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| Weekly Health Check |
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For
any breed of dog, regardless of coat type, a weekly groom
can have many benefits not only to the dog’s skin and
coat but also to your relationship. Weekly grooming can be
a great bonding exercise.
While you carry out your weekly grooming, it is an excellent
time to check on other aspects of your dog’s health.
During your weekly health check you may spot issues that might
otherwise be missed. |
Coat
Regular brushing, no matter what coat length, can help promote healthy
coat and skin and good circulation. As you groom, deal gently with
any mats or caught objects and check for parasites such as fleas
or ticks. Dogs that run in long grass or forest areas should be
regularly checked for ticks after each walk. See The
Best Way to Remove a Tick for more information on tick removal.
As you groom, check the condition of your dog’s skin and coat.
A dull greasy coat, flaky dandruff, pink skin, sores, lumps and
so on can all indicate health problems. Older dogs in particular
can develop lumps that are simply fatty deposits but it is always
best to monitor them and get them checked by a vet.
Feet
With long haired dogs check that the feet are kept trimmed and that
no mats have built up in this area. Mats or items such as grass
seeds caught between pads can cause discomfort.
It is important to pay attention to your dog’s nails,
pads and between the pads. Many dogs move on enough hard surfaces
for their nails to naturally be kept at a good length, but
if your dog only exercises on soft ground, is old or for any
other reason your dog’s nails may not get naturally
filed down, you will need to get them used to having their
nails cut.
For more information on nail cutting and care please visit
When and How to Cut Your
Dog's Nails. |
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Ears
Your dog’s ears should be clean and odour free with no inflammation
or discharge. Long haired dogs may need long ear hair regularly
trimming. Ear mites are a fairly common parasite of dogs. A dark
granulated discharge in the ears can indicate ear mites. Also check
for wax and general cleanliness of the ear. If necessary, clean
the ears carefully with special ear cleaning solutions. Never put
anything into your dog’s ear or ear canal such as cotton buds.
This can seriously damage the ear structures.
Mouth
Checking your dog’s teeth, breath and gums is important. Smelly
breath can be a sign of tooth decay, gum disease or intestinal problems.
Unpleasant ‘dog breath’ is not to be expected and should
always be investigated further. When checking gums, they should
be pale pink and the colour should return when gently pressed. Check
for inflammation, odour, or any redness.
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Teeth should be inspected for general condition, looking in
particular for any broken teeth and plaque build-up. A frighteningly
high percentage of pets are in urgent need of dental treatment.
This means that they are walking around with infection and
inflammation in their mouths which can spread to affect the
whole body including the heart, kidneys and liver. It is important
to remember that most dental disease is treatable and certainly
the vast majority of dental disease is preventable. For more
information please read Dog
Teeth Cleaning and Oral Care, which includes information
on teething cleaning and care. |
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Eyes
Your dog’s eyes should look clear and bright with no discharge
or inflammation. As your dog gets older, check for cataracts, which
is a very common eye complaint in older age. Cataracts shows as
a cloudy lens. As dogs age they all develop a hardening of the lens
that causes the lens to have a greyish appearance. This is not a
cataract, and does not usually interfere with vision. However, a
cataract will interfere with vision, from blurring to complete vision
loss. Cataracts can in fact occur at any age so if you see any cloudiness,
ask your vet to make further checks.
Weight
Millions of UK dogs are suffering from obesity. Obesity is
thought to be a serious problem for over a third of the UK’s
combined cat and dog population.
It is vitally important that you keep your dog at a sensible
weight. Obesity puts strain on the joints which, combined
with reduced exercise, can lead to arthritis. An overweight
dog can also experience stress on internal organs and all
body structures, can be at risk if undergoing surgery, is
at increased risk of suffering from diabetes, heart and kidney
problems, heat intolerance, and has a reduced life expectancy.
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Genetics,
age, appetite, activity level, reproductive status and the gender
of a dog can influence how likely they are to become obese. As these
are changing factors, checking weight is therefore an important
part of your dog's weekly check. Run your hands along your dog’s
body. Ideally the ribs can just be felt with no excess fat covering
them, the tummy should look tucked up when viewed from the side
and the waist should narrow after the ribs end (best viewed from
above). For more information please read Weight
Issues and Obesity in Dogs.
Bottom
Both the dog’s bottom and sexual organs should be clean and
odour free. There should be no discharge. Any long bottom hair should
be regularly cut short so that particles do not get caught around
the anus area.
If your dog regularly has problems with anal glands, often seen
by bothering or dragging the bottom accompanied by a fishy odour,
speak to your vet about manual evacuation of the anal glands and
if necessary learn to do this at home if the vet agrees that it
should be done regularly. Please see When
and How to Empty Your Dog's Anal Glands.
Regular inspection of your dog’s faeces can give you some
very valuable information about your dog’s health and whether
their current diet suits them. A good stool should be firm, moist
and consistent, with regular bumps. |
| ©
D for Dog www.dfordog.co.uk |
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