How Do I Know When to Call My Veterinarian?

Is My Pet Sick???

Knowing When to Call your Veterinarian is crucial to your pet's health. Review the list below if you think your pet is displaying symptoms of illness or injury. Learning what to watch for can keep your pet happy and healthy.

Study the following ABC’s of When to Call Your Veterinarian.

How Do I Know When to Call My Veterinarian?

The ABC's of When to Call Your Veterinarian:

APPETITE CHANGE – Loss of appetite, refusing to eat, or eating more or less than usual.

BLEEDING – Bleeding from body part or blood in the urine or stool.

CONVULSIONS – Shaking of the body or head, staring spells, twitching of body parts. 

DIARRHEA – Diarrhea that lasts more than 24 hours, repeated episodes of loose stool over a period of hours, or persistent loose stools for more than 24 hours. 

EYE PROBLEMS – Redness, discharge, squinting. 

FLEAS – Scratching, itching, visible fleas (fleas can cause tapeworm infection and/or dermatologic problems) 

GLANDS – Anal glands (on each side of the anus) swollen, or if your pet is scooting its rear on the carpet. 

HOT SPOTS – Areas where your pet continues to lick, hair loss is evident, and the pet will not leave the area alone. 

ITCHING – Excessive scratching and itching. 

JAUNDICE – Yellowing of the whites of the eyes, skin inside the ears, or of the gums. 

KENNEL COUGH – Excessive coughing or upper respiratory symptoms that may sometimes start after a kennel stay, grooming appointment or other unknown dog exposure. 

LETHARGY - No energy, does not want to play, cannot tolerate exercise. 

LUMPS/BUMPS – Any new lumps or bumps. These should be examined and monitored for growth; if concerning, samples will be sent to the lab for investigation. 

MAMMARY ABNORMALITIES – Lumps, bumps or discharge of the mammary glands. 

NEUROPATHY – Stumbling or an awkward or unsteady gait. 

ORAL LESIONS – Wounds or lesions in the mouth, or foul/bad breath. 

PAIN – Limping, crying, yelping when touched or picked up; heavy breathing or panting can also be signs of pain. 

QUIET – Lethargic, exercise intolerance, no energy, not acting normally. 

REDNESS – Redness of the skin or any particular body part. 

SNEEZING/COUGHING – Persistent sneezing or coughing or difficulty breathing. 

THIRST – Increased thirst or drinking of water, unquenchable thirst. 

URINATING INAPPROPRIATELY – Increased frequency of urinating, urinating in the wrong places, inability to urinate, or acting painful when urinating. 

VOMITING – Any repeated vomiting, very frequent over one day, or intermittently over a period of a few days. 

WEIGHT LOSS – Rapid or noticeable weight loss over a short period of time. 

X-RAY – Any blunt force trauma should be followed up with x-rays. 

YEASTY SMELL – Ears or skin with a yeasty or pungent odor, tilting of the head or excessive shaking of the head. 

ZOONOSES – Spotting worms in stool or vomit, diarrhea, or small worms near the anus that look like grains of rice.

PLEASE CALL US IF YOUR PET DISPLAYS ANY OF THE ABOVE SYMPTOMS. EARLY DETECTION AND TREATMENT HASTENS RECOVERY.

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