# Your dogs daily health check



## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

As we get many posts from new members asking questions about general health problems I thought maybe this general health check they can do themselves might be of help with things to look for that could indicate problems.

1) EYES. These should be clear without any discharge or redness as this could be a sign of infection.

2) EARS. The insides of your dogs ears should be clear with no odour. A Dogs ears should be cleaned regularly to avoid any infection especially dogs with dropped ears such as spaniels.

3) MUZZLE. The nose should be free of discharge.

4) TEETH AND GUMS. Gently lift your dogs lips, the gums should be pink. Teeth should be clean and white with no yellow plaque or tartar and there should not be a bad smell. There are products on the market for keeping teeth clean, but always get your vet to check the teeth if you are concerned,and clean if necessary. Also check for bleeding gums.

5) COAT AND SKIN. The coat should be free from tangles,and shiny looking. There should be no evidence of flaking skin. A good brush will help stimulate the skin.

6) BODY CHECKS. Run your hands through the coat to check for any lumps of wounds. Part the hair to look for signs of fleas or ticks. Check dogs testicles and bitches mammary glands for any unusual swelling.

7) WEIGHT. know the weight of your dog,and monitor it regularly (Your vet will usually do this for you on any visits free of charge) If you can feel the ribcage then you have probably got it right.

8) PAWS. Check the pads for open cuts,splinters or seeds. Nails should be short and healthy looking without any splitting.

9) UNDER THE TAIL. Hold up the tail and check for any signs of discharge or soreness. The anal glands might occasionally need emptying a job for your vet.

10) ENERGY. Your dog should always look alert.


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## johnthan2 (Dec 1, 2010)

I almost thought about shaving her hind feathering's off. After the first week or so the puppies' poops formed nice and my female's body got used to cleaning up the puppies' mess. I get check of my dog's health by the doctor.

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Dog Cages


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

Sled dog hotel said:


> As we get many posts from new members asking questions about general health problems I thought maybe this general health check they can do themselves might be of help with things to look for that could indicate problems.
> 
> 1) EYES. These should be clear without any discharge or redness as this could be a sign of infection.
> 
> ...


This is a good post - absolutely essential information for any new/prospective dog owner. Perhaps it should be made a sticky?


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Agree with checking your dog over too and they love it. It's also good for if they need to see the vet as they're used to being handled in this way. 

Something my trainer teaches at puppy class.


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## Nicky10 (Jan 11, 2010)

Great post I do it a few times a week and it's good to do it from you get them so they're used to it


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Spellweaver said:


> This is a good post - absolutely essential information for any new/prospective dog owner. Perhaps it should be made a sticky?


Not sure how you make it a sticky, only just recently discovered how to give reps by accident lol. I just thought it might help new dog owners. If other members think its worthy of making it a sticky then perhaps someone can do it?


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## Spellweaver (Jul 17, 2009)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Not sure how you make it a sticky, only just recently discovered how to give reps by accident lol. I just thought it might help new dog owners. If other members think its worthy of making it a sticky then perhaps someone can do it?


I think only a mod and Mark can make a sticky - but hopefully Tashi or someone else will be along and think it's worth a sticky.


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## Jonathan aston (Nov 11, 2010)

as a pet dog is very favorite to me......so it can be helpful to me ....


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Jonathan aston said:


> as a pet dog is very favorite to me......so it can be helpful to me ....


Im glad you think its helpful.


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## Didescharlie (Sep 15, 2010)

Good advice. It's nice to have a little checklist - it's so easy for some little things to go unnoticed, and they're not always able to let you know.


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## Allieso (Nov 27, 2010)

because i am very busy so i don't have enough time to check my dog everyday 
it seems that i am wrong so from today on i will check him more often thanks for your advice


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## nikole95 (Jan 16, 2011)

Nicky10 said:


> Great post I do it a few times a week and it's good to do it from you get them so they're used to it


Not sure how you make it a sticky, only just recently discovered how to give reps by accident lol. I just thought it might help new dog owners. If other members think its worthy of making it a sticky then perhaps someone can do it?


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## jameserickson80 (Jan 24, 2011)

These are nice guidelines for the general health of our dogs. Thanks.


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## jc123 (Mar 2, 2011)

Nice list. Going through a list like that on a regular basis can make detecting something that needs attention early on.


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## Eithne (Mar 23, 2011)

Hi there, this thread is great with some really good tips which I have been following all week and it's going great so far.


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## Maz3643 (May 15, 2011)

Thats great advice to all dog owners! - I learnt about the daily health check when i did my dog grooming course, all very important and only takes a few minutes...well worth it for your dogs wellbeing!


