As well as being loving companions and friends who are always eager for a good walk, a dog can sometimes seem like a small, furry machine designed to get into trouble. If there’s something in your kitchen a dog isn’t meant to eat, it’ll make a beeline for it. If there’s something that really shouldn’t be chewed, you can expect to find canine tooth marks on it, and if your dog disappears into a hedge while out on a walk, you really don’t know what it’s gone to find.
This can result in a range of symptoms, from upset stomachs to sad, listless behaviour, to aggressive behaviour. Your dog might be uncharacteristically hungry or refuse to eat its usual meals, and all of this results in worry for you! Today we’re taking a look at some common symptoms dogs can display, and judging how worried you need to be!
Digestive Problems
If you find yourself regularly complaining ‘my dog keeps throwing up’ then it’s only natural to worry. Are you doing something wrong? Is this a symptom of serious illness?
In the majority of cases, you have nothing to worry about. Dogs mostly throw up as a solution to a problem, rather than a symptom of a wider issue – if they’ve eaten something that’s disagreeing with them, a quick vomit often makes the problem go away!
You might also come down to evidence of a yellow-green foamy vomit in the morning. This is bile, which your dog can vomit if it has an empty stomach. It’s not a serious problem, and you can often solve it simply by changing the rhythm of feeds in the course of a day – a small meal before bed gives the stomach something to digest during the night and helps avoid bile backwash.
The times to be worried are if your dog is vomiting repeatedly – this is not just an indication of a more serious problem, but can cause dehydration, as they can’t keep water down. If they’re unable to hold down food and water, a trip to the vet is called for.
Behaviour Changes
Your dog’s personality can be the best indicator of their level of health. A dog that’s normally full of energy becoming lethargic and withdrawn, or a quiet dog becoming agitated and not settling down are both indicators that something serious has changed, and something could be wrong! You know your dog best, so don’t dismiss it if something feels wrongs – if your dog seems to be acting differently or is in distress and it doesn’t pass quickly, it could be worth a trip to the vet!
