You can learn how to assess your pet’s health at home in 6 easy steps, catching minor problems before they become serious (and expensive) health issues! Perform the following assessment as part of your regular grooming routine.
Assess Your Pet’s Health at Home in 6 Easy Steps
Place your pet on your designated grooming surface and let’s get started!
- Take a look at his/her eyes. Do you notice any discharge from the eye? If the discharge is clear, clean it away with a warm, wet cloth. Sometimes, clear discharge can be caused by debris or hair in the eye, so make sure there is nothing in the eye causing irritation. If there is hair poking your pet in the eye, it should be trimmed away to prevent irritation that could lead to a possible eye infection. If there is hard, crusty discharge at the corner of the eye, place a warm, wet cloth over the crust area for a few seconds to soften it, then wipe it away, or comb it away with the wide-tooth side of your metal comb. If you are seeing green discharge, that can signal infection, and you will need to call your veterinarian for advice. Keeping those eyes clean will help to prevent problems in the future.
- Now, let’s take a look in the ears. I have an in-depth ear care tutorial here. Read through it to learn how to clean out your pet’s ears. You will also learn how to identify a potential ear infection, and how to act fast so that it doesn’t turn into a serious infection, and possibly a vet bill.
- Go ahead and brush your pet’s teeth with a good enzymatic toothpaste, like this one by Virbac, and use a good oral rinse, like Dentahex, to keep the teeth and gums healthy. You will get the best results if you do this at least once or twice a week, more often if your pet has tooth or gum issues. Taking care of those teeth is KEY to preventing heart disease, as well as painful and expensive tooth and gum infections. Also, assess the condition of your pet’s teeth and gums. Are you noticing a lot of tarter build up on the teeth? What about red or inflamed gums? How about any chipped, broken or loose teeth? Also, look for any unusual growths in the mouth. If you notice any issues, check with your vet for the best course of action. If your vet recommends a dental cleaning, make it a priority!!! Once the teeth have been cleaned you can practice good dental care at home, and hopefully, go longer between professional cleanings and avoid dental related health problems, like heart disease.
- Let’s move on to your pet’s skin. You are looking for any redness, sores, or scabs. Is your pet licking or chewing a particular area repeatedly? Key spots to check that are often missed are the pads of the feet, the armpits, the base of the tail, the insides of the hind legs, and the tummy. If you are seeing minor skin irritation, clean the area well with shampoo, rinse well and let dry. Once the area is completely dry, treat it with Pet MD – Antiseptic and Antifungal Medicated Spray. I like this particular spray because it is both antiseptic and antifungal, covering all the bases. It is imperative that you don’t let him/her chew or lick the irritated area. You may need to put an E-collar on him/her until the area heals. If you believe your pet has a skin infection, read this post for more in-depth advice. If you don’t see improvement within a few days of cleaning and treating the area, or the condition seems severe or gets worse, check with the vet for treatment options. Sometimes skin irritation is caused by an infection, bacteria, or parasite that won’t clear up without prescription medication. Hopefully, you will have caught the condition early and get it cleared up easily before it spreads to other parts of the skin and becomes a huge problem.
- Use a flea comb to check for signs of flea dirt (little black specks that look like pepper) or fleas in the coat. Regular bathing can go a long way toward preventing flea problems. If you see just a flea or two, a flea bath with a good flea shampoo should take care of the problem since you are catching it early. If you are seeing more than one or two fleas, you should treat your pet, your pet’s bedding, your home, and your yard simultaneously to get rid of them. You may have to repeat the treatment several times to get rid of them completely. Your vet can also recommend a monthly flea treatment product if you are having repeated problems with fleas. (Many flea products are not safe to use on or around cats. Please read labels carefully!)
- The last step is to check your pet over carefully for any lumps, bumps or growths that you haven’t noticed before. Take note of any new areas of concern and mention them to your vet the next time you see him/her for routine care. If the lump, bump or growth is larger than it was before, seems swollen or painful, or has a discharge, call your vet for advice.
That’s it! If you assess your pet’s health at home regularly and keep up with your yearly checkups at the vet, you will help to ensure a long, healthy life for your pet and lower vet bills for you!