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## vance99 (May 20, 2011)

Wow as a pet lover i love this thread, the way we keep our hygiene level up, so we need to assure that for our pet as well. Very useful information.


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## Aaren Hardy (Jun 29, 2011)

Its really tough job but it will also make it you sure about the health of your dog.I am very pleased and must appreciate you because in fact it is a nice [email protected] dog hotel.


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## petsonline (Jul 5, 2011)

Malmum said:


> Agree with checking your dog over too and they love it. It's also good for if they need to see the vet as they're used to being handled in this way.
> 
> Something my trainer teaches at puppy class.


I agree. vets are needed by your dogs as you may somehow lack some of the equipments and expertise in caring for dogs and other animal pets as well.

And the post is very good! informative indeed.


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## carltinmar (Jul 14, 2011)

Good list. I always trim the area underneath the tail where their "poop" comes out to maintain the cleanliness of the area as well as their furs. This also helps the dog feel more comfortable.


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## lizacrew (Sep 19, 2011)

Teeth should be clean and white with no yellow plaque or tartar and there should not be a bad smell. There are products on the market for keeping teeth clean, but always get your vet to check the teeth if you are concerned,and clean if necessary. Also check for bleeding gums.


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## JustMeNow (Oct 10, 2011)

I give my dog &#8203;&#8203;bones to clean teeth, I hope he will no die...


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## kateh8888 (Aug 9, 2011)

Great info, very helpful.


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## Nattietwoie (Oct 27, 2011)

Thanks for this, i'll try it on my dog now.


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## waller540 (May 12, 2011)

Great list. Thanks.

As a side note I'd add to look at your dogs poop when you're outside for signs of excess mucus and/or blood. A lot of digestive problems can be found this way. :thumbup:


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## DogTags2 (Nov 19, 2011)

As a man we go to Doctor Chamber for check-up, So it's our responsibility to check-up daily ours dog's health. Because dog is one ours family member.


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## KezF07 (Nov 26, 2011)

I am going to be a puppy owner for the first time in a couple of weeks and this kind of information is invaluable so thank you 

I also think that doing these daily checks helps you to get to know every part of your dog like you would your own baby  I want to ensure that I know everything about my pup so I can give him the best of care!


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## dizzylou (Nov 24, 2011)

Having a dog for the first time this list is a godsend, thank you. :thumbup1:


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## DOGPERSON (Nov 28, 2011)

Great simple post.

We have a poodle cross and we find keeping his fur shaved to a short level helps us work out if their are any skin problems.

I have also found that using Omega 3 regularly has helped a lot with hot spots and foot itchiness for him.


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## rambo2 (Dec 9, 2011)

Very interesting information.Thanks for sharing.


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## stacyb (Dec 16, 2011)

hi, wondering if anyone can help me, my dog Marley is a cross between a lab and a spaniel and is just under 2years old.
We have only had him around 4months however he has been sick quite a few times. There was one day where he never kept anything down and was sick all day, recently this has been around once/twice a week in the morning and it just seems to be bile.
Does anyone know a reason for this? he wretches for around 30seconds and then brings up the bile., he seems ok after this however?
Has anyone had this with their pup or know of it?
Any answers/comments or advice would be amazing!
Thanks, 
Stacy[/FONT]


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

stacyb said:


> hi, wondering if anyone can help me, my dog Marley is a cross between a lab and a spaniel and is just under 2years old.
> We have only had him around 4months however he has been sick quite a few times. There was one day where he never kept anything down and was sick all day, recently this has been around once/twice a week in the morning and it just seems to be bile.
> Does anyone know a reason for this? he wretches for around 30seconds and then brings up the bile., he seems ok after this however?
> Has anyone had this with their pup or know of it?
> ...


Sounds similar to this maybe? http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-chat/208269-should-i-worried.html

If you have any concerns though I would take him to the vet for a check.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

stacyb said:


> hi, wondering if anyone can help me, my dog Marley is a cross between a lab and a spaniel and is just under 2years old.
> We have only had him around 4months however he has been sick quite a few times. There was one day where he never kept anything down and was sick all day, recently this has been around once/twice a week in the morning and it just seems to be bile.
> Does anyone know a reason for this? he wretches for around 30seconds and then brings up the bile., he seems ok after this however?
> Has anyone had this with their pup or know of it?
> ...


