Your dog is a member of your family, your best friend, and like a child to you, so when you see your furry pal in distress, it can be a very scary feeling. Sometimes your dog's symptoms can wait for a veterinary appointment, but there are times you should take your dog to the animal hospital and skip the routine office visit. Read on for symptoms and when you should take your dog to the animal hospital.
Extreme Lethargy
If your dog is lethargic and not eating or drinking, it's a definite cause for concern. Your dog may have ingested something toxic or could have something else going on. If he's panting heavily, vomiting, or has diarrhea, he may have heat stroke. Bring your dog to the emergency veterinary hospital to be examined and for any necessary medication.
Difficulties Breathing And Extreme Panting
If your dog is breathing heavily and seems like he cannot catch his breath and/or his ears feel warm to the touch, he could have a fever. If your dog has been taking any new medications, or has had any shots recently, it could also be an allergic reaction to any of these. Take your dog to the animal hospital to have blood work done and for a thorough exam.
Trauma
If your dog has experienced any type of trauma such as being hit by a car, bitten by another animal, or some other type of trauma that has caused your dog injury, take your dog to the animal hospital right away. Try to keep your dog calm in the process of taking him to the hospital, control any bleeding with a clean towel, and keep your dog warm with blankets. If your dog has a broken leg, you can try to secure the leg with a splint just to keep it from breaking further or causing more pain to your dog.
Bloody Stool
If you notice your dog has bloody stools or has blood coming from his back end, it could be an infected anal gland. This can happen if your dogs glands do not break on their own. Over time, the gland can get infected. Your dog's hind may feel tough and even warm to the touch, in addition to blood. Take your dog to the veterinarian hospital to have this gland cleaned out and for antibiotics to clear up the infection.
If your dog has any of these symptoms, or is not acting like himself, take him to a hospital like the Animal Emergency Clinic for an exam and for treatment.
I have never been in love with the idea of owning animals, but a few years ago my son came home with some puppies that he was already really attached to. He swore he would take good care of the animals, so I gave in and let him keep them. Unfortunately, one of them became ill, and I had to find a way to take care of the animal. I decided to visit a veterinarian for help, and we had a diagnosis in a treatment plan in no time. I was really surprised with how powerful veterinary care was, and it was phenomenal. Read this blog to learn more.