Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Is Your Dog Hiding an Illness from You?

By Dirk Gruenberg


Dogs avoid letting you know when they don't feel well, but you can learn how to tell if a dog is sick. Throughout history, it was necessary for a dog's survival to never show weakness in the pack.

Back then, dogs only showed their symptoms openly, when they simply could not hide them anymore. Why am I telling you this? Well, it means that you cannot expect your dog to let it on when he is sick - you will have to figure it out for yourself

Sometimes dogs just have minor issues. They might vomit and feel much better immediately. However, if the issue is not minor like that, your dog will be much, much better off, if you recognize the signs and initiate appropriate treatment immediately.

So if you know how to tell if your dog is sick, you will be able to get him treated that much faster, which will definitely be an advantage.

One of the most common ways to know that something is not right with your dog is a drastic change in his eating or drinking habits. For example, if your dog used to drink a lot of water, and then he suddenly barely drinks any, something might be off.

Along the same lines, his eating pattern can also let you know if something is wrong. Imagine your dog usually eating a lot and one day leaving his bowl half full - clearly something would be up.

Additionally, if your dog loves treats as much as most dogs do, it would be conspicuous if, one day, he stopped caring for them altogether.

Of course, sometimes dogs do vomit or have diarrhea, and it is not a big deal. That happens. Often the problem takes care of itself; but despite that, please do not take these incidences too lightly.

And here is one more symptom - which must never be taken lightly: blood in urine. If you ever see blood in your dog's urine, make sure to take him to the vet as soon as possible. This symptom goes way beyond a warning sign.




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