Just as humans tend to get sick every once in a while, so too does pet illness strike our cats, dogs and other animals. Pets suffer from a range of different diseases that are short term and temporary; some of them have many of the same qualities and characteristics as human illnesses like colds and the flu. Unfortunately, pets cannot communicate their feelings and problems to us in a verbal way, so it's up to us to monitor their behavior and look for other telltale signs of sickness. Only then can we properly address the situation. Read on for a brief overview of making a pet illness diagnosis.
Recognizing the Symptoms
Pets that are experiencing a commonplace illness may display any number of different symptoms. These can range from general malaise and a lack of willingness to move, eat, play or walk, to difficulty eating or breathing, coughing, tendency to vomit, diarrhea, poor mood and more. Generally, it's a good idea to have a general sense of how your pet's behavior is on a normal day. Watch out for any signs that he may be acting unusually. If so, he may have an illness or other condition of some kind.
Respond Promptly
If you notice that your pet has a behavioral shift that has caused him to display any of the symptoms or signs as listed above, or any others that seem to be unusual for his standard activity, it's a good idea to take him in to a veterinarian right away. Schedule an appointment if possible, or take him in to the vet for a walk in checkup. This is particularly pertinent if your pet has some symptoms that seem to be a serious threat to his immediate well being, like difficulty eating, drinking or breathing.
Diagnostic Procedure
The vet will begin by taking a look at your pet physically. He will ask you to tell about any and all unusual behaviors and symptoms that you've noticed in the pet's actions in the recent hours and days. He may also ask about changes to his environment, diet and other external factors that could have made the pet's body react negatively in some way.
The diagnosis will continue with a brief physical examination for signs of injury. Sometimes injuries in pets can provoke symptoms that appear to be those of illness. If the vet is not then satisfied with his idea of the dog's condition, he will likely continue with additional testing. This may include salivary tests, blood tests, urine samples and stool samples, more thorough and specific examinations of particular parts of your pet's body, and more.
After the diagnosis is complete, your veterinarian will give you a good idea of how to deal with the symptoms and to treat your pet's illness. This is a good suggestion, and you should follow his instructions as closely as possible in order to keep your pet happy and healthy throughout the duration of the illness.