Dogs can often bring up bile when their stomachs are empty. You also often see them eating certain types of grass to make themselves sick and bring up bile then almost instantly along with the grass. Dont know how many meals you have him on a day? But you could try perhaps giving him 3 smaller meals,
or two and a little late supper or a few biscuits, to see if that does stop it.

If the frequency carries on though and especially if you get whole day bouts of it again, then personally I would get him checked out at the vets. A bit of intermittent, infrequent bile occasionally is one thing, but too frequently and all day sicky bouts can be another.


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## joanchiu (Dec 29, 2011)

Is dog overweight?


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## Takie (Feb 1, 2012)

Such a great idea!
It's a good idea to make a little check list, it is very helpful to notice the health of our dogs.


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## sjmojo (Feb 16, 2012)

Thankyoy...thats helpful!


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## Dogs4Evar (Mar 7, 2012)

Great advice, sir. I hope that people absorb all of this information, because it really is useful. A like for your post!


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## bellasy (Mar 28, 2012)

This is very helpful. I will definitely do this to my baby dog. Thanks for this. It's very informative.


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## fourpawsoutdoors (Apr 13, 2012)

Fab post, thanks


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## SueBoo (Apr 24, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> As we get many posts from new members asking questions about general health problems I thought maybe this general health check they can do themselves might be of help with things to look for that could indicate problems.
> 
> 1) EYES. These should be clear without any discharge or redness as this could be a sign of infection.
> 
> ...


Great info, thanks.


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## fogy (Jun 26, 2011)

Great thread i can only imagine how many people DONT check their pets


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## russelgrane (Jul 2, 2012)

Thanks for sharing such a valuable information with us. Going to use your checking methods I hope my dogs like it. I don't know exactly but some what similar my dogs trainer teaches in puppy class.


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## trixx214 (Jul 26, 2012)

Thank you for sharing that very helpful information. :thumbup:

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## Smauler (Sep 11, 2012)

Am I stupid, or is this mostly common sense, combined with overboard monitoring?

Check your dog's ears daily? Seriously? Is that good advice? Surely you could get more crap in them than you do out of them by doing so.

Man, most of these the dog will tell you. Seriously, check for splinters in the paw? I've never known a dog that didn't complain about that, immediately. You don't need a daily check for it.


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

Smauler said:


> Am I stupid, or is this mostly common sense, combined with overboard monitoring?
> 
> Check your dog's ears daily? Seriously? Is that good advice? Surely you could get more crap in them than you do out of them by doing so.
> 
> Man, most of these the dog will tell you. Seriously, check for splinters in the paw? I've never known a dog that didn't complain about that, immediately. You don't need a daily check for it.


But what harm does it do getting your dog used to being handled or pick up problems such as ticks?


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

Dogless said:


> But what harm does it do getting your dog used to being handled or pick up problems such as ticks?


I have a dog at training now that has taken 27 weeks just to be able to touch her without being bit


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Smauler said:


> Am I stupid, or is this mostly common sense, combined with overboard monitoring?
> 
> Check your dog's ears daily? Seriously? Is that good advice? Surely you could get more crap in them than you do out of them by doing so.
> 
> Man, most of these the dog will tell you. Seriously, check for splinters in the paw? I've never known a dog that didn't complain about that, immediately. You don't need a daily check for it.


Not a bad thing to do actually in grass seed and tick season especially, They can be picked up on a daily basis and can cause problems if missed.

Also what about pups who need to be gotten used to being handled for when they go to the vets.

Dogs dont always notice things like grass seeds anyway and they dont always cause a problem until they have entered and migrated.

What about spaniels and dogs with long/drop ears that can picks up debris and tend to be prone to ear infections because of lack of ventilation and the ears picking up debris.

And it does say check ears daily not clean ears daily, so just checking will obviously not be adding anything to the ears therefore.

So maybe not as stupid to check regularly as you may think and more stupid not to do it on a regular basis, Ok maybe not daily all the time granted but at certain times of year daily may not be so bad an idea after all.


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## davidtory66 (Oct 4, 2012)

I give my dog &#8203;&#8203;bones to clean teeth, I hope he will no die...


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## izzie4037 (Oct 3, 2012)

Firstly getting used to being touched: I clean sleep away daily to get him used to it for when we have been to the beach and there is sand in the ducts or grass seeds there etc...

