My dog has been behaving strangely and he must be ill. How can I best help my vet to find out what is wrong?
Posted by admin in Dog Supplies Q&A, tags: Dog Care Guide, Dog Care Q&A, dog supplies, dog supplies advice, help vetsMy dog has been behaving strangely and he must be ill. How can I best help my vet to find out what is wrong?
Most human patients will be able to answer questions about their illness but clearly dogs are unable to do this. So it is important that whoever consults the veterinary surgeon should be able to express exactly what it is that they are worried about; in other words the nature of the problem. The person who is present when the dogs is examined should he prepared to supply information about both recent and past events; this is known as the ‘history’ of the case. Usually questions will he asked about the animal’s diet, appetite and thirst, its temperament and willingness to play or exercise, the passage of urine and motions, past illnesses and injuries, how long it has been owned, whether it has been neutered and, in the case of entire (i.e. unspayed) females, the date of birth of any litters and whether the animal has been in heat recently, You will also be asked for details of any abnormal signs that have been observed, Where abnormalities have been noted, it is important to he able to say, at least approximately, how long they have been present (for months, weeks, or days) and whether they have been present continuously or intermittently. If it is possible to give exact dates, so much the better.
Some owners keep a diary, or at least make notes about the sequence of events in an illness, and certainly, whenever the succession of event, becomes complex and therefore difficult to remember, it is useful to have: a written record of the salient points, Most vets are very busy and therefore won’t relish the idea of ploughing through page after page of unimportant details, but all of them will welcome an accurate and concise step-by-step account of what has occurred. Whenever you have additional documentation (e.g. the dog’s pedigree or vaccination certificates), these should be made available, especially when you are consulting a particular veterinary surgeon for the first time,
In situations where the dog’s thirst is greatly increased, it is also very helpful if you are able to measure the total amount drunk in twenty-four hours, If you know that the dog normally drinks two to three bowlfuls a day, measure how much the bowl holds; the capacities of dog bowls are, like the lengths of pieces of strings very variable. Or even better, measure the total amount provided during twenty-four hours and subtract the amount remaining undrunk at the end of that period.
From what has already been stated, most owners will appreciate the problems that are created for the vet, and therefore for the patient, if the person present with the animal knows little or nothing of the background to the illness. This is frequently so when children or helpful neighbors bring a sick dog to the consulting room. Wherever possible therefore, the owner, or whoever normally looks after the dog, should be available.
When this isn’t possible the best substitute is a written record of the facts together with a telephone number at which the owner can be contacted – in case further details are required, or if it is necessary to obtain their consent for anesthesia or other procedures to be performed.
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