Your dog's good health starts with you. You know your dog best, and you spend the most time with him so it makes sense that you would be the first to know when your dog is not himself. The home health-check can be a valuable tool in spotting the signs of a health problem right away. If you raised your dog from a puppy you are probably familiar with what to look for. If you are a new dog-owner this might all be news for you. Either way, read on. The information in the following article will go a long way to keeping your dog healthy, whether it's read as a refresher or as an introduction to the basic home health-check. Consult your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns.
Test your dog's circulation: There's an easy test to check that your dog's heart is getting blood to all the tissues in his body. It's called the "capillary refill time" and it will give you a rough assessment that tells you if your dog's heart is circulating his blood as it should. To test your dog's circulation press a finger gently but firmly against his gum and release. The spot where you pressed the gum will become pale but the color should return to pink within two seconds. If the color doesn't return to pink within two seconds this may indicate that your dog's circulation is not as it should be and you should consult your veterinarian.
Check your dog's breathing: Watch the rise and fall of your dog's chest and count the number of breaths he takes per minute. He should be taking between 10 and 30 breaths per minute, depending on his breed. If your dog is excited or panting wait until he is breathing normally to count the number of breaths he is taking per minute.
Healthy eyes, nose, mouth and ears: Your dog's eyes should be clear and bright. His nose should be moist and the pigmentation should be dark. There should be no discharge from the eyes or nose. Knowing what to look for when you check your dog's mouth is easy — just think of the healthy mouth of a person. The breath should smell fresh and the gums should be uniformly pink. There should not be a build-up of tarter on the teeth and there should not be any missing or broken teeth. Your dog's ears should look and smell clean with no sign of ticks.
A feel-good coat: Your dog's coat should be shiny and free of mats. The skin under his coat should be smooth and clean. Any discoloring in your dog's skin should be reported to your veterinarian.
Spine and abdomen: Gently feel both areas. Your dog should not feel any discomfort during this check. During the first health-check you may find certain bumps and some of these bumps are normal. It will be difficult at first to know what bumps are okay and what aren't, but if you do the health-check regularly you will become familiar with what bumps should be there and what bumps are unfamiliar.
Check for dehydration: Without enough fluids your dog could go into shock. To check that he has enough fluids in his body gently pull some of the skin from just over his shoulder into a tent shape. If your dog does not have enough fluids then his skin will not snap back in place immediately after you release it. If you do this test every week it will be easier for you to tell what is normal for your dog and what is unusual.
Healthy heartbeat: Your veterinarian can tell you what heartbeat is normal for your dog as different breeds have different healthy heartbeats. If your dog is not feeling well his pulse will be unusually fast or slow. There are a few ways to check your dog's pulse. One of the easier methods is to put your hand on his chest just behind his left elbow. When you feel his pulse count the number of beats that occur in 15 seconds and multiply by four. This number will give you your dog's heart rate.
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