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Tag: health

  • A Look at a Dog’s Common Health Warning Signs

    A Look at a Dog’s Common Health Warning Signs

    Your dog can be your jogging mate in the morning before you leave for work but they also play a crucial role in your children’s upbringing by acting as play partners. Dogs are also known to sometimes sleep for hours, but unlike cats, their sleeping tendencies are not as elongated. In fact, extraordinarily long naps can be an indication that something is wrong with your dog. Aside from that tell-tail sign, dogs can neither talk nor show a lot of physical giveaways. Still, you might never know what a simple sneeze or a seemingly simple sprain might signify. As such, it is vital to stay updated on the ways that you use to gain a better understanding of your dog’s health.

    Here are 5 of the easiest-to-read health warning signs from your dog.

    1. Vomiting
      As far as dogs go, vomiting is as healthy as eating their vomit. They often vomit to get rid of something in their digestive systems although there are instances that require immediate medical attention. These include when your dog vomits several times in a row, starts vomiting blood, or has a fever accompanying the dog’s unsettled stomach. In some cases, the vomiting often lead to diarrhea and dehydration.
    2. Sudden Weight Loss
      Even after the holidays when everyone including the dog is trying to shed the weight they accumulated, sudden weight loss is a red flag. While it is normal for an overweight dog to lose weight, anything more than ten percent of its mass could indicate a more severe underlying health condition.
    3. Red or Cloudy Eyes
      Ever wondered why doctors shine a torch on your eyes when you go for a checkup? Well, your eyes can tell a lot about your overall wellbeing. Similarly, a dog’s eyes can be of great help when determining their health. Be on the lookout for red or cloddy eyes especially if they are followed by an excessive squinty discharge.
    4. Overheating
      I bet by now you are surprised by the similarities between the symptoms of sickness there are in human beings are there are in dogs. As one of them, overheating can lead to difficulties in breathing in dogs due to their facial outlook. However, while this needs to be facilitated by external factors such a hot car interior, internal overheating or fever should prompt you to seek immediate medical attention.
    5. Sensitivity to Touch
      Most dogs have been separated from their families after an unexpected, rough touch triggered a natural and violent reaction due to pain. Dogs are never sensitive to touch.  If anything they like being touched just as much as they like licking your face. As such, sensitivity to touch can mean inflammation, gastric torsion, or bloat. This sign is easy to read especially for people who own dogs that love rolling around for a belly rub every time they walk into a room.

    Other tell-tale signs include lumps on the dog’s body, scooting ears, an unusual appetite, and excessive thirst.

    SOURCES: Petful, Health Line

    COPYRIGHT: Local Value

     

     

  • February is National Cat Health Month

    February is National Cat Health Month

    We all know that February is the month of love. It is that time of the year when we take the time off our busy schedules and spend some quality time with our loved ones. In similar tandem, it is only fair if you extend the same ‘agape’ love to your kitty friend. And no, you don’t have to buy them a bouquet of roses, a bottle of wine or a bar of chocolates to match. But what’s a better way of showing some warmth and love to your pet than by scheduling a visit to your the local vet in the spirit of marking the National Cat Health Month?

    What’s more, the second month of the year is also the official National Prevent a Litter Month. Under this program, local vets will be running special appointments for pet owners who need their new feline altered to help curb the growing problem of pet overpopulation. And did you also know that sterilization can also tone down your beloved pet’s urge to prowl or wander around? It has also been proven to be the panacea to several types of common feline cancers.

    And as you plan to have them altered, next month is also a good time to have their pearly whites checked. In case you didn’t know this, over 70% of purring pals develop symptoms of periodontal diseases before the age of three. And, unfortunately, most of this cases go unnoticed as pet owners rarely pay any attention to a cat’s choppers. However, this is the month to get into the habit of regularly checking your feline friend’s breath, gums, and teeth for any tell-tale signs of an anomaly.

    Lastly, in the spirit of promoting healthy living even to our feline companions, February is the best time of integrating a comprehensive weight loss program to their daily feeding log. In other words, this is the month on the calendar when we spare some time to take our pets for that annual visit to the vet that somehow always seems to escape our mind.

    COPYRIGHT: Local Value