No products in the cart.
HEALTHY
Giving Your Dog a Thorough Home Check-up
“ An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. ” Dogs, like people, need routine medical examination to stay goodly. Since dogs age more quickly than people, they need well-health check-ups not once, but twice a year. So, they actually need “ two ounces ” of prevention. To in truth stay on circus tent of things, you can you can give your frank a promptly and slowly home examination between scheduled veterinarian visits. It is best to perform the examination when your andiron is relaxed, so catching him right before an afternoon napoleon may be just the ticket. Do your examination in a quiet area of the house barren of distractions that might make your dog jittery.Here is how to perform an at-home physical exam on your dog, from nose to tail:
Gaze into those loving eyes. The whites ( sclera ) of the eyes should be white, not yellow or bloodshot. The cornea should be clear, not cloudy. The pupils should be the lapp size in both eyes. The eyes should be damp, but there should be no discharge or sludge present. Your frank should blink easily without squinting. There should be no swellings on the eyelids. The eyelid margins should be straight, not curling in or out.
Be nosy. Look at your frump ’ mho nose and answer these questions. Is it running ? Is it dry or cracking ? Are the nostrils crusty ? Are there sores deliver ? Any ‘ yes ’ answers indicate trouble. Is it the normal coloring material ? ( tip : Most noses are black ). Get an ear full. Look at the auricle flaps and note any abrasions or sores. Look down the ear canal for red, impressionable debris, or drain. You will not be able to see very far, but sometimes problems are readily apparent with a quick glance. If your frank ’ mho ears smell curious, they may be infected by bacteria or yeast, or infested by ear mites. Make him smile. Retract your frump ’ sulfur lips into a smile and look at the tooth and gums. The gums should be pink and release of bumps and ulcers. The tooth should be egg white. excess tatar will make tooth look yellow or embrown. Note any easy or better teeth. A fetid mouthpiece may indicate periodontic disease. Make certain there is no food matter, bits of debris, or wads of hair wedged between the teeth, lodged on the roof of the talk, or caught under the tongue. Examine the lips for ulcers or cracks.
“A smelly mouth may indicate periodontal disease.”
Give him a hug. Feel under your cad ’ second jaw for lumps and bumps, which could indicate enlarged lymph nodes or salivary glands. Run your hands down the neck to the chest, feeling for lumps, bumps, or crusted lesions. Give your dog a massage. Continue running your hands down the pawl ’ sulfur breast, over his spinal column, and under his belly. Note any skin abnormalities. Look for fleas and ticks while you are at it. Massage each leg from top to bottom with the like thorough overture. Feel under the movement leg, the groin sphere, and behind the knees for polish swellings that could be enlarged lymph nodes.
Have a heart. Place your hands on both sides of your cad ’ second chest and feel his heart beat. His heart rate should be 70-120 beats/minute with a regular rhythm method of birth control. Respirations should be politic and virtually effortless. Belly up. Place one hand on either english of your dog ’ second abdomen and press lightly, moving from front to back. You may not be able to identify abdominal abnormalities, but you should note any sign of trouble. Roll him over and examine his abdomen for hide lesions. Check the mammary glands of both female and male dogs for lumps or bumps. Check the penis and cocktail dress of male dogs for inflammation or exhaust. Look under the tail at the female ’ mho vulva and note any inflammation or dispatch. Have a little back bone. Pressing hard on the spinal column, run your hand from the neck to the tail and note any signs of trouble. Check the fag end for bark lesions or annoyance american samoa well. Tickle those tootsies. Lie your chase on his slope and cautiously examine the hand. Are the pads cracked or torn ? Are the nails excessively long ? Is there swelling or red between the toes ? Is there a moldy olfactory property ? Size your dog up. Assess your pawl ’ s overall body condition. Have your andiron stand up. Run your hands gently down the sides of the thorax. You should be able to feel individual rib without pressing besides hard unless your frank has a thick fat slog. now look at your chase from above. Girls and boys should have a nice, visible, bosomy shank line. ( note : Some breeds, like Bulldogs, will not have a small waist but should have a narrowing behind their ribcage. ) Look at your frump from the slope. The stomach should tuck or curve upwards. Overweight dogs or aged dogs with decrease muscle tone may have sagging bellies.
Take in the whole picture. Is your dog felicitous and alert ? Does he hear you when you call him ? Does he walk without limp, taking retentive strides ? Can he lie down and rise up again with ease ? Or is he drooping and slow to respond ? Does he walk with short steps ? Does he lie down gingerly and struggle to get up ? Does he eat his food quickly or pick at it ? Does he have vomiting or diarrhea ? Does he strain to urinate or defecate ? Is he enjoying life ? hopefully the answer to the last interrogate is a great, boastfully “ YES ! ” and you can help him enjoy life for a long time by being a conscientious positron emission tomography owner who performs at-home physical exams monthly. Picking up on problems cursorily makes them easier to remedy. And you know your cad better than anyone, so you will recognize any changes in his physical condition right away. If “ an ounce of prevention is worth a impound of cure ”, you will make a good investment by examining your pawl.