By Nozipho Sibanda
A healthy dog precedes a happy one and if you are emotionally invested in dogs like myself you will agree that a happy dog in turn makes a happy owner. We strive to ensure the health of our dogs by giving them the right foods, taking them for walks, playing games and scheduling visits to their vet. All this for the reward of simply waking up each morning to see that doggy made it through another night. Delving deeper though, what are the actual things to look out for to ensure that your dog is in good health? There are a vast number of signs of a healthy dog that we as owners can be aware of and once we know what to check, it then becomes easier to detect when your dog is not in good health. We love our dogs, and as a result we always ensure that they have the best care possible although at times we can’t always get the formula right or know exactly how they feel. Thankfully, there are a good number of signs that you as an owner can look out for by paying closer attention to and examining your dog. With that having been said let us now look at the signs of a healthy dog!
1.Appetite and eating routine
Dogs are intelligent creatures, and when they get accustomed to eating or doing a particular task at at a specific time, they stick to that schedule. Don’t ask me how, because I will tell you that they accomplish this by their having some invisible internal clock within their brains! Any changes in their eating or drinking habit, especially if it lasts past one day, is a cause for concern. This may include doggy not turning up to eat at mealtime or him picking at his food when he does.
2. Eating grass
Ever seen your dog going for your beautiful lawn? No he is’t cousins with that cow in the farm you bought him from. Whilst eating grass is considered by most vets to be a normal thing dogs do and isn’t deemed as dangerous (unless the dog also ingests harmful substances with it such as fertiliser or pesticides) they don’t do it for fun. The main reason they would ingest grass is to settle their upset stomach or make up for some nutrient they are lacking in their diet. Please ensure doggy is following a healthy diet.
3. Toilet habits
Like humans, dogs need to remain regular and should you see any indication of diarrhea, constipation or blood in the dog’s stool then visit the vet. Urine must ideally be yellow and not have any blood in it. Suspicious colors include orange, brown, black and where blood is present, red. Pay attention to that little (or big) puddle.
4. Petite waistline
The waistline of a dog must not be filled out but rather follow an hour glass shape. In the case of a bulging waistline, this is attributed to unhealthy feeding. If your dog’s diet is not well balanced or when he is overfed the result is an overweight dog and this eventually presents a host of health problems for doggy if left untreated such as heat stroke, diabetes and arthritis to mention a few.
5. Coat
Almost obvious right? The coat must be glossy when clean and must be odour free. It must not be rough to the touch. Shedding of fur if the dog is healthy should be minimal or nil, and if it comes off easily when gently pulled then visit the vet.
6. Nails
Should not be brittle but strong. If your dog has long nails get them trimmed but take care if doing it yourself not to cause any bleeding. Check also between his toes for any material that can cause him irritation.
7. Eyes must be bright, clear and shiny
Check that the pupils are evenly sized. Sometimes an unhealthy dog may have in growing eye lashes. Discharge coming from the eyes must be clear and not excessive.
8. Ears
Open them gently to see if they are clean and odourless. There should not exist any build-up of wax. If there is then gently remove it with some cotton wool. Please do not use ear buds or anything that will poke at doggy’s ears. Watch for any swelling or irritation in the ears.
9. Healthy mouth
Shiny teeth and healthy gums equals overall health. A dog’s snarl must have a twinkle and intact teeth whilst the gums need to be pink, not dark. Additionally any presence of lumps and cuts on the tongue summon concern. Bad breath may suggest that doggy has digestive problems, pay attention to his stool and digestive habits if he has foul breath.
10. Nose
Should be cold and wet. There is a reason why the famous dog actor Bob Morrison called us humans the ‘dry noses’ Well that’s simply because a dog’s nose is the opposite of ours and must be wet at all times. A dried out or warm nose may indicate an underlying problem. There must not be any discharge from the nose either.
11. Smooth body
When patting your dog there mustn’t be any bumps. It is good to run your hands over every body part of your dog to check for these bumps along with swelling, cuts and any signs of being ill at ease when touched. Lift his tail gently to check under it and also his butt. Yep there too!
12. Smell
Should not smell. Even though they like to roll around they must be odour free especially in gender specific areas as well as their butts, ears and eyes.
13. General mood and tail wagging
Watch out if your dog is not his usual happy waggy self.
14. Walking When your dog pants more than normal when out for walks, limps or gets easily tired this may indicate a need for a trip to the vet.
There you have it, an idea of what a vet looks for. The above are great ways to decipher if your pet is in good health or not. Accordingly, please take your dog to the vet immediately should you notice anything seemingly out of place so that he gets the right treatment. He or she will thank you for it.