How to Determine if Your Dog is Sick

A sick dog concerns every family member.

Like many animals, canines often hide symptoms of disease until the illness has progressed to the serious stage. When a dog is part of your family, you want to protect it, keep it healthy and give it the best life possible while it is with you. Dog owners should learn what signs to watch for to tell if their pet is in the early stages of illness when veterinary treatment can still help, and before having to make a decision that can bring heartache to the family.

Things You'll Need

• Digital thermometer
• Personal lubricant or petroleum jelly

Instructions

1. Check your dog's temperature rectally using a digital thermometer and a personal lubricant or petroleum jelly, allowing the thermometer to stay in place for a full minute to get an accurate reading. Normally, the temperature should read between 100 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. If it reads less than 99 degrees or more than 104 degrees, you pet needs to see a veterinarian as soon as possible.

2. Feel your dog's heart rate by placing your hand on the left side of its chest just underneath its elbow. Tally the number of heartbeats for 15 seconds and multiply by four to get the heart rate per minute. The hearts of small dogs typically beat 120 to 160 beats per minute. A dog more than 30 pounds will have a heart rate of 60 to 120 beats per minute, with larger dogs exhibiting slower rates. If your dog's heart rate is higher or lower than normal, consult your vet.

3. Calculate your pet's respiratory rate per minute by counting the number of breaths for 15 seconds and multiplying by four. Healthy dogs breathe from 10 to 30 times a minute and can pant 200 times a minute. A change in how your dog breathes -- going from normal chest expansions with no effort to gasping and loud, difficult, open-mouthed breathing -- indicates a veterinary emergency.

4. Notice if your dog is vomiting or refusing to eat. Vomiting indicates many types of intestinal disorders, ranging from simple digestive upset to poisoning and cancers. Anorexia -- refusing to eat -- points to anything from intestinal impaction or systemic organ disease to simple stress.

5. Observe your pet's bowel movements. Diarrhea can be caused by anxiety, intestinal parasites, inflammatory bowel disease and any number of organ dysfunctions. Constipation is typically a sign of dehydration or sensitivity to certain medications.

6. Pay attention if your dog becomes lethargic or suddenly changes temperament. An active dog that shows signs of exercises intolerance, refuses to move or take on its normal activities may be telling you it is in pain or some kind of distress. A normally placid dog that abruptly becomes aggressive when handled indicates pain or discomfort.

7. Check the skin on your dog periodically for evidence of external parasites, scratches, sores or infections. Any type of hair coat change, such as a loss of hair or a change in the texture, can signify the onset of certain endocrine disorders including Cushing's disease, Addison's disease and hypothyroidism. Feel for any new, previously undiagnosed lumps or bumps.

8. Smell your pet's breath. Bad breath points to dental disease, some cancers and certain organ failures.

9. Inspect the color of your dog's gums. Blue gums and pale gums indicate serious heart and circulatory conditions that require immediate veterinary intervention. Abnormal gum color can also be symptomatic of liver disease and anemia.

10. Weigh your dog to determine if it is losing or gaining a significant amount in a relatively short period of time. Either condition suggests a need for veterinary attention to determine its root cause.

11. Watch your dog urinate. Infrequent urination, pain on urination, blood in the urine or incontinence could be a sign of kidney or bladder disease, cancer or, in the case of male dogs, prostate issues. If your dog is drinking more water, and, consequently urinating more frequently, diabetes mellitus should be considered.

12. Detect when your dog is limping, favoring a leg or foot, refuses to move, finds it difficult to get up the stairs or has difficulty rising from a prone position. These signs can indicate injury, the onset of arthritis or many types of neuromuscular disorders.

13. Listen to the sounds your pet makes. If it whines, cries out or snarls when it is moved or handled, it is telling you that something hurts. Seek an immediate consultation with your veterinarian for a diagnosis and treatment.

Tips & Warnings

• Take your dog's vital signs -- the temperature, pulse and respiration -- when the animal is healthy so you'll have base statistics to look at when you suspect your pet may be ill.

• Ask your veterinarian or veterinary technician to show you how to do this.

• Enroll in a pet first aid course at a veterinary college, animal shelter or American Red Cross chapter near you. You will learn how to perform canine CPR -- cardiopulmonary resuscitation -- in case your pet stops breathing or you can't find a heartbeat.

References

• "Clinical Textbook of Veterinary Technicians"; Dennis McCurnin, DVM, et al.; 2006
• PetPlace.com: What Is Normal in Dogs?
• Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.; Monitoring Your Senior Dog for Signs of Disease; Holly Nash, DVM, MS

Resources

• Univ. of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine: Normal Vital Signs and How to Obtain Them
• Veterinary Emergency & Surgery Hospital: First Aid and Health