How To Give Your Dog A Health Check

Giving your dog a health check at home, at regular intervals, can alert you to potential health problems. Your dog can't tell you when he is ill or in pain except through his appearance or behavior. Pay close attention to changes in his body or behavior and get veterinary care when it is necessary to keep your beloved companion happy and healthy.

Schedule your dog's health check during his regular grooming sessions. Start grooming your dog regularly, if you aren't! These sessions can familiarize you with your dog's normal physical condition so you can catch problems early

Skin and Coat

All dogs shed, some more than others, but should not have excessive hair loss with the exception of seasonal shedding periods. Poor health is often apparent in a dog's coat. Bald patches, reddened skin, scabs, flakiness and other poor skin conditions can indicate health problems or allergies. Dogs can be allergic to many of the same things as humans are, but they react to allergens through changes in their skin, not usually with respiratory symptoms.

While you are bathing or brushing your dog, run your fingers through his fur opposite the direction of its growth. Part the fur and check for ticks, signs of flea infestations or skin problems. Some dogs are more sensitive to fleas (actually, the fleas' saliva) than other dogs, and just one flea may cause a sensitive dog to become extremely itchy. Excessive scratching can create secondary bacterial skin infections, misery for your dog, and big vet bills for you.

Ears

Once you've examined the coat, begin your health check of your dog at its head, and work your way back. Using a penlight, look into your dog's ear canals. The lining should be a healthy pink color. Redness, crustiness, scabs and swelling may indicate an ear infection from excess earwax buildup or a foreign body (usually plant matter) in the ear canal. Ear mites will create a black, waxy coating in the ear, which can be treated with veterinary OTC medicines.

Never use a cotton swab or other object to reach inside your dog's ears, or you risk popping an eardrum. Excess ear wax may be cleaned out by putting a teaspoon of slightly warmed light olive oil in the ear and massaging the ear canal. Let the dog remove the oil and dissolved wax himself by shaking it out (but move your dog to an appropriate spot first!).

Dogs who roam in fields and woods often get bits of foxtail in their ears. It's best to let your veterinarian remove these barbed foxtails from the ears so you don't accidentally do further damage.

Eyes

Your dog's eyes should be clear and bright, without cloudiness, mucous, or ulcers on the surface of the cornea. Some dog breeds have a tendency to have "runny" eyes, but the discharge should not be excessive. Squinty eyes may mean that your dog is in pain. Consult your veterinarian if you notice any changes in the condition of your dog's eyes.

Nose

A healthy dog's nose will be cool, moist, and free from crustiness. However, some dogs normally have warm, dry noses. Know what is normal for your dog.

Teeth and gums

Excessive "doggie breath" is not normal and can indicate that your dog is having dental problems, or even kidney or digestive disorders. Check your dog's teeth by gently pulling his gums back from his teeth. The gums should be a healthy pink color. Press against your dog's gums with your finger. The spot should blanche and then return to its normal pink color in a healthy dog.

Your dog's teeth should be white and free from sticky, yellow plaque and black tartar. Dogs don't get cavities often, but are susceptible to gum disease and tooth loss when plaque and tartar are allowed to build up and create infection. A severe periodontal infection may even threaten your dog's life. If your dog isn't trained to have his teeth brushed, break him in gradually by just rubbing doggy toothpaste (human toothpaste isn't dog-safe) along his gums with your finger. The upper back teeth are the most prone to plaque buildup, so if he only lets you brush his back teeth at first, you're doing well to concentrate on that area of his mouth.

Feet and Legs

Rub your hands down each of your dog's legs and feet, checking for lumps, cuts, swelling, or signs of pain. Check between the toes of your dog's paws for burrs, foxtails, and other bits of plants, especially if your dog is allowed to roam in fields and woods.

General Body Condition

Rub your hands down your dog's sides, front to back. You should be able to feel, but not see, his ribs through his coat. If you can't feel his ribs, he may be overweight; if you can see his ribs, he may be ill or underweight. However, some dogs are naturally thin and are healthy even though their ribs show. Weigh your dog each time you give him a physical examination, and record it. Sudden weight gain or loss may be a sign that something's wrong.

Lift the loose skin on your dog's neck and let it go. If your dog is well-hydrated, the skin will feel soft and pliable and spring back into the dog's neck. Dehydrated, the skin will feel stiff and take some time returning to its original place. Dehydration may be a temporary condition brought on by over-exercising or hot weather, in which case your dog will benefit from a cool drink of water. Take your dog to the veterinarian for an evaluation if he appears to be continually dehydrated.

Elimination

Check your dog's anal gland for redness or swelling. Watch your dog eliminate so you're familiar with his regular habits and what his stools usually look like. Sudden changes may mean that your dog has just eaten something that didn't agree with him, but if the irregularities persist more than a day or two your dog may have an illness.

Behavior

You know your dog best, and you can tell when he's just not "acting right." Your docile companion may become snappish, or your playful, active dog won't be enticed to romp. Sudden changes in behavior can mean that your dog is in pain or has some other medical condition, or he may just be stressed out. Dogs are just as affected as the rest of the family by major lifestyle changes such as a new baby in the family or moving to a new home. If you can't attribute your dog's change in behavior to any such event, take him to the vet for a checkup to rule out physical causes.

This article is written for information only, and not meant to replace the advice of your veterinarian.