Symptoms of Illness
Even the best cared-for puppy may become ill or injured, so it’s a good idea to be aware of the following signs of illness. If your puppy exhibits these or other unusual symptoms, call your veterinarian:
- Loss of appetite for more than one day.
- Diarrhea, constipation or difficulty with urination – Take your puppy to the veterinarian immediately if he is unable to urinate or defecate, but continues to try, or if there is blood in the urine or stool.
- Vomiting – Take your puppy to the veterinarian immediately if vomited material contains blood or other unusual contents.
- Fever – Fever is indicated by a dry, hot nose, dull eyes, and a noticeable rise in body heat.
- Pain – For severe or continuous pain, immediate veterinary attention is required.
- Excessive panting or difficulty breathing – Immediate care is required if there is noisy respiration, a blue tongue or your puppy’s gasping for breath.
- Coughing and sneezing.
- Head shaking – This may indicate an accumulation of ear wax, an infection or a foreign body in the ear.
- Limping – Be especially suspicious of sudden lameness without apparent cause.
- Constant scratching or biting may require immediate care if it is so severe that the puppy risks self-mutilation.
- Biting and other aggressive or unusual behaviour by a normally even-tempered puppy.
- Listlessness or hiding.
