Sick dogs and cats, Pt. 2

Now for part 2 of how to spot that your fur kid might have some serious health issues going on. We talked about lack of an appetite, decreased activity. Going hand in hand (or paw to paw for those who favor bad puns) with not eating is a loss of weight. Assuming you don't have them on a diet of course. Losing weight is an issue but when this is combined with other behavioral issues, it could indicate something serious. A friend of mine who recently lost her dog to cancer noticed that her dog wasn't eating...and then dropped weight very suddenly. She took him in shortly after noticing these signs and he was diagnosed with bone cancer. Fortunately he didn't suffer much but sometimes if you catch something early enough, you can give them a fighting chance.

Another sign is a sudden change in how much water they drink. Drinking more water is often associated with a few diseases including kidney disease (which we lost our last bully too) and diabetes mellitus. If you notice that your dog or cat is drinking a lot more water, see your veterinarian.

Yet another sign is not grooming. Dogs and cats that don't feel well don't groom themselves. Or you may notice a dull lusterless coat. If your pet's coat changes, have him/her evaluated by your veterinarian.

The last sign for today is bad breath. Also known as halitosis, bad breath can be the result of dental disease as well as other metabolic disorders. Dental disease is the #1 disease in dogs. If not treated it can lead to many other metabolic diseases that cn shorten your dog's and cat's life.

Sick dogs and cats, Pt. 1

One comment I hear from our clients is that they don't know if their dog or cat is sick. I generally remind them that any behavior that is out of the ordinary for their animal can be an indication that something is wrong.

I will review the signs that I see/hear about most often and almost all of them I have observed in my animals.

One of the most common signs is when an animal loses its appetite. This is usually the first time that owners will notice that something is amiss. As I mentioned earlier, when a routine differs, this will indicate an issue. For example, our oldest bully gets fed one cup in the morning, one at night. Several times in the last month he looks at his food, sniffs it, then walks away. And we know that his stomach is upset: typically he gets into something outside and eats it upsetting that tender bully gastrointestinal track. Feed your pets at regular time frames, maintain that consistency and it will be easier to spot a problem earlier.

Sometimes running parallel with the loss of appetite is a less active than normal pet. When Bishop's stomach bothers him, he is also a bit subdued and not his normal effervescent upbeat bull. Again, when he is quiet, we start looking a little closer. Try not to confuse this with a dog that is simply getting older when they naturally become less active.