Our pets are more than just pets and quickly become a part of the family. When our pets are not feeling well, it is even more difficult because they cannot tell us what is wrong. Rescue dogs may come with their own particular concerns. When it comes to rescue dog health problems, they may be even harder to diagnose because you do not know their history.
No matter the age of your pet, you play a critical role in helping your pet feel better and stay healthy. Your animal cannot tell you their symptoms. Even though your pet cannot tell you what is wrong with them, but they show you other signs of what might be wrong with them. When you are aware of your rescue dog health problems and the signs of common diseases, it helps you reduce the risk that your pet faces.
Body Language
You are used to your pet and their personalities. You are most likely to notice when there is something different or ‘off’ with your pet. This is what makes it important to pay attention. This is especially true when it comes to rescue dog health problems. It is not unusual for pets, especially dogs, to hide their symptoms at first. There is thought that it is an instinct of dogs to hide their illness as a way to protect themselves, especially in the wild. Dogs do not have a fear of death, so they do not have that emotional response to being sick. This means that the body language your dog displays may be subtle.
Physical Signs of Illness in Dogs
If your rescue dog health problems have symptoms such as these, you should visit your favorite animal doctor immediately. These symptoms include pale or blue gums, difficultly breathing, or unresponsiveness. If your dog is not able to walk, has a bloated abdomen, is attempting to vomit, but nothing comes up. If you do have severe wounds, seizures, or is bleeding, you should visit a vet hospital. If your pet has severe diarrhea, loss of consciousness, acute pain, or a body temperature over 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Potentially Less Serious Signs
There are other symptoms that are less serious than your dog may exhibit. If you see any of these rescue dog health problems, you should take your dog for pet medical care soon. It does not have to be done immediately, but you should visit the vet soon. These symptoms include changes in appetite, bad breath, gaining or losing weight, and weakness. Your dog may have mild diarrhea, mild vomiting, minor wounds, sores, and anxiety. If your dog is drooling, has increased drinking, or has excessive urination, you should see a vet. If your dog is scratching excessively, has itchy or dry skin, nasal congestion, dizziness, or moderate pain.
Vomiting and Diarrhea
While vomiting and diarrhea are common rescue dog health problems, they are not always mild. There are times when they can be life threatening. This can be caused by changing the diet of your pet. It may also be caused by motion sickness, an infection, or eating trash. If your dog vomits once, it is not a significant problem. You can watch your dog for any symptoms and give it a bland diet. However, if you notice the symptoms are happening multiple times in a 24 hour period, that is more cause for concern. If the vomiting is combined with dry heaving, weakness, and no appetite, you should take your dog to the vet.
Increase or Decrease in Urination
Typically when a dog is house trained, they do not urinate in the house without reason. This may be common as a rescue dog health problem. However, there are usually other signs associated with urinating in the house. These symptoms may include straining to urinate, blood in the urine, or an increase or decrease in urine. If you have an older dog, and you notice these signs, you should pay attention. It could mean there is a problem with the kidneys or the dog has diabetes. If your dog has bloody urine, it could mean your dog has a blood problem, cancer, bladder stones, or a urinary tract infection.
Appetite Loss
Your dog has its own eating habits, which may include eating more on some days than on others. There are many reasons why your dog may stop eating, especially when combined with bad breath. One of these reasons could be that your dog has a problem with its teeth, such as dental disease. This means that you need to visit a dental clinic or receive some type of orthodontic service. If these symptoms last for longer than a day or are associated with other symptoms, such as weakness, vomiting, and lethargy. You could attempt to feed your dog steak to see if it will eat that. If you feed them steak in moderation, it can be an excellent part of your dog’s balanced diet that is rich in iron, protein, minerals, and nutrients.
Change in Drinking Pattern
When you see that your rescue dog health problems include drinking less water than what is typical when your dog drinks less water means that your dog is not feeling well, has hormone issues, kidney disease, or diabetes. You should monitor how much water your dog is drinking, and if your dog is drinking more or less water, you want to ensure your dog is urinating as much as it is drinking.
