How To Spot A Sick Pet

Your pet's health is no doubt very important to you. You don't want your dog or cat to be ill and just down-right sad. Of course not! That's why you need to make sure your pets are in proper health. But not everyone knows how to identify a sick dog or cat - and that's ok. Many people have pet health questions that they don't have the answer to. Pets are not like humans. Their illnesses are unique to them and unfortunately, they can't tell us exactly what hurts or doesn't feel right. That's why you need to look for signs that your pet might not be feeling just right.

Here are some signs to look for if you think your pet is under the weather.

Just not Him/Herself

One indicator of a sick pet is that he/she is not acting the way they usually do. Often lethargy (tiredness and/or fatigue) sets in when a pet is sick and your dog or cat may shy away rather than run up to greet you. Also if your pet isn't as vibrant or energetic, it's a good indication that something is not right. However, these signs won't answer your pet health questions. They'll just key you in to how your pet is feeling. When a pet is not acting his/herself, feel around his/her body and see how your pet reacts. If something is tender, your pet will definitely react with a "howl" or quick movement. That means a visit to the vet's office is necessary.

Vomit/Diarrhea

Even though pets are not like us, there are some indications of poor health that are similar to ours, such as vomit and diarrhea. These are two clear signs that something's not right with Fido or Mittens. This normally means that your pet has eaten something that has made him/her sick. In this case, it's common to see your pet eat grass. The common belief is that grass helps remove the "bad stuff" from your pets system, acting sort of like a laxative, so you might see your pet eating grass prior to spotting vomit and/or diarrhea. Normally if they just ate something that doesn't agree with them, the vomit and diarrhea will pass. However, if it persists, consult your veterinarian.

Fur Loss

We all know that our pets shed. We see the lumps of hair build all over the house that, at times, can be a bit annoying. However, if you notice large patches of missing hair, something is definitely not right. In some cases your pet might just be getting old and losing hair. However, this is not always the case. In some cases hair loss indicates skin irritations (scratching at itchy skin causing hair to be scratched away), cysts, ringworm, or an infection. Fur loss does raise a lot of pet health questions and since there could be a number of reasons, your best bet it to take your pet to the vet for some pet medications.

Discharge from Eyes and/or Nose

If there's unusual "goop" around your dog or cat's eyes or coming from their nose, you got a sick puppy/kitty. "Goop" normally indicates some sort of infection. If you notice such "goop", clean your pet's eyes/nose and see if it persists. If it does, there's something up and it's time to go see the vet.

Your pet's health should just as important as yours and your family's. The healthier your pet is, the longer he/she will be around to greet you when you come home from a hard day's work.

In many cases, the solution to helping your pet feel better is through prescription pet meds. There are places online where you can get pet medications for less. Before you by those meds for your pet, see what generic and low cost alternatives are available to you online. The web is filled with discounted pet supplies.