Dog Health Problems: Signs There Might be A Health Problem

Dog and puppy owners need to be sure they understand a few dog health problems basics so they can help their pets if by chance they contract one of the common dog health problems. An oldtime belief, still held onto by many people, is that if their dog has a cold and wet nose, the dog is healthy. The plain truth here is that no one can tell with any scientific certainty from how cold or wet a dog’s nose is, whether or not the dog has any hereditary heart issues, parasites, worms, deafness or any other health condition.

Pet owners should totally repudiate such beliefs that have no scientific basis and instead pay strict attention to the physical condition of their dog in general making sure they regularly check for disease symptoms or signs in the eyes, teeth, ears, mouth and skin regions. On top of that, the dog owner should be responsible enough to provide all the care and attention that their dogs need including proper nutrition, preventative medicine and good grooming to ensure that their pets will be in good and healthy condition for years to come.   

Symptoms of Dog Health Problems

There are several dog health symptoms that signify certain canine health problems and particular diseases. Dog owners need to make sure they are familiar with symptoms of potential dog health problems so they can take quick action and avoid bigger problems later on.

* Your dog’s fur needs to be fluffy, soft and shiny. If your dog has a wiry coat, the strands should spring back up whne touched and should be thick. Breeds with double coats should have no indication of thinning on the undercoats.

* Redness, sores, scabs, scales, flakes, lumps and growths on the dog’s skin can be signs of health problems. Its importatn that both your dog’s fur and skin remain free of parasites – little organisms like fleas or ticks or mites. Frequent scratching or even biting of the skin is an indication of potential parasites.

* Just like people, if your dog’s eyes are bright and shiny, this is a good healthy sign. In dogs, there is an area in the eyes particularly in the perimeter of the eyeballs that should always have a health pink color. This region is called the conjunvtiva and if its pale in color, this could mean some hidden health challenges. Its important that there be no abnormal discharges from the eyes, especially no greenish or yellow fluids.

* A foul smell or bloody discharge from your dog’s ears means something is not right with your dog’s health. Its important to keep the ears clean and free of parasites like mange mites.

* Gums that have a healthy pink color which may contain some black pigmentation is a sign of good health. Pale colored gums can be a sign or symptom of anemia. Sore looking red gums that bleed could be sending you the signal that you dog has a peridontal problem while emphasizing that your dog has some health issues with really bad breath.

* Going back to the age-old belief on the dog’s nose, a healthy dog normally has a cold and wet nose but this should be caused only by clear and watery discharges that are common in dogs. If your dog has a bad smeling and icky colored discharge coming form the nose, you need to have your dog looked at right away. Such discharges in young pups can be a sign of canine distemper and may prove to be fatal.

A few other things that indicate a healthy dog are the weight – normal for the breed, body temperature – dogs get fevers just like children, and how the urine and feces look and smell. The most important thing is to understand these symptoms of dog health problems so that the minute you spot something out of the ordinary, you can take action right away.