Today a Beagle named Riley came into my office with difficulty breathing and a raspy cough. He had refused dinner and breakfast over the past 24 hours. His owner said she knew he wasn’t acting right 2 evenings prior and wished she had brought him in sooner, before he went completely off his food. X-rays and blood tests indicated he had pneumonia. He spent the day in the hospital receiving breathing treatments, IV fluids and antibiotics. By evening he was eating. He is breathing better tonight, but many other cases don’t fare as well.
Pet owners frequently ask me if I think they waited too long to seek help when their pets are ill. Because pets can’t tell you what the problem is, owners have a difficult time recognizing illness in the early stages. Veterinarians are trained to look for subtle signs of disease and early warning signs. A minimum of two wellness visits annually is important for maintaining health in animals. I recommend more visits for aging pets and those with conditions like diabetes and cancer. It is more cost effective to prevent than it is to treat life threatening or advanced disease.
Watch for these early indicators of disease and schedule a vet appointment as soon as you see them:
1. Hairballs: For some reason, cat owners and even some dog owners think that spitting up hair is normal. Regardless of length of pet hair, vomiting anything, including hair is abnormal. It is a reflection of abnormal cells lining the intestines, abnormal bowel peristalsis (contractions of the intestines), or increased hair loss. These conditions are not normal and many times indicate inflammatory bowel disease. In cats, when this condition is not treated in early stages, this leads to intestinal cancer. Cat laxative and feeding increased fiber may help the hair move through, but they are not cancer preventive. See your vet and stop calling friends, visiting online chat rooms to see what other owners of your pet’s breed think may be happening, refrain from buying remedies online and in the pet store.
2. Vomiting or diarrhea: These signs should also be treated early to prevent dehydration and treat the underlying cause. Parasites, intestinal infections, gall bladder infections and gall stones, inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies and pancreatitis are just a few of the diseases that cause these signs. Ask your vet to run tests to get a diagnosis. We diagnose more gall bladder and pancreatic disorders with ultrasound than we ever did without. In addition, early detection of tumors can be lifesaving.
3. Change in appetite: This sign is usually a very early warning of pain, nausea or infection.
4. Change in litter or housetraining habits: Urinating more or less than usual, having accidents, going outside of the litter box, straining for a BM or urination or not producing urine or stool are all serious signs of infection, stones, obstructions or tumors.
5. Hair loss or itchiness: Hair loss is typically a sign of nutritional deficiency, imbalance or intolerance. Itchiness is a result of allergies, deficiencies, skin infections or parasites. It can also be related to hormonal imbalance, like hypothyroidism. Diagnoses like diabetes and skin cancer can also be found. Some skin disorders are contagious between pets or even between people and pets. Seek veterinary help early.
6. Growth or tumor: When growths are small, they are easy to biopsy and remove. Waiting until they get large makes them hard to remove and they can spread. If your vet wants to monitor a growth, at least get a needle biopsy. No one can Identify cell types by touching a mass. Get the biopsy.
7. Limping and difficulty getting up or down: Pets can develop joint disease, Lyme Disease, blood disorders, spinal cord or brain disorders which can affect strength and gait. Age is not a disease and arthritis doesn’t have to prevent your pet from being mobile and active. If your pet is slowing down, having a hard time on steps or trouble getting in the car, get the x-rays and blood work. Treat the underlying problem with therapy, rather than just loading him up on pain medications or aspirin. He will stay active longer and you will have your companion longer.
8. Coughing: A cough can indicate asthma, heart disease, laryngeal paralysis, pneumonia, Heartworm Disease, lung parasites and more.
The next time your pet is ill, get him seen early. Hopefully all his tests will be normal and you will have peace of mind. If tests are abnormal, you may be able to safe your pet by early intervention, and you and your vet will have time to investigate more options for therapy.