Spaying or neutering your dog is an important way to reduce pregnancy and behaviour problems. Learn about the procedure and how to help your dog after the surgery.
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.
