Know your dog

[Lauri & The Gang]

It is up to US, as owners, to know what our dog's normal state is. How do they normally eat? How much is their normal energy level? And so on. Using that knowledge we can determine if something is serious and requires an immediate vet trip or if we can wait and see.

For example, this week my husband called me (I work in Washington, DC during the week) and told me that some of the dogs were off their food. When I asked him which ones he said "Kayna, Mauser and Clark".

Mauser and Clark are both what I call 'sometimes' eaters. Sometimes they eat and sometimes they don't. I would only be concerned if they went oiff their food completely for 3 days or more.

Kaynya, on the other hand, is a food vacuum. If it's edible - she wants it. She NEVER turns her nose up at food. Also, she wasn't her normal active, crazy self. She spent most of that day sleeping.

So, he had to watch her very closely for 24 hours. Monitor her water intake and all her voiding activities. When she skipped her dinner that night (after missing breakfast) I had him give her some Tums to help with the acid build-up I knew she would have.

He was ready to call the vet in the morning to bring her in if she wasn't interested in breakfast. It would only have been 24 hours without food but for Kaynya - that's something serious.

Luckily for her she was back to eating the next day so no vet trip.

Mauser was back to his usual routine after 2 days.

Clark is still not eating 100% so if he's not better by tomorrow he'll go see the vet.

[huntergreen]

sound advice.

[msvette2u]

Good advice...

My Dachshund Tristan, the only way I knew his heart was worsening (he has a murmur) was he was sleeping when he should have been more alert.
Now, these dogs sleep virtually all day. But little things - the other dogs would be up barking at something and he'd just kind of lay there and watch instead of joining. Many owners would not have caught that.

[Anubis_Star]

Amen to this! I can tell you, it is VERY frustrating when you can't get answers or simple information out of owners. Animals don't talk obviously, and when they are in a clinic 9 times out of 10 they are trying to mask their symptoms! Knowing your dog's norms so you can recognize the ABNORMALITIES is one of the most responsible things you can do as an owner. And even better, when you are concerned and observing an animal for a day or two to see if a vet trip might be in store, keep notes or a chart! Bile vs undigested food in vomit - vomit vs. regurgitation - frequency of diarrhea/vomiting - etc... all these things are crucial in helping us make a proper diagnosis.

~CVT