No matter how careful you are, there will come a time when you dog needs to the vet. If you are of the school that dogs should not have money wasted on them by taking them to a doctor, please stick to goldfish.

At the very least, your dog will need to go to the vet once a year. Rabies vaccines wear off after a year, and it will need to be renewed. If not for your dog’s sake, then for your’s. Rabies is a very contagious disease that can kill you. Death by Rabies is a horrible, painful experience.

Please, spare yourself a painful death, get your dog vaccinated. Almost all areas require all dogs to have a yearly vaccine. So it is not merely life saving, it’s the law. At the annual check-up your vet will also check for any serious problems, answer all your questions and give your dog heartworm prevention. You can also obtain flea prevention at this time. Many vets will happily send you reminders when it is time to bring your dog into the office.

Aside from the yearly examine, there are other signs of illness. These can be either behavioural or physical. If your dog suddenly develops a behaviour issue, this may be a sign of illness. Certain infections can lead to loss of bladder control, causing a house-trained dog to mark in the house. Worms and other parasites can cause diarrhoea. Not wanting to be touched is a pain response. Some dogs will begin to bark excessively when they do not feel good.

If your dog decides that walks are evil, it is probably time to got to the vet. Basically, if your dog starts acting weird, at least call the vet.

Dogs heal many injuries quickly. Most small cuts are not worth a trip to the vet. If you see blood on their coat but can not find the source, do not worry about it. If the cut looks deep or long, your dog may need stitches. There is now a glue available for dogs that can take the place of stitches, so you may have alternatives. Your vet will know what is best for your dog.

If your dog turns a colour, like green, take him to the vet. Yes, I have seen dogs swell up and turn green. It is an emergency. Go to an all night clinic if you have to.

If your dog starts throwing up and shaking, give him a liquid antihistamine first. Most of the time this is a sign that your dog ate something that he was allergic to. Some dogs are dumpster divers. If you have one of these, just keep a bottle of antihistamines on hand. If that hasn’t helped after an hour, you need to go to the vet. Dogs have a different digestion than ours, that can clean itself better. It may be messy but at least your dog will live.

If your dog starts walking funny but does not appear to be in much pain, then it is probably a genetic disorder. Unless it becomes severe, there is nothing that the vet can do. So just accept your dog the way he is. Do not breed him. What might be a slight limp in one generation can become a knee bent backward in the next. Do not torture your dog’s puppies.

For all other situations, call your vet and follow their advice. Your vet is not so busy as to see your dog unnecessarily. Your local pet trainer may also be able to help. Whatever you do, do not just ignore it. Remember, your dog does feel pain.


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Author: National Missing Pets Register

Definitely, a professional help has never let anyone down before. You would think that you know everything about your pet but there will always be symptoms of illnesses that we won't notice without the vet's help.