4th September 2008

Signs Of Illness

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If your pet is ill you need to know whether to call the vet or treat them yourself. Here’s a quick checklist to help you decide what’s an emergency.

Not eating is one of the first symptoms of disease or illness in pets, but there are a number of other important signs you should recognise as important signs of illness. These signs can be non-specific and can be caused by many different diseases.

1. Sleeping more – sleeping more can also be associated with lethargy. Dogs sleep an average of 13 to 16 hours each day depending on the age and personality of the individual dog. If you notice your dog is sleeping a lot more than he used to, don’t assume it is just age. Make sure that this is not an underlying disease or illness.
2. Being less involved in social interaction with you or your other animals. Pets that don’t feel well don’t tend to play or be as social with you.
3. Drooling – drooling or hyper-salivation can be associated with oral or dental diseases and should be evaluated by your vet.
4. Vomiting – Gagging or vomiting is a very common sign of illness. Some pets will vomit occasionally. Vomiting that occurs once a week or less frequently is generally not considered a big problem if your animal is otherwise healthy, maintaining his weight and having normal bowel movements. However, if you pet is vomiting on a regular basis or is losing weight this could be an indication of a serious problem.
5. Difficulty breathing – trouble breathing is a very severe sign of illness. It is often caused by an underlying heart or lung disorder. Difficult breathing can be noted as increased respiratory rate or effort, open mouth breathing, or a posture in which the arms are slightly abducted and your pet’s neck is extended. This is a life-threatening emergency.
6. Diarrhoea – Loose stools can be caused by dietary problems, allergies and other gastrointestinal diseases.
7. Coughing – coughing is a serious symptom and should be evaluated when it occurs.
8. Bloody urine – This can be a sign of urinary tract disease or infection in animals. It should be evaluated immediately. Keep an eye out for frequent attempts to urinate as well.

Of course you want the best for you pet. This means paying attention to behaviour and watching for abnormal symptoms. In addition, we recommend pet insurance in case some unexpected illness or accident does happen. This will help you have the financial peace of mind in case your pet becomes sick.