Dog and puppy owners need to be sure they understand a few dog health problems basics so they can help their pets if by chance they contract one of the common dog health problems. There is an old wives’ tale that many people still believe that the way to tell if a dog is healthy is if their nose is cold and wet. There are no scientific basis for this belief as no one can tell from how wet or how cold a dog’s is has anything to do with hereditary heart problems, parasites, intestinal worms, blindness, deafness and every other health problems that dogs can contract.

Pet owners should totally repudiate such beliefs that have no scientific basis and instead pay strict attention to the physical condition of their dog in general making sure they regularly check for disease symptoms or signs in the eyes, teeth, ears, mouth and skin regions. A good dog owner needs to be sure they provide the care that their dog needs, including a healthy diet (some treats are OK), visits to the vet, and regular grooming so that their pets can enjoy long and healthy lives.   

Signs Of Common Dog Health Problems

In particular, there are certain dog health symptoms that mean your canine friend has particular diseases or health challenges. Dog owners should be familiarized with these potential signs of abnormalities in their pets so quick and proper action can be done immediately to avoid any complications later on.

* The dog’s coat should be shiny, soft and full. With wiry coated dogs, like Australian terriers, you need to be sure that the coat is springy and has thick strands of fur. Breeds with double coats should have no indication of thinning on the undercoats.

* Redness, sores, scabs, scales, flakes, lumps and growths on the dog’s skin can be signs of health problems. Your dog’s skin and fur should be free of parasitic infestation like ticks, fleas or mange mites. An overabundance of scartching or biting of their own skin could mean your dog is infested with parasites like mange mites.

* Just like us, bright, shiny eyes in your dog means good health. Dogs have a certain area around the outside of the eyeball that should be pinkish to indicate good health. This area is called the conjunctiva and a pale color in this area could signify some underlying health problems. Its important that there be no abnormal discharges from the eyes, especially no greenish or yellow fluids.

* Bad odors and/or bloody discharge from the ears is good symptom that something is wrong. The ears should be clean with no signs of parasitic activities.

* Gums that have a healthy pink color which may contain some black pigmentation is a sign of good health. Pale or very light colored gums could mean your dog has anemia. Inflamed and bleeding gums can be signs of periodontal diseases while a foul odor emanating from the breath can be indicative of some underlying health problems.

* Thinking back to the old time thinking about a dog’s nose, a dog full of health usually has a cold, wet nose but this is really only due to the kind of clear and watery discharge that are normal in dogs. If a foul and colored discharge from the nose emanates, this is a sign of an abnormal condition and should be looked at. Such discharges in young pups can be a sign of canine distemper and may prove to be fatal.

There are still other factors to consider and to look at to determine the health of the dog, and these include his weight, bodily temperature, the appearance of urine and feces. The important thing here is to know and understand these signs and symptoms of health problems so that the moment you notice something abnormal, you can immediately take action.