Knowing whether your pet needs veterinary care can be challenging, as pets are skilled at hiding illness and injury. Plus, your pet’s condition may not seem serious enough to warrant a veterinary exam. To help determine when your furry pal needs medical attention, follow our Star of Texas Veterinary Hospital team’s guidelines.

#1: Changes in your pet’s eating or drinking habits

Your pet’s eating and drinking habits are probably their most accurate internal health measurements. If your furry pal’s appetite is disrupted, you know they have a serious problem. Pets with gastrointestinal (GI) issues, dental disease, and other painful conditions often refuse to eat and are less thirsty. Metabolic conditions and organ dysfunction, such as hyperthyroidism and kidney failure, can cause an increased appetite and thirst. 

#2: Persistent vomiting or diarrhea in your pet

While a bout or two of vomiting or diarrhea usually is not cause for concern, sustained or recurrent GI issues can be a problem. Vomiting and diarrhea that does not resolve after a day or two, or progressively worsens, can indicate an underlying infection, GI blockage, or food intolerance. If your pet vomits or has diarrhea multiple times in one day, or they display other illness signs (i.e., lethargy, fever), they need veterinary care. 

#3: Lethargy or weakness in your pet

Although your pet likely is sleepy after an intense fetch or pouncing game, unusual tiredness, lethargy, or weakness that does not improve with rest is a problem. Anemia, intestinal parasites, pain, organ dysfunction, or infection can sap your pet’s strength.

#4: Breathing changes in your pet

Rapid, shallow, or difficulty breathing can be a serious issue, especially if breathing problems do not resolve with rest. Changes in your pet’s respiratory rate, effort, or sound can indicate pain, heart or lung issues, infection, or an obstruction. If your pet’s breathing difficulties continue, or their gums and tongue turn blue or purple, seek immediate veterinary care.

#5: Bad breath in your pet

Most pet owners consider doggy breath normal, and a slight odor to your pet’s breath is standard, but a foul smell is not. Most often, bad breath is caused by dental disease, which can be not only incredibly painful for pets, but also can cause organ damage and systemic infection. Oral tumors, ulcers, foreign objects, or kidney disease can also lead to a pet’s bad breath.

#6: Changes in your pet’s urination or defecation habits

Any change in your pet’s normal urination or defecation habits, which can signal organ dysfunction, a urinary tract infection, or GI problems, is concerning. If your pet shows any of the following urination and defecation issues, seek veterinary treatment:

  • Change in frequency
  • Change in consistency
  • Difficulty urinating or defecating
  • Blood in urine or feces
  • Inappropriate elimination

#7: Changes in your pet’s skin and coat

If your pet’s normally lustrous coat loses its shine and their skin becomes dull and flaky, a nutrient deficiency or hormonal imbalance could be the problem. Itchiness, irritation, and hair loss can be triggered by allergies or external parasites, while an unusual odor, pustules, and sores can indicate a skin infection. Lumps or bumps that pop up can be benign or malignant, so they should be checked as soon as possible.

#8: Changes in your pet’s mood or behavior

While pets can have bad days where they are grumpy, a prolonged attitude shift can indicate a health issue. Unusual irritability, aggression, anxiousness, or restlessness may result from various medical or behavior problems that need attention. Pain is often a major culprit in a pet’s behavior changes, although you may not be able to identify the painful spot. Dental disease, allergies, intervertebral disc disease, infections, and osteoarthritis commonly cause discomfort and can influence your pet’s behavior. Separation anxiety, cognitive dysfunction, and household bullying can also change your pet’s behavior and mood.

#9: Unexplained weight change in your pet

Weight loss is usually considered a good thing, but a pet who unexpectedly loses weight without a diet or exercise change may have a medical issue. Intestinal parasites, infection, organ disease, or cancer can cause your pet weight loss without a new diet and exercise program. Also, although pets commonly gain weight, substantial weight gain without an increased food intake can indicate a metabolic condition (e.g., hypothyroidism).

#10: Lameness in your pet

Lameness that does not improve with rest, or that improves and then recurs, requires a diagnostic workup. Potential mild or recurring lameness causes include a torn cranial cruciate ligament, Lyme disease, muscle sprain, early stage osteoarthritis, or hip or elbow dysplasia.

If your pet’s normal behavior or habits change, they may have a medical problem that requires veterinary treatment. Give our Star of Texas Veterinary Hospital team a call to schedule an appointment, so we can determine the cause of your pet’s changes and provide any necessary treatment.