VETERINARY VISIT AND TREATMENT
Is your dog sick and you don’t know what to do? To respond quickly in an emergency or to check the first symptoms by phone in case of uncertainty, keep your veterinarian’s phone number and the veterinary emergency service ready for the night and the weekends. Rarely is a visit to the vet for dogs a nice event. And it goes without saying: the dog is sick and we suffer with it. In the waiting room, do not use comforting words and petting. These strengthen your dog in its insecurity. Spread a positive feeling better – this awakens confidence in your dog and takes away its fear. This way the patient quickly recovers and stands safely on his four paws.
FIRST SIGNS OF DOG DISEASE
Tremors, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite – the first symptoms of dog diseases can be quickly detected. But what symptoms of the disease in dogs indicate a serious illness? And which ones can you treat at home without the advice of a vet? Generally speaking, if you are unsure, please go directly to the vet. Also, you should not administer medication to the dog on your own. When a dog is sick, it does not eat in many cases. This symptom in the dog may show an initial sign of malaise, but does not necessarily mean a serious illness of the dog.
DOG IS SICK
If your dog does not touch its food, it may also be because it combines bad experiences with the food or he simply does not like it. The hormones also influence the eating behavior in dogs: Common females and males in their environment generally eat less. Sick dogs with fevers eat less. It is therefore important that you closely monitor your dog’s symptoms of the disease. Be sure to measure fever in your dog. A body temperature between 38.5 and 39 °C is normal. If your dog is shaking, you should also measure the temperature. Single and recurrent fever surges, denial of food, lymph node swelling and lethargy can also be symptoms of disease for a Borrelia infection (Borrelio) of your dog.
If your dog has diarrhea or is constantly vomiting, see a veterinarian immediately. Symptoms such as saliva flow, pale mucous membranes, restlessness and excessive prickling can be signs of a life-threatening stomach rotation. In addition, if your dog can no longer hand over and drink on its own, you will immediately drive to the nearest veterinary clinic. A gastric rotation is life-threatening and can only be treated surgically.
RECOGNIZE THE SYMPTOMS
The symptoms of illness in the old dog just as in humans, the susceptibility to getting sick increases in the case of a dog as they progress. Symptoms of illness in the old dog often indicate diseases of the musculoskeletal system, which suffers from age-related signs of wear and tear. Not only in old but often in large dogs, such as shepherd dogs, one finds the so-called hip joint dysplasia, short HD. Depending on the severity, treatment includes surgery, conservative pain therapy by anti-inflammatory drugs, and physiotherapy.
A classic age-related disease is so-called spondyloses. These are calcifications on the spine that can lead to pain when climbing stairs or running. As a rule, spondyloses is treated as part of symptomatic treatment. Depending on the symptom and the affected joint, physiotherapy can also contribute to the relief of controlled training on the underwater treadmill, as well as swimming, acupuncture or pain therapy.