Our pets can never tell us when something is wrong. As a pet owner, take your time and trust your intuition. When you observe something odd in your pet, do not ignore it. It could be an indication of illness.
Five warning indicators you must never overlook in your pet.
Knowing what warning signs to look for indicating that you should take your pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible is an important part of keeping your pet healthy.
1. Excessive Panting
Pets naturally pants, particularly when they chase toys, run in the backyard, or spend time outdoors on a sunny day.
The heavy panting, in contrast, is not normal. What is the difference? The most common reason for heavy panting is breathing that is more labored, deeper, and can be more prolonged than normal panting associated with the excitement of play and cooling off.
The causes of excessive panting for your pet or cat are poisoning, heatstroke, Cushing’s disease, heart failure, pneumonia, or lung tumors.
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2. Drooling
People with mastiffs, bloodhounds, boxers, and Saint Bernards are well-versed in drooling. However, extreme drooling can signify something amiss with your dog or cat.
The sudden, intense drooling could be a sign of heatstroke, dental issues such as periodontitis, or an abscess in the tooth. Alternatively, your pet may have chewed something that has upset or damaged their mouth, consumed toxic plants, or suffered from a brain problem.
If you suspect your dog has a neurological condition, you must find a reputable clinic because only a few have a veterinary diagnostic lab on-site.
3. Excessive Water Consumption
You have probably seen your pet mouth-watering at the pool or lying down and sitting on the water bowl after playtime, particularly if the day is warm outside.
It’s not usual to regularly watch your pet return to the water bowl. The excessive drinking of water could be a sign of:
- Kidney failure
- Diabetes mellitus
- Cushing’s disease
- Female dogs with untreated pyometra
- Extreme thirst
Certain medications can increase water consumption, and over panting could lead to excess drinking.
4. Change in Behavior
Have you observed an alteration in your dog’s or cat’s behavior lately? Unprovoked aggression, moodiness, unpredictable temperament, hyperactivity, anxiety, fearfulness or rapid appearance of seizures, or lack of activity for your pet. The most common causes of your pet’s behavior changes are discomfort and pain.
All-encompassing cause of behavioral changes:
- Thyroid dysfunction in dogs
- cat hyperthyroidism
- Pancreatitis
- Cancer
- Arthritis
- Parasites
- Skin allergies
- Heart disease
- injury
5. Change in Odor
Do not dismiss the smelly breath of your pet as an inevitable symptom of the aging process. Remember that healthy pets never smell. It could be an issue if your pet’s smell has changed, such as bad breath, stinky skin, and ears smelling noxious.
Bad breath could be a sign of:
- oral melanoma
- dental disease
- diabetes
- oral melanoma
- kidney failure
The smell of musky ears is usually indicative of an infected ear. Swollen skin, irritated, flaking, itchy, or lesions may signify seborrhea, allergies, yeast, or bacterial infections.
Although you might be used to the smell of your pet’s gas regularly, a shift in the strength of the scent could indicate digestive issues.
If your pet is showing any of these symptoms, do not put it off any longer: take your dog to an emergency vet Orange County right away.