How to Tell if Your Dog is Doing Well
Like many new parents, pet owners often overthink every small behaviour that their dog exhibits. The good news is that your dog will show signs of health and happiness.
These warning signs ought to be apparent to pet owners in addition to standard health examinations with a family veterinarian, including annual blood panels, faecal testing, and urine analyses. These six indications are that your dog is healthy.
- A Refreshing Breath
The first step toward a healthy pet is a healthy mouth. Good health is indicated by relatively fresh breath and teeth free of enamel formation.
Periodontitis or gingivitis in your dog might eventually harm critical organs and result in major health problems. Pet tooth loss is primarily brought on by periodontitis, a condition affecting the tissues that support the teeth (such as the bone and ligaments). It results from the accumulation of food particles, plaque, and tartar in the gaps between the gum line and the tooth's root.
A foul odour emanating from your dog's mouth could be a sign of tooth decay or, worse yet, an aggressive form of cancer called oral melanoma.
Regular dental treatment can extend a pet's lifespan and enhance general health by identifying problems early on.
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- A shiny, tidy coat
Natural oils and shedding give healthy pets' coats a glossy, clean appearance. Unless your pet gets dirty, a healthy pet doesn't need to be bathed frequently. Regular bathing is not necessary and can cause skin irritation in pets with fur (as opposed to certain breeds with hair that requires maintenance).
If your dog is frequently licking, gnawing, or scratching, it could indicate a skin irritant, skin allergy, insect bite, or flea infestation. Additionally, it's a sign that your dog is uneasy; make an appointment with your veterinarian to address the issue.
- Maintaining a Lean Weight
Veterinarians are particularly concerned about pet obesity because it can lead to the same health issues in dogs as it does in people, including diabetes, heart and lung disease, bone and joint disease, skin ailments, and various cancers.
A checkup is advised if you find your dog has lost a significant amount of weight because this could also be an indication of health problems.
Your dog should maintain a constant, lean weight that hardly fluctuates. Your dog's ribcage shouldn't be seen as the waist should taper in toward the hips (this can vary based on breed). When it comes to meals and treats, pets need to eat in moderation. With the advice of your veterinarian, go through the optimum diet for your dog.
- Recurrent Bowel and Bladder Movements
How can you tell if your dog has stomach pain? Look at his faeces. Blood, mucus, worms, eggs, a chalky white tint, a black, tarry appearance, a greasy coating, and diarrhoea are not present in healthy bowel movements. A change in food, stress, allergies, parasites, bacterial or viral infections, toxic chemical consumption, pancreatitis, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, or obstruction could all be contributing factors if you detect a change.
It matters what shade your dog's pee is: It's a sign of good health if your pet's poop is transparent yellow (straw yellow, pale gold, amber, clear yellow).
Dehydration may be indicated by a dark or vivid yellow colour. Jaundice or icterus, gallbladder issues, pancreatic issues, severe dehydration, liver illness, or damaged blood cells are all frequently linked to the colour orange.
If your dog's urine is red, pink, or cloudy, it could indicate cancer, trauma, clotting disorder, or urinary tract infection. It may be an indication of distress brought on by a health problem if your dog is eliminating indoors or on a pad. If these alterations take place, a checkup is strongly advised for additional testing.
- Watchful, Focused Interest
A happy dog welcomes you at the door, comes to you for playtime, and watches and listens with interest. A healthy dog is eager to spend time with family.
Your dog may be experiencing a health problem if they suddenly start spending more time alone, seeming disinterested, or sleeping more. One of the most common ways pet owners learn something is wrong with their companions is through changes in behaviour. Any changes should be noted, and your veterinarian should be consulted.
- Cleaned up, Fresh Ears
Dogs with clean ears—those without waxy buildup, discharge, or an offensive or musky odour—are also in good health.
Dogs' ears frequently become unclean, thus regular cleaning is advised. Ignoring filthy ears can result in pet ear infections, which are a big cause of annoyance for our animals and the second-most common reason canines visit the vet.
By radiating heat out, clean ears also aid in preserving a normal body temperature.
The scent of your dog's ears, which might occasionally resemble yeast, is a surefire sign that he has an ear infection. If you believe your dog has an ear infection, schedule a visit with your veterinarian. Along with the scent and waxy buildup, other typical symptoms include head shaking and pawing at the ear.
Contact your veterinarian right away if you have any concerns about your dog's health or if you have any queries. Keep in mind that your dog may not always be able to alert you to problems. Do not delay in setting up a checkup if you notice a symptom that makes you wonder about your pet's health.