Diagnosing pet symptoms can be time-consuming, since many symptoms do not show themselves immediately. Having a plan for eliminating symptoms will help eliminate many of the causes. Always check for the obvious signs first, then look for other symptoms. Make notes each day after you first notice problems so you can better communicate with your veterinarian and help them treat your pet.
Instructions
Look for immediate symptoms first, such as cuts, bruises, limping or dragging of a leg, bleeding or dried blood, or mobility issues. These could be symptoms of an attack or fight, or that your pet has been hit. If there are no physical signs, check for troubled breathing, inability or hesitation to move in one direction, vomiting or passing blood which could be symptoms of internal problems.
Look for abnormalities, including small growths on the skin, red patches, bumps near the inner ear or just past the leg joints. These are symptoms of possible cancer or serious tic infections. Look for small rice pellets around the anus as this is a tapeworm infection. If your pet shakes their head feverishly, or you see small brown specks in their ear, these are ear mites.
Look for pronounced symptoms. Swelling of the face or sides is an indication of bacterial infection or mouth trauma which needs to be dealt with quickly. Glassy eyes, vocal breathing (where you hear the pet breath), excess fluid intake and lethargy (sleeping more often) are symptoms of internal infections and, when combined with other symptoms, can be signs of serious illness such as cancer or the onset of liver or kidney failure.
Look for sudden changes. Signs such as not wanting to be handled, not eating, and wobbling are all pet symptoms of an internal trauma or serious sudden illness such as a fast-moving virus. Sudden changes in behavior, aggression or drooling may be symptoms of rabies. Severe vomiting, coughing, sudden listlessness or signs of blood can be symptoms of poisoning.
Look for slow progressive changes. Has your pet lost interest in their favorite activities and do they appear lethargic? These could be signs of depression, internal trauma, advanced infections, or the end stage of life. Look for changes in vision, hearing, or sleeping patterns. These could be symptoms of advanced cancer if the pet is still reasonably young.