Pets need regular visits to the veterinary clinics for ordinary checkups, teeth cleaning, nail cutting, fur cutting, etc. There are many monthly activities that any pet owner needs to take in order to keep their pet healthy. However, sometimes there are particular signs that your pet needs urgent vet help. In this article, we collected the most common signs indicating that your pet needs a vet.
7 signs your pet needs a vet: Dogs
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Сhange in eating habits
Once your pup refuses to eat his favorite food, it’s time to give the alarm. Same goes for treats. This might be a cold or some serious digestive issue, such as twisted bowels that might lead even to death.
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Change in drinking habits
Not enough water consumption, especially in the hot weather, easily leads to dehydration. Excessive water consumption is the sign that a dog is trying to naturally get rid of something inside of them. It’s better to check what’s wrong before the problem becomes massive.
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Rapid or difficult breathing
Yes, after running and during the hot summer days it’s common for dogs to breathe faster and heavier. But after a brief rest their breathing should come back to normal. If you notice that the breathing remains heavy, rapid, and shallow, it might be caused by an allergy or ordinary cold. However, this is a sign that your pet needs a vet to eliminate more complicated cases.
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Vomiting or stool change
Throwing-up is never a good sign. Once spotted, call your vet for an appointment. Changes in stool may be caused by some unusual food. It’s better to watch the stool for a day or two before calling the expert for help.
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Lack of energy and weird movements
Uncommon lack of energy and enthusiasm is also a common sign that something is wrong. Wait for a day to see if it’s caused by the lack of rest. Uncommon movements, poor balance, and overall strange behavior are all the top signs that your pet needs a vet.
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Irritated, weeping or red eyes
Eyes are the easiest ways to diagnose some health issues at your dog’s. Once you spot any of these symptoms, call your veterinary doctor for a consultation. In light cases, it might be caused by the allergy, while more complex possibilities include cornea injuries of various nature.
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Whining, wincing or crying
All three actions are the indicators of some injury that causes extreme pain and discomfort to your dog. Once spotted, such a behavior should be reported to the vet and the dog be taken to a clinic for examination.
7 signs your pet needs a vet: Сats
Cats are similar in their behavioral differences to dogs, however, there are some cat-particular signs that should always be accounted for.
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Loss of appetite for more than a day
Cats take care of their diet more carefully than dogs. Sometimes they might stop eating simply because they are not hungry. However, if your cat refuses to eat anything for more than a day, this is a sign that your pet needs a vet.
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Unusual and excessive vocalizations
Cats don’t tend to express their feelings vocally very often. Only when they are hungry or in need of something. If you hear that the vocalization of your pet changed or that your beloved cat screams or cries for too long, it’s better to seek professional assistance.
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Blood in the litterbox
This point doesn’t require the explanation. Once spotted, immediately call for a vet.
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Unusually high activity levels
Cats usually behave calmer than dogs. They might get active for a short period of time, but generally, they act calm and smooth; their movements are light and lazy unless they are kittens. In rare cases, when something starts bothering a cat, it may get hyperactive. If this is not a common behavior for your cat, then call your vet for a consultation before going to the clinic together.
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Hiding for prolonged periods and weight loss
Cats might begin hiding if a new person or animal comes to or starts living in your home. Yet, such a behavior doesn’t last long because your cat gets used to this person or pet. If there are no new people or pets in your home and you notice the cat hiding somewhere all the time, this might be a sign that something is wrong. If on top of that you spot weight loss and lack of appetite at your friend’s, then it’s time to visit a clinic for basic examination.
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Excessive vomiting
This might be usual for summer days because by eating and then vomiting grass cats tend to clean their stomachs. You can check what is in the vomits of your cat. If there’s only grass then there is no need to set the alarm. In case there is something else than grass and gastric juice, then it’s better to book an appointment with your vet as soon as possible.
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Discharge from eyes or nose
That’s never a good sign. It might be a minor infection or a parasite living in your cat’s body. Call to the clinic and ask for the basic set of analysis to identify the reason for a discharge.
7 signs your pet needs a vet: Birds
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Abnormal poops
It sounds silly, but you need to check your bird’s poop on a daily basis. Generally, you will see ice-creamy consistency colored in dark brown, green, and white. If you spot lack of any color or prevalence of one, it’s better to consult a vet about the probable causes.
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Weight loss
Yes, you need to follow the weight of your bird very carefully. If your pet loses up to 10% of its body in a month, then this is a huge sign of a health problem. In this case, your pet needs a vet urgently. It might be complicated to spot such a weight loss with the naked eye, so professional vets advise using kitchen scales for this purpose.
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Changes in appearance
Feather discoloration, fluffed appearance, poop in the feathers, barring, and anything not typical for your bird is a bad sign. Most birds start not caring for their appearance when they get sick very bad.
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Drooping wings/perched at the bottom of the cage
This is a very strange behavior for birds when they drop wings and drop down to the cage bottom. This is one of the most urgent signs that your pet needs a vet.
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Discharge
Any kind of matter that you see getting out of your bird’s nose, eyes, or any scratch is the sign of infection. To treat it properly you will need to apply some antibiotics. Ensure to take your pet to a vet for the prescription of the right medicine.
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Inactivity
Birds in the daylight are very active and chattery. If you spot that your pet keeps quiet (no talking, singing or whistling) and it is sitting inactive in the same spot, then you should get alerted. See your vet if such a behavior doesn’t change over a couple of days.
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Dull or cloudy eyes
As the rest of the pets, birds have clear and sparkly eyes. They move around fast to experience and evaluate everything that is happening around them. If you notice lifeless and dull eyes, visit your veterinarian for a consultation.
