10 Conditions When You Must Take Your Dog To A Vet

For many amongst us, the dog is a part of the extended family. And this extended member is also on many occasions our best friend to whom we can confide our secrets and sorrows, with the assurance that it won’t judge us. Our size or skin color doesn’t matter to him; what matters to him is the faith and affection between him and us. It might take some time before you can win the trust of your dog, especially if it has been adopted, but once you have won its trust, it will never give up on you. And aren’t they therapeutic!

If you have a dog at home, I am pretty sure that you have a much better life compared to someone who doesn’t own any pets. This fact has been scientifically proven. Also, what better companion than a dog for your morning stroll; it won’t nag you like your wife/husband does for disturbing his sleep or taking him for a hike in a chilly winter morning. It will in fact be the other way round, with it taking the lead and you huffing and puffing to catch up with it.

But all the good associated with your dog can come to an end if he suffers some serious ailment and you aren’t conscious enough to treat it on time. A problem with being a dog is that, despite all its good intentions and loyalty, it can’t verbally tell you if it is suffering from any ailment or injury. Yes, there are some illnesses that are easily identifiable, but then there is also an equally large number of stuff that isn’t readily visible. So, you must rely on the symptoms, if any, to check if there is a problem. In case you find an anomaly, it is necessary to take corrective measures.

A few health issues can be easily dealt with and you may not need to go to a vet, but for others don’t wait for the condition to deteriorate. Contact your area vet immediately and follow his advice.

Here we have put together a list of situations when you mustn’t delay in taking an appointment with the vet:

Your dog is not breathing normally

Troubled and laboured breathing in dogs, medically referred to as Dyspnea, is a serious condition that may be caused by a foreign element getting stuck in the dog’s throat, allergy, or heart and pulmonary diseases. If you find that something is stuck in its throat, you must tread with caution, as sometimes trying to be more proactive may mean that the element only gets deeper into the body of the dog which may prove to be fatal. In such cases and the two other mentioned it is better if you consult a vet immediately and seek his help.

Frequent seizures

Seizures mainly occur if there is a neurological condition, and is quite common in dogs. If it has never happened before with your dog and it is the first instance, you must take him to a vet immediately. The telltale signs that are associated with seizures include violent shaking and tremors, passing out, and in some instances the dog losing control over bowel and urinary control. Epilepsy is the main reason behind dogs having seizures, but the good thing is, not all seizures is life threatening. You need to be concerned though if your dog suffers multiple seizures within 24 hours.

In addition to this, you should also look for other neurological abnormalities in your pet. If there is a neurological problem with your dog, then he looks more lethargic and he will show signs of disorientation and become unresponsive. It is noted that some severe neurological disorders even lead to coma. So, if you get the slightest hint that you dog is behaving in improper way, you better take him to a vet.

Common allergy like Atopic Dermatitis

Canine Atopic dermatitis is one of the common allergies that are often caused in dogs by airborne allergens (dust mites or pollen), yeast or bacterial infections of the skin, and allergens from the parasites (fleas, etc.). The allergy symptoms show up on your dog’s skin. If your dog is affected by this medical condition, he will lick, bite, chew, rub, or scratch at his muzzle, feet, groin, ears, or armpits, causing hair loss, and thickening and reddening of the skin. Therefore, when your dog shows such signs of allergy it is better to take him to the vet. This allergy is completely curable with diagnosis at an early stage

Bloat, making life a living hell for your dog

If your dog is showing restlessness, panting and is not able to rest in a place comfortably, chances are that it is afflicted with bloat. It is life threatening condition and needs immediate medical attention. Other symptoms associated with bloat include unsuccessful attempts to vomit, and abdominal distension. In the latter, the abdomen of the dog grows out of proportion causing a sense of nausea; it may also be bogged down by pain and cramping from the condition. Considering how threatening bloat is, don’t make the mistake of taking it lightly.

Severe lack of energy or collapse

If your dog is showing profound weakness, it may be because of internal bleeding (generally a condition called hemoabdomen), cardiac related issues, anaphylactic shock, poisoning, and on certain occasions even organ failure. Each of these conditions can be fatal, so even the minutest hint must be the trigger for you to consult a vet

Trauma in any form

A freak accident, wounds inflicted by some cruel human being or sustained from fight with other dogs or animals, may cause trauma in the dog and are normally cases of serious emergencies. Sometimes there are no visible marks on the dog and he may appear unharmed prima facie, but there may be internal injuries that you have to look out for. Monitor the well-being of the dog closely and if you notice that there might something that looks like an internal injury, dial your area vet immediately

Diarrhoea and Vomiting

Not all cases of vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs are serious as they may be caused by something as simple as a stomach upset, read gastritis. But a protracted condition definitely cannot be neglected and points to a serious ailment. Also, the condition causes dehydration as necessary fluid is lost. If the discharge contains strains of blood, all the more reason to send for the vet immediately.

Difficulty while urinating

This condition arises if there is an inflation of the bladder. It is not a life-threatening condition, but at the same time the condition is severely painful and causes intense discomfort to the dog. Sometimes the urinary tract is blocked by bladder stones, which again is very painful. If you don’t want your dog to suffer, get the sound advice of a vet.

Apathy towards food and drink

Missing a meal every now and then is no big deal, for he may be in a foul mood or have had meal somewhere you don’t know where. But skipping meals frequently can’t be ignored and there must be a reason behind it. Also, not drinking water can cause dehydration, which may complicate matters. So, you better ask a vet to diagnose the problem.

Coughing

This may not look like a serious condition to warrant a vet at first sight, but what if your dog has caught pneumonia or is exposed to rat bait. You can’t overlook the dangers posed by these conditions and a vet is the best bet to treat these conditions. A kennel cough, on the other hand, is a relatively harmless condition and so you can afford to take it easy.