3. Keep an Eye on Their Walking
When you’re out on walks, watch the way your dog moves when he walks and runs. Does he/she ever seem stiff? Overly tired? Or have a limp? Coughing and excessive panting may also indicate problems. Again, if it seems out of the ordinary take your dog to your vet.
4. Check Their Weight
Obesity is the cause of a huge number of problems in dogs and of course, should be avoided. Keep your dog on a steady, well balanced diet. If things start to get out of control, seek advice sooner rather than later.
5. Monitor Their Toilet Habits
Diarrhea, constipation, blood and mucus are the four things to look out for in your pooch’s stool. Similarly if the urine looks dark, cloudy or blooded then this should be cause for concern. Keep an eye on the regularity of your dogs toilet habits and make sure the appearance is consistent.
6. Check Their Mouth
Check the mouth for anything out of the ordinary. Gums should be pink, so darker/redder patches may indicate a problem. Check for growths and lumps, and make sure that the teeth are clear and that none are loose. Check the tongue for cuts and sores. Unusually bad breath could be an indication of digestive problems.
9. Check Their Feet
Examine your dogs feet for any cuts, grazes or growths. Long nails can sometimes cause problems and should be trimmed, either with dog clippers or a file. Be careful when cutting/trimming your dogs nails as this can sometimes cause bleeding.
10. Check Their Ears
Finally, check your dogs ears for wax-build up, swelling and bad odor. Wax can be removed gently with cotton wool but you should never poke anything directly down your dogs ears. Bad odor or swelling will need the attention of your vet. These 10 basic checks should be performed on a routine basis and doing so will ensure you catch any sign of trouble early on. Remember, if anything looks out of the ordinary consult your vet.
Lewis Waller is the co-founder of Dog Walkers City, the online directory of Dog walkers and sitters that covers the US and the UK.
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