center.

In order to decide whether your dog has symptoms of an illness, you’ll need to observe his behavior on a regular basis. You should pay attention to all his little weird habits and quirks every day. Does your dog have a tendency to chase his tail when it’s time to go out for a walk? Or does your dog chase his tail in the hopes of biting it? If it’s the second option, then your dog could have a bacterial infection.

By knowing your dog and understanding some basic facts about dogs, you can establish whether something is right or possibly wrong about his health. A dog’s body temperature is normally around 39 degrees Celsius or 102 degrees Fahrenheit. You have to take your dog’s temperature with a rectal thermometer. Make sure to have a pair of gloves and some alcohol swabs handy to clean the thermometer after you’ve taken the dog’s temperature.

To take your dog’s temperature, do it while your dog is calm and standing up on all fours. If he is tired because he just came back from a long walk, it’s even better as he may cooperate a little more. Do not allow your dog to sit down while taking his temperature as the thermometer could get pushed up inside of him and it could puncture or damage bodily tissues.

You can also check your dog’s pulse to look for any other symptoms of an illness. To check his pulse, place both hands on his heart, in his inner thigh or in his front legs. These points make it easy for you to feel his pulse. Count the number of heartbeats during a 15-second period (keep an eye on a clock or a watch) and then multiply that number by 4 to get his average heartbeat per minute. Normal heart rate varies according to the breed, size or age of the dog. Larger dogs normally have lower heart rates and smaller dogs normally have faster heart rates.

A dog may also show symptoms of illness or injury through a change in their behavior. For example, your dog could ignore your commands, withdraw from the family or other dogs, refuse to move, whine a lot, refuse to eat, refuse to urinate or defecate or remain really quiet.

You should always keep an eye open for other dog symptoms of illness that could indicate physical pain. If your dog constantly licks or scratches himself or if he appears to be limping, this is a clear indication of pain. Bring your dog to see a veterinarian as soon as you can. It will you save you time, frustration and money in case the illness or pain continues to worsen. But most importantly, you will help your dog by taking him to a vet that will know how to relieve his pain. Keep an eye open for these basic dog symptoms and your dog will thank you.