Pet Health Check
Very often, merely looking at your cat or dog will tell you quite a lot about their overall health. It is important to know the things one should observe when looking for a new pet. Please remember when adopting a new cat or dog, that even one with less than excellent health may be a wonderful pet once it gets the proper medical treatment.
Once you bring your new pet home, it is important to keep an eye on its health and to pay attention to changes in its condition. Cats and dogs cannot speak and tell us when something hurts or annoys them, and it is our duty to be alert. When a medical problem is suspected, do not hesitate. The veterinarian should be called and consulted at once. Do not wait to see if your pet gets well on its own. Many medical problems can be treated easily early on, while postponing treatment causes suffering to the animal and higher treatment costs.
Here are some things to look for when trying to assess your pet's health.
Behaviour
The level of activity may vary from one cat or dog to another. Some perfectly healthy pets are very calm and do not easily respond to external stimuli. Still, kittens and puppies are in most cases particularly active and curious – one that is indifferent and does not move around much might be ill. After keeping your pet for some time and coming to know its nature, you can identify with relative ease any significant change in the way they behave.
Coat
Your pet's coat directly reflects its state of health. The fur of a healthy animal is smooth and pleasant to touch, and does not show bald patches, wounds, or fleas. A dry and coarse coat may be a sign of unbalanced nutrition. The presence of fleas usually indicates the presence of worms in the animal's intestines, as well as possible skin problems that might be directly caused by fleabites.
Ears
Your pet's ears should be pink and clean. If you see a waxy brownish-black secretion in the ears, check for the presence of ear mites (a miniscule ear parasite common among cats and dogs). Very often, an animal infected with ear mites will also scratch its ears and shake its head. A vet needs to give the final diagnosis and will also guide you about the treatment.
Eyes
A healthy animal's eyes are shiny and clear, and lacking any secretion. Cats have a third, inner eyelid, which is usually wide open and not exposed. If the third eyelid is not fully open, it can be seen covering a part of the eye. This situation can indicate a health problem, since it is often a sign of physical or emotional stress. A dog's eyes should be bright and clear at all times with no excess discharge. If you notice that your dog's eyes look red and sore, or if they shy away from bright lights, consult your vet.
Nose
The nose of a healthy cat should be velvety and pleasant in texture, and without any discharge. The nose can be moist to varying degrees, but never very wet. Your dog's nose should also be clear of discharge.
Mouth
Your pet's mouth should be pink, clean, and without any bad breath. The teeth should be whole, white, and without excess tartar. It is recommended to have your pet's teeth regularly examined, and teeth problems dealt with in a timely fashion. Other signs of possible mouth disease are drooling and an apparent grooming problem – cats that suffer from infections in the mouth area often avoid self-grooming.
The Rear
Your pet's rear end and genitals should be clean – Dirt in that area might indicate a problem of diarrhoea. Diarrhoea may be a sign of poor nutrition, worms or even some form of disease.