Tricks
10 Warning Signs That You Should Take Your Pet to the Vet
Unfortunately, pets cannot talk, which means they cannot tell us they feel ill or whether some part of their body hurts. And even if that would prove itself useful, there is another solution. By paying special attention to sudden changes in our pet’s behavior and doing a little bit of research on what these symptoms could mean, we can avoid more serious illnesses in the future.
That’s why, today, Clamotion decided to do some research online so that you can see if your pet suffers from any of these symptoms and figure out what they could mean.
1. Tearing eyes and winks
If you see that your pet often has teary eyes and is constantly winking, it could be suffering from an illness. In any case, we have to pay attention to what could be going on because cats and dogs do not show emotions through tears. Of course, that means it’s important to take your pet to the vet for a check-up as soon as possible.
- If your cat often has teary eyes and you notice it starts winking more than usual, it might have conjunctivitis, allergies, or maybe even a foreign particle in its eyes. You should also look for red marks in their eyes.
- If your dog has teary eyes, especially if it’s just one, this could also be a sign of a corneal injury, conjunctivitis, allergies, tumors, or even an obstruction in their tear duct.
2. Overgrooming its paws
If your pet constantly feels the need to lick or bite its paws, it could be experiencing pain or itching that bothers them in and around their claws. You really have to pay close attention to your pet if you notice that this habit is becoming very constant as the days go by.
- You probably know that cats have a habit of licking their paws every day, but you should pay attention to whether they lick their paws repeatedly and if the area around their claws becomes red or starts to lose hair. This might indicate that they suffer from allergies, intolerances, or parasites (among other things).
- Dogs can have problems with their claws, especially if they change color or break easily. The conditions that can cause these symptoms can be allergies, tumors, or metabolic diseases.
3. Excessive drooling
It’s common for some pets, like dogs, to produce a lot of drool. However, if you notice that the amount of drool your dog is producing gets out of hand, you might be witnessing one of the first symptoms of an illness. As for cats, visible salivation is always a clear sign that something might be wrong.
- When it comes to dogs, hypersalivation can be due to intoxication, foreign objects inserted or stuck in their mouth, infections, or stress, among other causes.
- On the other hand, for cats, visible salivation is never a common thing and could be caused by an infection, oral problems, stress, or salivary gland disorders.
4. Low or seemingly sad mood
Depression in pets, like in humans, is hardly ever talked about, despite the fact that it is much more serious than a simple bad disposition or a blue state of mind that can be shaken off at will. It is an actual illness that, most of the time, is dealt with in secret and that, in the case of your pet, could prevent it from behaving normally.
- If your dog shows depressed behavior that does not go away after a short amount of time, it could be suffering from depression due to trauma, hypothyroidism, fever, or cataracts, among other possibilities.
- If what we’re dealing with here is a cat, a sad mood can be linked to emotional problems, especially if it stops playing or partaking in normal habits like sharpening its claws. There are many reasons why this could happen. Some of the most common are jealousy, stress, and anxiety. In any case, we’re talking about an illness that can cause a huge amount of discomfort or even traumatic shock.
