Assessing your own dog's health

What follows is a simple check-list of items that should alert you to seek veterinary assistance.

Changes to watch for on a daily basis:

Eye discharge without an obvious cause. Sometimes unexplained, persistent eye discharges can indicate a subtle decline in overall health.

It is important to monitor your dog's water drinking, appetite, urinary habits, and bowel habits. If you free-feed and/or you dog goes outdoors unattended in order to relieve himself, then it is particularly important to make a special effort to observe these bodily functions at least once a day, so you will be aware of any changes.

Weight loss or weight gain without any change in exercise or feeding routine. With long haired dogs, you may need to feel, rather than look, because hair can hide a lot of changes.

Increase or decrease in appetite without any change in exercise, diet, or environmental conditions.

Increase or decrease in water consumption along with a corresponding increase or decrease (respectively) in volume of urine produced. Note that an increase in thirst without an increase in urine produced often means that the dog is panting more than usual or losing more fluid in the bowels, so look for these things also. When making an appointment with your vet, take a fresh (preferably first morning's) urine specimen with you.

Change in frequency of defecation; size, color, or consistency of the stool; or any change in the effort or body position required for a bowel movement. Also note if there is any mucus or blood. Again, when making an appointment, take a fresh stool (fecal) sample with you.

Changes in the luster, texture, oiliness, color, or shedding pattern of the hair coat (changes that cannot be explained by typical variation in seasons or grooming habits). Hair coat variations can indicate subtle changes in health status.

Decrease in muscle tone or muscle mass, especially over the back. Sometimes a dog's overall body weight can remain the same, but redistribution, such as an increase in abdominal size along with a decrease in the size of back muscles can indicate a problem.

Decrease in energy level, even in older dogs. Many treatable conditions are passed off as "old age" by well-meaning owners who assume that changes are just part of growning old. Let your vet decide.

Change in typical behavior patterns. Unexplained lethargy (sluggishness), loss of interest in exercise or play-time, or even unexplained hyperactivity could indicate some sort of health problem.

Items to check monthly:

Check the skin over all areas of your dog's body. Run your fingertips over the body to feel for changes such as lumps, subtle rashes, scabs, and other irregularities. Part the hair and examine visually all areas of skin for changes in appearance, such as redness, flaky skin, and fleas. For known pre-existing lumps that have already been examined by your vet, monitor changes in size, shape, or consistency and alert your vet if there are significant changes.

Check the ears for excess wax or hair, or for any unusual odor, redness, thickened areas, or discomfort.

If you can do this safely with your particular dog, lift the lips to examine all areas of the teeth and gums. Look for excess tartar, inflammed gums, unusual lumps or swellings and note any unusual odor to the breath. Also examine the inside of the mouth if possible.

Check the paws:

o Toenails: are they too long? any changes in appearance?

o Pads and areas between toes (top and bottom): are there any cracks? red areas? swellings or lumps?

o Hair: are there mats between the toes that could hold moisture and cause irritation?

Lift the tail and examine the anal area and genital area for anything unusual. For male dogs, also examine the sheath (prepuce) for irritation, matted hair, or urine staining or leakage.

Lastly, with your dog in a relaxed position, either standing or lying comfortably on his side, check the abdomen for any unusual lumps or areas of tenderness inside. The technique involves putting one hand on each side of the abdomen and slowly pressing your finger tips together so you can feel the internal organs.

Check all parts of the abdomen, front to back, from the rib-cage to the pelvis, and top to bottom, from the spine to the "floor" of the abdomen. Obviously this takes a good bit of practice in order to know what is normal for your dog (and is much more difficult in overweight dogs), but if you do it regularly and thoroughly each month, you may be able to detect certain important problems early, when treatment is more effective.

This list is not intended to alarm you if you do detect changes during your examinations, nor does it make routine veterinary health exams any less important. My hope is that it will increase your powers of observation and will teach you how to detect certain "early warning" signs of various disease processes. Discovering a change during one of of your checks does not necessarily require an immediate rush to the vet's; it should, however, prompt you to contact your vet to have the change evaluated professionally.