In addition to regularly seeking a whole-body health check from a veterinarian, parents should also give your dog a regular physical examination. This kind of examination does not necessarily have to be done at a professional pet hospital, it can also be performed at home. Let me share with you how to help your dog undergo a physical examination.
12 steps to help a dog with a physical examination:
1. Touch the nose:
If the dog's nose is wet, it means it is very healthy; if it is dry, it will get angry or become sick, and you need to pay more attention and replenish water. Of course, it is normal for a dog to have a dry nose when he wakes up.
2. Look at the dog for a few seconds:
Check whether the dog is tearful, observe whether the dog's tear glands have darker color, and reflect on whether the feed is too salty or the food is not suitable.
3. Check the eyes:
If a foreign object enters the dog's eyes, the owner can use eye drops to clean it. When cleaning, try to be as gentle as possible to avoid hurting the dog.
4. Touch the body:
By measuring the body temperature, you can directly know whether the dog is having a fever and thus whether it is sick. A healthy dog's body temperature should be 38-39 degrees Celsius, but the smaller or more active dog's body temperature will be higher than normal.
If your dog is a large dog or is not very active, when its body temperature is too high or too low than normal and does not return to normal, it means that it may be sick.
5. Kiss the dog:
When you are close to the dog, get closer to the dog's mouth and smell whether its tone is fresh. If it tastes good, it means you have oral disease or stomach discomfort! Especially older dogs.
6. Oral examination: The most common oral problem in dogs is that new teeth cannot grow smoothly, or tartar. A pair of white teeth not only makes the dog look more beautiful, but also a guarantee of health. When checking your dog's teeth, you must first open its mouth to see if the mouth and teeth are clean.
If the dog already has tartars or even tooth decay, it needs to be taken to the veterinarian for further treatment. Remember to develop your dog's habit of brushing teeth so that they can ensure that they have white and healthy teeth.
7. Flip the dog's ears:
If the dog's ears smell bad, they are bad signs of something that is stained with brown from the inside out. If a dog always shakes his head, it may have earwax, ear mites or inflammation in his ears. If the dog's ears are dirty, use a wet tissue or alcohol cotton to wipe it clean.
If the ears have tan earwax, it is recommended to clean it with ear drops. Dogs with hairy ears should also be checked regularly for hair plucking.
8. Shake hands with the dog:
When playing with the dog, turn over the dog's foot pad to see if there are any cracks, and point to whether the hair inside is long. Use your hands to touch if there is any damage or small pustules in the toes, whether the nails are pointed, it is time to trim it, and then touch up if there is a long bag on your legs.
The time it takes to check your dog's body for only a dozen minutes, but these ten minutes can keep the dog alive and healthy.
Regular physical examinations can detect problems early and treat them early, avoid further deterioration of the condition, and during physical examinations. If you find that your dog is abnormal, you should take it to the pet hospital as soon as possible for detailed examinations to avoid minor lesions and major illnesses.