Having a dog is a lot like having a child. They are very much dependent on you to look after them, provide them with what they need and ensure that they are safe. If a dog gets sick, it won’t be able to make itself better, though it may try. It also may not even recognize that there is something wrong with it. This is why there are a few signs that you need to watch out for that show there is an issue with your pet. By recognizing the signs, you can take action and make sure your pet pooch feels like itself once more.
Eating It’s Fur
There are various reasons why your dog might start eating its fur. The first thing you want to look for is any cuts or scars as before these scab they can be very itchy for the dog. As such, the dog isn’t eating its fur but rather trying to get to the cut. In cases like this, you may need to get a cone to prevent this until the wound heals.
A dog may also eat its fur out of stress or boredom. How often are you walking your dog and taking it out? Through the winter months, it’s fair to say that pet owners do reduce how often they go out with their pets. As such, you may want to consider playing with your dog more to see if that stops the scratching.
Alternatively, you may find it’s a skin irritation. If it’s a flea, this is probably going to be accompanied by excessive itching but if you use a solution like Nexgard flea and tick solution that shouldn’t be an issue. It may also be an issue with food. Sometimes dogs respond poorly to certain dog food. Try changing their pet food and see if that makes a difference.
Bad Breath And Refusing To Open Their Mouth
If your dog has bad breath is likely that the glands in their rectum are full. This is quite a common issue for some breeds of dogs and can be fixed by you or the vet. If a dog is refusing to open its mouth at all, that’s a little different. This likely means that something in the dog’s mouth is causing it pain from issues with its teeth to its gums or tongue. You may need to take a trip to vet to fix this issue.
Throwing Up
Dogs throw up if they think they need to get something out of their system. Or, if they ate too fast or something went down the wrong way. It’s hard to know what exactly what the cause is but chronic vomiting is a definite sign something is wrong. Particularly, if the dog is forcing itself to throw up regularly. You will know if they’re doing this if they constantly chomp down on grass when out on walks.
Refusing To Drink
A dog will refuse food for a variety of reasons. They might be full, waiting for something better or just being stubborn but drinking is different. Not drinking at all through the day is a clear sign something is wrong with your dog. Book an appointment with the vet to find out what’s going on. It could be nothing, but it’s always worth to get this checked out because a dog that’s not drinking is often seriously unwell.
We hope this helps you recognise some of the signs that something is wrong with your dog so that you can help it get better.
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