Secondly can anyone give me advice on teeth cleaning?
Buloo is fine with me putting my fingers in his mouth,and will just lay there while i check and poke around, but a tooth brush....obviously must be chewed! I have also tried using paste on my finger, this lead to lots of licking my fingers instead of cleaning!:idea:


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

izzie4037 said:


> Firstly getting used to being touched: I clean sleep away daily to get him used to it for when we have been to the beach and there is sand in the ducts or grass seeds there etc...
> 
> Secondly can anyone give me advice on teeth cleaning?
> Buloo is fine with me putting my fingers in his mouth,and will just lay there while i check and poke around, but a tooth brush....obviously must be chewed! I have also tried using paste on my finger, this lead to lots of licking my fingers instead of cleaning!:idea:


I give raw meaty bones for teeth cleaning; they do the job superbly.


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## jonnycena (Oct 19, 2012)

Im a pet lover and I always love to get more ideas and advices about pets. And your idea was grate.


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## saurabhhh (Nov 9, 2012)

Hi Dear,
I almost thought about shaving her hind feathering's off. After the first week or so the puppies' poops formed nice and my female's body got used to cleaning up the puppies' mess. I get check of my dog's health by the doctor.


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## Malamute man (Nov 14, 2012)

Hi i saw your post about general health in dogs and noticed that your picture and profile name were about siberian husky's and i was wondering if you could tell me anything about the siberian husky's coat and how often to brush it and wash it thank you.

Malamute man


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Malamute man said:


> Hi i saw your post about general health in dogs and noticed that your picture and profile name were about siberian husky's and i was wondering if you could tell me anything about the siberian husky's coat and how often to brush it and wash it thank you.
> 
> Malamute man


Huskys and Malamutes which I have both of, I personally tend to groom them through throughly once a week, when they do moult which is in huge amounts, then I usually do it throughly 2/3 times a week. Neither have the usual dog odour and the coats with grooming are pretty self cleaning, so I usually only bath once twice a year at most, if its healthy and in good condition you dont really need to do any more Ive found.


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## magicmike (Jun 7, 2012)

A good checklist for your dogs. I always try to make it a habit when playing with my dog to check for any signs of the unusual.


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## Kayp (Oct 25, 2012)

Brilliant post.. And the dogs love the attention...


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## BusyAnt (Dec 14, 2012)

I agree with you. These are very important facts to check and keep your pet healthy. Thanks for your check list.


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## charger (Jan 20, 2013)

Im new to this forum.. Hello everyone.. I have recently bought a 5 weeks old german shepherd and fed him dry food yesterday and stool is runny.. ANY ADVICE?


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

charger said:


> Im new to this forum.. Hello everyone.. I have recently bought a 5 weeks old german shepherd and fed him dry food yesterday and stool is runny.. ANY ADVICE?


If you have only just got him they can get loose stools from the stress of leaving home and litter mates. As long as they are eating drinking, active, interested in their surroundings and not sitting moping or lookin depressed its not usually anything to worry about. Another thing that can cause loose stools is sudden abrubt changes to different foods that they are not used too. It can be made especially worse if its on top of the rehoming stress too.
So if he is otherwise well it could be this or a combination of the two things.
If he shows any of the signs mentioned above too though, the diarrhoea gets worse or more frequent and if he starts vomitting as well or the faeces develope a really foul smell then you need to get him vet checked.


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## nutty (Feb 17, 2013)

I think it needs to be frequently, so as to recognise any changes. I try to do it daily or near to it. Peanut loves the attention, and I combine it with grooming and stroking him. A bit of bonding time.


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## ackerleynelson (Feb 14, 2013)

Its really a great post and offcourse it is very useful for all the pet owners.


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## ackerleynelson (Feb 14, 2013)

This is a good post for all the dog owners as it is having all the important information. I will save it because I don't want to lost it.


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## fmojo1964 (Aug 12, 2013)

Thanks for the checklist,
Its good to know, I do most of this, as I have a french bulldog with big ears i try to clean them every week. I have asked for the best way to do this but everyone has different views, do you know what is the best way to clean them :smile5:


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## Jackdown1990 (Aug 22, 2013)

this is a great post i really like this !


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## Frollie (Aug 10, 2013)

Can anyone recommend a good first aid kit?

I was also wondering whether it's okay for him to be on Bionic Biotic, Yumega & Plaque Off at the same time (given at different meals, obviously).


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## Jamesfredette (Aug 14, 2013)

my dogs nail have become too long and sharp, just want to know will that be ideal to cut it of to restrict them from any infections?


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## playoff (Sep 4, 2013)

Thanks Sled - very helpful


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## JordanWalker (Aug 13, 2013)

Thank you for sharing with us these great info about your dogs daily health check. It is very helpful specially to pet lovers that serves their dogs not just a guard to their house but a family instead. Anyway, I always have my dog check with a vet to avoid any sickness though as I honestly care and love him so much. It would make me sad to know if he is sick. He is like a baby and a best friend to me. I'm glad to have found this thread to give me more knowledge on how daily should we check dog's health.
Thanks again for this thread.


