How to recognise common illnesses?

Some dogs with simple fever continue to eat and play normally, while some become lethargic and lose appetite. Therefore, regular visits to your vet for monitoring his health are essential in preventing and controlling serious ailments.

To help you figure this out, here is a partial list of signs worth reporting to your vet as soon as possible:

• Collapse or convulsions. 
• Increased frequency of urination, increased amounts of urine produce, difficulty in urination, previously house-trained dog urinating in the house. 
• Greatly increased thirst and water intake. 
• Persistent cough or abnormal breathing. 
• Discharge from nostrils, eyes, ears etc.
• Diarrhoea, constipation, or vomiting that lasts for more than 24 hours. 
• Loss of appetite for longer than 24 hours. 
• Weakness or lethargy. Loosing body weight.
• Swelling/lumps anywhere on the body. 
• Lameness or a change in the way your pet walks or runs. 
• If your dog is in obvious discomfort. 
• Persistent head shaking, excessive scratching, pawing at ears, or rubbing his hindquarters along the ground may be signs of distress.