When should you take your dog to a vet?
Within 2 days of bringing your puppy home.
It seems like a no-brainer, yet some people are still questioning whether or not they should be making that appointment. Yes, you should. Your new pup needs to be checked for worms, they need their vaccinations (your vet should discuss a schedule of recommended vaccinations for puppies), and it will give you a chance to ask questions about the first few months of your puppies life.
When you see blood.
If there is any blood in dog's stool, urine or vomit, you need to make a trip to the vet. It could be something harmless, or it could be something that will kill your pup within 48 hours.
When seemingly a small problem persists for more than 10 days.
Maybe your pup has a slight limp all of a sudden. Maybe he has a new sore on his paw. Maybe your dog has more strange-looking gunk in her eyes than usual. All things considered, your dog might be acting fine, but if the problem doesn't go away on its own after a few days, it's time to pick up the phone and make the trip. It could be a sign of a moreserious issue.
Diarrhea + Vomiting = No Good
Dogs eat weird things, and they might vomit bile have a loose stool for a couple of days. However, when those two things combine and escalate, your dog is in danger of dehydration and moresusceptibleto serious complications. Don't second-guess. Call.
When food and water go untouched.
It is natural for the eating habits of your dog to fluctuate according to weather, activity level, and quality of food. At the same time, if the weather hasn't changed much, and you did not recently change your dog's diet, yet your pup is starting to drop weight and leaving their dish full - you need to figure out why.
When your dog is arching his back, and will not lie down.
If your dog appears to be in pain, as if it's trying to throw up, but will not lie down, it could be a sign of bloat. It calls for an emergency visit to the vet's office.
When in question, remember the simple rule - better be safe, than sorry.
... better be safe than sorry.