Personality Changes
When you have rescue dog health problems, and they are in pain, it can change their behavior. You may see that your dog has a drop in activity or an increase in lethargy. Your otherwise social dog may begin to withdraw when it does not feel well. You may see your dog become aggressive, growl, and snap at people or other dogs. This could be a problem when your dog is in day care. These behaviors may get worse when you get close to the place on the dog where it is hurt. On the other hand, your dog may become clingy or show neediness. You should watch your dog for other symptoms, which may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or lameness.
Stiffness and Lameness
Among the rescue dog health problems, you may find stiffness and lameness. There could be a number of reasons why your dog is having difficultly with stiffness. This includes trouble walking or limping caused by arthritis, hip dysplasia, infections, or joint problems. Your pet may have a broken bone that causes these problems. If the symptoms are mild, your dog may need to rest to alleviate the symptoms. Your dog may benefit from in home physical therapy to help with the pain. If the pain gets worse or does not seem to get better, you may need to visit the vet for the pain. Depending on what happens with the hip or problem area, you may find that your dog may benefit from prosthetic service.
Breathing Trouble
If you see that your dog is having difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, or nasal discharge. These are signs that your dog may have a respiratory problem. Some additional symptoms may show that the dog has a minor cold, canine flu, heart failure, or kennel cough. If your dog is making a honking noise, it could indicate that there has been a tracheal collapse, which is fairly common in smaller breeds. If your pet is having these types of breathing problems, it could mean extensive problems that require a visit to the vet. You may begin to notice that your dog is not breathing well and has a blue tint around the tongue and gums. These are considered emergencies, and your dog must be seen immediately. Any of these symptoms should be monitored because they can quickly begin emergencies. This may mean you have to have an emergency visit that comes with a hefty bill. If you receive a large bill from the vet, you may need to consider veterinary practice financing.
Changes in Eyes
If you see any problems with your pet’s eyes, such as runny eyes, red eyes, squinting, or if your pet is holding its eyes closed. Any of these conditions can indicate that your dog has anything from a mild infection to glaucoma. It also could indicate that there could be ulceration of the eye. You may also notice that your pet is rubbing or pawing at its eyes. If so, you should try to prevent this behavior and visit the vet. As your pet rubs its eyes, it may cause severe damage to the eyes. When your pet has these types of problems with its eyes, it may need to wear a collar in addition to using any prescribed medication.
What To Expect?
When your pet is showing signs of illness or some other problem or condition, you need to see a vet or an emergency visit. You should understand what to expect when you take your dog for an emergency visit. First, you can expect to have a physical exam that will help to understand any physical changes. During the exam, the doctor will take the temperature of the dog, listen to the lungs and heart, and then complete a physical exam. This helps the doctor diagnose the concerns and help to provide recommendations.
The vet may also take blood work which includes a complete blood count, thyroid levels, heartworm, biochemical profile, and others. This can help the doctor find conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, infections, anemia, and hepatitis. In addition, X-Rays are an ideal way to diagnose problems like fractures, tumors, and heart failure, just to name a few.
How to Help at Home
When your pup is not feeling great, there are some steps you can take at home to help them feel better. You can provide thick bedding for a pet that is not able to move. If your dog is not moving on its own, you want to turn the dog every hour or so to help prevent pressure sores. You can simply turn your dog from one side to the other.
If your dog is having problems and going to the bathroom inside or leaking urine or feces, you can get puppy pads and put them on top of the bedding. This can help keep the liquids away from your pet. As soon as it becomes soiled, remove it and replace it with a new one. Use a damp clean cloth to keep your dog clean. You want to wipe away feces or urine immediately from the skin and fur. Then make sure the area is dry.
Dressings
If your dog has any type of dressing, check it regularly. Once it has become soiled or wet, change it immediately. You want to monitor your pet’s behavior and write it down. This is important when you are looking for changes in behavior. You can write down items such as no interest in eating or if the condition gets worse. Do not forget to groom your pet during this time. You want to brush your dog gently every day.
When your dog is sick, it can be a stressful and anxious time for you and your pet. However, you can make a large impact on how your dog feels and heals from whatever the condition is. You want to make sure you are paying attention to their behaviors, including whether or not they are eating. Do not hesitate to call the vet. They are there to help you and your pet through those difficult moments. If you are not sure if you should take your pet to the vet based on the symptoms, you should call them and talk through what is happening.