Part of good pet wellness care is just paying attention to your pet so that you can recognize that something is wrong. While all parts of your furry housemate and their habits are important, The Pets Place Animal Hospital thinks that the head is a good place to start.
 

The Eyes Have It

Your pet’s eyes may be the window to their soul, and being sure that they are healthy is important. The clear cornea should be free of any coloration or defect, the pupils symmetrical and responsive to light, and they should be free of discharge.

Your pet may be suffering from an eye problem if you notice:

• Squinting of one or both eyes

• Rubbing the eyes with the paws or on the ground

• Redness of the whites of the eyes

• Any color or defects in the surface of the eye

• Drainage from one or both eyes

• Changes in vision

• Pupils that are not the same in size

• Pain 

• A bulging appearance
   

Do You Ear What I Ear?

We don’t spend a lot of time looking at our pet’s ears, especially if you have a breed with floppy ears. Knowing what lies beneath, though, can help to tip you off if your pet is having trouble. Having a good feel about normal appearance, odor, and discharge in your pet’s ears can help you to understand potential pet health concerns. 

Call us if your pet:

• Seems to be in pain

• Is rubbing or scratching at the ears

• Is shaking their head or holding one or both ears in an abnormal position

• Has noticeable redness inside the ear

• Has an abnormal odor from the ear

• Is having increased discharge from one or both ears

• Has a change in how the ear or ear flap appears
   

Mother Nose Best

Your pet’s sniffer is also important. Many people have an intimate knowledge about how their four-legged family member’s nose appears and will be very perceptive if there’s a change.

Signs for potential concern regarding your pet’s nose might include:

• Bleeding from the nose

• Scabbing or sores on the nose itself

• Scales or crusts

• Clear, yellow, or green discharge from the nose

• Swelling on the nose itself or along the bridge of the nose

• Changes in breathing
   

Your Role in Pet Wellness Care

When you take your time to observe what your pet’s normal appearance is, it makes it easier to notice when something changes.

As part of a good pet health care routine, pet owners should take a moment each day to observe their animal. Does everything appear normally? Are they doing anything outside the realm of their normal routine? Of course a dog might shake their head once or twice with nothing being awry, but if you know that is not a normal behavior for your pet, it might alert you that something is wrong.

When it comes to pet wellness care, being proactive is key. While your pet may still experience health issues, being perceptive enough to catch them early is important. Early diagnosis helps to minimize any discomfort your pet may experience and can help us to more effectively treat this issue. Often this equates to lower expenses as well. 

You are your pet’s advocate, and how active of a role you take in pet wellness care can make an impact. Our staff is happy to be on your team when it comes to taking care of your pet; eyes, ears, nose, and everything else.