Looking at your furry friend they should appear bright ,alert, and responsive. They should be energetic and happy and not appear lethargic or dehydrated. You can check for dehydration by pick up the skin on the back and twisting gently it should return to it's normal appearance and not stay up. If it stays up your pup is dehydrated.
Respiration should be regular and comfortable. You can count the number of breaths in a minute. normal will fall somewhere between 10-30 times in a minute depending on the breed. Ask your Veterinarian.
Heart can be taken by placing your fingers on the inside of the upper thigh. Count the number of beats in 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to get the number of beats per minute. Should be 60 -150 beats per minute depending on the size of your dog. Larger dogs generally have a slower heart rate.
Temperature is taken with a rectal thermometer. Lubricate the tip, lift up your dogs tail and twirl thermometer in about an inch or two. Leave for two minutes to get an accurate reading. A dogs temperature will be between 99.5- 102.5F. Over 103F is considered a fever and you should consult a Veterinarian.
Capillary refill time will let you know your dogs blood circulation is normal. Lift lip and press with your finger firmly on the gum above the canine tooth. When you release there will be a pale area that will refill and become pink again within 2 seconds.
For a quick body exam I like to start at the head and work my way back. For a larger dog this can be done on the floor, for a small dog you can have them in your lap. Do the exam the same way each time to get yourself into a routine. My little dachshunds love it because it's because they love anything that means they get attention.
Eyes
Should be bright and clear with no cloudiness or discharge. There should be no staining from excessive tearing.
Ears
Should be clean with no odor, no redness, no sores, no ticks and no swelling.
Mouth
Breath should be fresh. Gums should be pink. Check teeth for excessive tartar and note if any cracked, broken or missing teeth.
Nose
Is usually cool and moist to the touch but this is not a hard and fast rule so if it is not and everything else is fine there is no cause for alarm. There should be no discharge.
Throat
Feel along throat, there should be no lumps or swelling. Press gently above collar to check for coughing or sensitivity.
Coat
Should be clean and shiny with no mats and no bald areas.
Skin
There should be no sores, redness or hot spots. Check for fleas and ticks as well as flea dirt especially on the rump area where the hair tends to be thicker.
Body
As you run your hands over your dog take note if there are any lumps or bumps. Check the genital and anal areas, they should be clean and free of fecal matter, mats and discoloration. Check your dogs weight by running your hands along the rib cage, you should be able to feel them easily but they should not be prominent.
Press gently along spine and over hips to check for pain or sensitivity.
Legs and Paws
Lift each leg up one at a time to check for stiffness. Check the feet and pads for sores and cracks. Make sure to check in between pads for and long hair and things that can get stuck in there. My little guys sometimes get a piece of a cracked acorn in between the pads and it makes them limp.
Nails
Check that the nails are nice and short. Long nails can interfere with walking. Make sure there are no cracks.
My dogs love getting this short and quick home exam. They truly enjoy the attention. Afterwards I give them a treat. I recommend doing this once a week. This way you will catch any thing going on early and be able to bring it to the attention of your Veterinarian.
Thanks for reading.
I hope this was helpful. I plan on putting together a video of a quick home exam and will post it as soon as I have it.
Teri
Next week: Poisonous plants
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