When to Call Your Veterinarian When your pet is not acting quite the right way, but you

do not know what is wro ng, it is good to know some of the signs and symptoms to consider before calling the pet doctor. Should I call now or wait for a few days in order to see what c hanges are happening? 1. Pain is a exhibited by crying, panting and restless pacing, this should not be ignored. Sometimes a reluctance to get up and move around is also a sign of p ain. 2. Lameness Limping on one or arian. A pet will often not bear its become painful to touch. Paralysis, nd or dragging a leg with or without multiple legs should prompt a call to the veterin weight on the affected leg, or the leg will usually indicated by your pet unable to sta pain, needs emergency care as well.

3. Is your pet bleeding? Blood coming from any body opening is cause for co ncern. If the eye is weeping and the pet holds it closed tightly, call your vete rinarian. 4. Have the bathroom habits of you pet changed? Don t confuse a male cat going back and forth to the litter box as constipation. It may be a serious urinary tr act blockage. Increased frequency of either urinary or bowel activity in your do g should cause you to call you veterinarian as well. 5. Do you see any breathing problems in your pet? Gasping or labored breath ing is a sign of serious trouble. If your dog is coughing or snorting or passes out or faints, this is cause for immediate concern. 6. Lethargy When your pet does not have energy and he is normal frisky and want s to play and go on a walk, this is a cause for concern. If this loss of activit y or interest in life s activities remains more than a day or two, you need to call your veterinarian for advice. 7. Seizures? Seizures are something that needs to be watched and you need t o call your veterinarian to ask questions. Signs of a seizure include shaking, l ying on the floor and paddling the legs, loss of awareness of surroundings, poss ible loss of bladder and bowel control, excessive salivation, and a clamped jaw. Sometimes we just come home and see the pet in sort of a stupor and there is e vidence of a great struggle around where they are laying. Call your veterinarian for advice. 8. Vomiting or diarrhea? It may be serious or it may be just a simple upset stomach. Watch your pet carefully and call your veterinarian if it goes longer than 12 hours. Dehydration can be the result, if measures are not taken to stop the diarrhea or vomiting. 8. Does your pet appear to be unconscious or hard to awaken? Sleepy or drow sy behavior can be normal on a hot day, but it can also be a sign of serious met abolic disease such as diabetes or Cushing s Disease. Call your veterinarian with an y questions. 9. What is your pet s food and water consumption like? During the summer months when it is hot, it is normal for your pet to decrease the amount of food he eat s. Just pay attention and call if your pet goes more than a day without drinking water and 2-3 days without eating food. Sometimes problems exist and sometimes they are self-limiting or do not exist at all. Keep close watch on your pet s normal behavior so that when abnormalities happ en, you are alert and can get help as needed. In the end you want to provide the best preventive care that you can afford and catch any illness or organ dysfunc tion early so that treatment will be effective and not too costly. Call your vet erinarian when you have any questions.