Should You Take Your Sick Dog to the Vet?

Although you have taken your dog to the vet for her annual exams, you’ve kept her immunizations current and you’re diligent in feeding her the right foods, sometimes like you and I, your dog is going to get sick. Then what do you do? Do you wait and watch or do you take her to the vet?

Knowing when to take your dog to the vet or not is sometimes a difficult question to answer…you don’t want to rush in unnecessarily, but you also don’t want to wait too long and cause your dog to suffer unnecessarily either.

I’ve put together a few warning signs that should help you make the right decision.

7 Signs Your Dog Needs to Go to the Vet:

If your dog is exhibiting any of these symptoms, it warrants a trip to the vet, but if there are more than one of these signs the problem could be more serious than you thought.

1. Change in eating patterns: Going without an occasional meal probably isn’t anything to be concerned about, but if she has gone 2 days without eating, a check up is probably warranted.
   1. It could mean she has a gastrointestinal problem
   2. Dental issues
   3. Infections
   4. Stomach pain
   5. Kidney problems
2. Difficulty Breathing: If your dog has weak or shallow breathing, choking, panting or wheezing, it could indicate:
   1. Something stuck in her throat
   2. An allergic reaction
   3. Even heart disease
3. Eye Irritation: If your dog’s eyes seem red or cloudy looking or seem to be having an excess of discharge, she could be experiencing an eye infection.
4. Excessive Vomiting: It’s not unusual for your dog to vomit occasionally, but if it continues to happen frequently or if she vomits blood, she needs to be seen by your vet. A side effect of excessive vomiting is dehydration, which you definitely want to avoid.
5. Lethargy: If your dog seems uninterested in her daily activities for more than a couple of days, take her to the vet.
6. Excessive Drinking: Although dogs do get thirsty, especially after a good exercise, they typically don’t drink in excess unless there is something physical going on, it could be an indicator of kidney problems or possible diabetes.
7. Diminished Urine: If your dog isn’t urinating as she typically does, or if you notice blood in her urine, it could indicate a urinary tract infection or a urinary blockage which can be life threatening.

Obviously there are other indicators that your pup should be taken to a vet. The key to knowing when a visit is called for is knowing your dog…knowing how they act and react on a regular basis.

If you have any doubts whether to call the vet or not, take the safe course of action and call.