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## FrodofromAus (Oct 17, 2013)

Just thought you might like to check out this video to show people how to correctly check their dogs for tumours. Dr Ken Wyatt Perth veterinary oncologist gave his time for the new canine cancer website so people could learn how to do it properly. It is really important people learn how to do this so that lumps can be attended to promptly. Quick action saves the lives of our dogs.

Checking for Lumps


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## ProfessorEA (Oct 19, 2013)

FrodofromAus said:


> Just thought you might like to check out this video to show people how to correctly check their dogs for tumours. Dr Ken Wyatt Perth veterinary oncologist gave his time for the new canine cancer website so people could learn how to do it properly. It is really important people learn how to do this so that lumps can be attended to promptly. Quick action saves the lives of our dogs.
> 
> Checking for Lumps


Wow! Great video. I've never seen this before.


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## FrodofromAus (Oct 17, 2013)

Glad you enjoyed it. I was lucky Dr Wyatt gave his time to do it. I thought it people knew the correct way they might find something that needed checking out they might otherwise miss if not done correctly. It also useful for knowing how to check your dogs mouth area as well in terms of less distress and how to hold his head etc.


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## MarthaJK (Dec 5, 2013)

This is a really good checklist for dog owners. I have Golden Retriever and 2 months ago he had ear infection. Vet said that swimming or bathing causes that problem. This infection was really painful for my little Atom:/ We needed to clean his eyes with special cleaning solution for a week. We realized he had a ear infection too late, so the treatment was very hard. We should check this checklist everyday to notice this kind of illnesses. Thank you for your share


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## Poochface (Feb 8, 2013)

We had the same problem 3 years ago while we were on holiday in Brighton, he went for a swim 2 days on the trot and developed an ear infection, the vet advised about avoiding swimming from then on and we certainly did.


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## amandagreen (Dec 9, 2013)

My 3-years-old golden retriever snout gets dry during morning hours, you think it might be some sort of issue?


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## ackerleynelson (Feb 14, 2013)

This information can helpful all dog owners. Whining is a dogs way of expressing they need something, usually he will need food, or water, and human affection. But if you have already provided these things, then he needs to have a check up at the vets and to make sure that he has nothing wrong. When dogs feel sick, they eat grass. When the grass reaches the stomach, it makes them throw up. If he eats grass and then proceeds to be sick more than once a week, he may need medical attention.


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## amandagreen (Dec 9, 2013)

Is it true that a dogs muzzle should always be a little bit wet?


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## doggrey (Apr 2, 2011)

Thnaks for the advise that remained me I must take him to the vet to check his teeth more often...


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## Osmanspair (Mar 24, 2014)

Along with the thread on foods to avoid this is invaluable advice. I shall bookmark both (if I can work out how ).


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## dividweeb (May 23, 2014)

thanks i love my dog


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## CalmPackLeader (May 26, 2014)

Nice post :thumbup1: very informative thanks


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## AshG (Jul 28, 2014)

Some quality information in this thread, honestly I've never thought of checking my own pet, bad me!


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## Labradoodlemad (Aug 17, 2014)

Our vet showed us more or less the same 'to do' list on a daily basis and the pet shop next door has weigh scales just as you come in so that you can hop on and off whenever you want to check weight .... Of course that means a biscuit from the sales lady so never any problem there ! People do this daily check on their horses everyday can't imagine why you wouldn't do it for your dog ! It takes seconds and you don't even have to leave home to do it ! 
Good thread very informative thank you

Ps forgot to say my lab once started limping on one of his front paws when I looked he was very uncomfortable with me pushing between his pads couldn't see any cut or graze he didn't mind me moving his joint so went back to the site of the pain thought there was some swelling and as I was poking about one of those sharp darts that you get from the grass had gone in from underneath between the pads and as I was pushing about to see what was wrong it pieced the skin on the top part of the paw and had travelled right through .... I immersed his foot a few times a day in warm salt water and he was fine but beware people those grass things are really sharp. I wouldn't like to think what it could do to the inside of an ear !!


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## Thene1978 (Sep 4, 2014)

this information is helpful than it's had, I'll check my dog daily with this tips


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## poppy2714 (Nov 13, 2014)

What a fantastic and simple check list!! Great for me as I am a new dog owner!! 

Thank you!


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## doblela (Nov 23, 2014)

Great information and advice for a new dog owner like me!


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