When to take my dog to the vet
The health of our dog is a fundamental aspect to take into account and should never be neglected, although apparently it seems healthy. The frequency with which we must visit the veterinarian depends on factors such as the age, breed, and medical history of the dog, and we must take it to the veterinarian periodically for a review even if we do not detect any suspicious symptoms. It is likely that our dog suffers from a problem that endangers their welfare, and that we do not know, so it can only be detected by a specialist. In addition, we also have to be aware of any symptoms that may indicate the presence of any disease or physical problem.
If you are wondering when to take your dog to the veterinarian and you want to make sure you are doing everything in your power to ensure its good condition, continue reading this .com article where we explain it to you.
According to the age of our dog
How often should I take my dog to the vet? The answer to this question depends, in the first place, on the age of our dog, although as a general rule we should take it at least once a year . These reviews are very important when it comes to preventing diseases as well as to detect any problem as soon as possible and increase the chances of success in their cure. This type of revision is carried out more frequently in puppies and older dogs, since both stages are in which our dog experiences more changes and may suffer more health problems.
Puppy
These first reviews are based on the vaccines that dogs need at this stage to strengthen their immune system and prevent them from getting sick when going out or coming into contact with other dogs. The veterinarian carries out the internal and external deworming of the dog to avoid any congenital problem, in addition to providing recommendations to provide adequate feeding to the puppy according to their specific needs and other advice that is helpful.
Adult
After the dog reaches adulthood, we must take it to the veterinarian for a comprehensive check-up once a year, despite the fact that it is in good health. This is the only way to guarantee their well-being and to intervene in the event that they suffer from a health problem that we do not know about. In this way, in case of suffering a problem we could intervene quickly increasing the chances of our dog healing.
In these periodic reviews, the eyes, ears, mouth, skin, nails, fur, lungs, cardiovascular system, blood pressure, feces and urine and other evaluations are usually checked by the veterinarian.
Pregnant bitches
In .com we are in favor of adopting pets instead of breeding, since many times these practices end with abandoned dogs or with people who do not have enough resources to support the offspring and can not devote the time that their care requires. In this article we explain how to adopt an abandoned dog. However, if a person decides to raise it is essential to go to the veterinarian to follow up and receive advice from the veterinary professional. In this article we explain how to care for a pregnant bitch .
Older dogs
Dogs older than 7 years of age are considered older dogs. These should go to reviews due to the wear that occurs in your body from that moment. Some of the most frequent diseases when our dog reaches this age are osteoarthritis, digestive problems, heart diseases, etc.
In any case, you should talk to your veterinarian to recommend the periodicity with which you must take your dog.
When to take my dog to the vet
These are the most common conditions for people to take their dogs to the veterinarian, so knowing what they are and what they are about will help you to detect them in your dog.
Poisoning
Dogs love to go around the house looking for things to bite, sniff, and play with. Therefore, in the event that you detect that your dog may have come into contact with any toxic substance, such as a detergent, rat poison or other, go to the vet to ensure that your dog does not suffer from poisoning. It is also advisable to have hydrogen peroxide on hand in case we should induce vomiting on occasion.
Vomiting and diarrhea
It is one of the most common symptoms that dogs can suffer, although they do not usually indicate, in most cases, serious problems. If you detect that your dog suffers from diarrhea and vomiting, wait a few hours preventing him from eating any food but ensuring that he can access the water. If you detect the presence of other symptoms such as pain or tremors is when you should take your dog to the veterinarian, since it can involve more serious problems. In this article we explain the reasons why your dog has diarrhea.
Trauma
In the event that you know that your dog has received a blow, either by falling or fighting with another dog, you should take it to the veterinarian as soon as possible, since it may suffer from internal injuries that are not visible to the naked eye, such as lung injuries. In addition, the wounds that we can see externally can be more serious than they appear, so veterinary attention is very important.
In other cases, the owner may not have visualized any trauma, but you may see symptoms of pain or lack of appetite that alert us that something is happening to our dog.
Respiratory problems
The respiratory difficulty known as dyspnea usually manifests as wheezing, weak breathing or asphyxia, and can be caused by an object that is obstructing the respiratory tract. In case of detecting these symptoms we can check the mouth of our dog and its throat to detect the presence of any foreign body but in no case should we try to remove it, since we could make the object get inside. Therefore, it is another case in which we must go to the vet.
Other reasons to go to the vet
Neurological problems
These are those that involve problems of coordination, disorientation, etc. They are easy to detect because the behavior of the dog is not the usual and does not respond in the same way to stimuli, such as our call. These symptoms are considered serious and if you are wondering when to take your dog to the vet this is one of the reasons.
Seizures
Seizures involve tremors, agitation, loss of bowel control and loss of consciousness. Although it is a neurological problem, it is one of the most common and needs immediate veterinary attention. The cause that hides behind this symptom in the majority of occasions is epilepsy . However, once this has been diagnosed in your dog, the seizures will not be an emergency, since these usually disappear. In the event that your dog suffers seizures for more than 24 hours or you are extended for more than two minutes, you should also go to the vet. In this article we explain how to detect if your dog has epilepsy.
Eye problems
They are one of the most common problems in dogs, which have impaired vision. These problems usually involve loss of sight or blindness, and one of the most common diseases is glaucoma. Some of the symptoms that alert of ocular problems in dogs are the redness of the eyes, excessive tearing, inflammation and secretion.
Urinary problems
It usually manifests as a lack of urine due to obstructions and can be very serious, which is why it is another reason to take your dog to the vet. The symptoms are lack of urine or presence of urine in the blood, and can cause a urinary infection or urinary stones.
