5 Signs Your Dog Is Healthy
Clifton Park pet parents are bombarded daily with TV ads and online news feeds warning them to be on the lookout for scary signs and symptoms of disease and illness in their pets. Our pets seem to be getting cancer almost as much as we are, which is very disturbing.
The Animal Cancer Foundation (ACF) cannot say definitively that the incidence of pet cancer is rising. Yet it does recognize that of the estimated 65 million dogs and the 32 million cats residing in the US, roughly six million new cancer diagnoses are made in dogs and a similar number are made in cats each year. http://acfoundation.org/faqs/.
But how many of us know what to look for to ensure that our pets are actually perfectly healthy? After all, our dogs and cats are masters at hiding pain. And it’s not as if they can verbalize when things aren’t so great.
Here are a five signs your pup is just that — perfectly heathy, according to pet lovers at insidepetsworld.com.
1. Smooth and Supple Skin — Your pooch’s skin is an obvious indication of good health. Proper nutrition and a balanced diet create healthy, glowing skin! Lumps, itchiness, rashes and other skin anomalies should be checked out by your pup’s veterinarian right away!
2. A Shiny and Smooth Coat — Because fur and skin issues are closely related, your pup won’t have a glossy coat without healthy skin. If your dog has bald spots, odors or an oily coat he should see his vet as soon as possible. These symptoms could be signs of stress or an endocrine disorder, to name a few.
3. Clean, Pink Inner Ears — A dog’s ears are indicators of his overall health, according to Best Friend Animal Society. A dog’s ears should be light pink (often pigmented with black in dark-skinned dogs), their risk of disease is low. If your pooch’s ears are swollen or smell bad a trip to the vet is warranted, ASAP!
4. Even, Clear Breathing — A healthy dog’s breathing is clear an even. Frequent coughing or making other unusual sounds should be checked out by a Clifton Park area veterinarian. Coughing and wheezing may be accompanied by a fever and an can be indicative of canine influenza. And always try to calm your pooch if and when he struggles to breathe due to physical exercise or hot, humid weather. When in doubt, get your pooch to a vet immediately!
5. Firm Stool and Normal Urination — I’ve always believed that stools are a sort of barometer for what’s going on in both humans and pets. The folks at insidepetsworld.com confirmed as much in their online article Five Signs Your Pooch Is Perfectly Healthy. In fact, they state that “Your pup’s stool and urine can be considered as one of the best cues that you can use to find out if he is healthy.”
Experts say a healthy dog’s stool is firm without obvious signs of blood, parasites or anomalies. And a healthy dog’s urine is clear or light yellow and not accompanied by a strong or unusual odor. Additionally, if your dog strains when he goes to the bathroom it can be indicative of illness.
Keep in mind that occasional diarrhea and/or vomiting should clear up within one day. If it doesn’t you need to take your pooch to the vet to rule out disease or illness. Abnormal bathroom habits can likewise be a sign of stress or other behavioral issues.