Dog Illness Signs & Symptoms

Dogs can communicate in a basic way through facial expressions, whines, growls and barking, but, otherwise, they simply don't have the capacity to tell you outright if they feel sick. This means you have to interpret their physical status and behavior to tell whether they are healthy or not. Basic signs and symptoms of dog illness apply regardless of what breed you have.

  1. Temperature

    • According to Dogs Symptoms Cure, dogs typically have a normal temperature between 100 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. As with humans, a temperature outside of the normal range usually doesn't signal trouble if it's only off by a degree or two, and the real indicator of dog health will be consistency in whatever temperature is normal for your specific dog. If your dog's temperature suddenly rises or falls significantly, this is a sign of an infection or other medical problem.

    Heart and Respiration Rates

    • Dogs Symptoms Cure reports that most dogs respire at a rate of approximately 10 to 30 breaths per minute. Heart rates typically fall between 60 to 160 beats per minute. This of course depends on the size of the dog--larger breeds will have lower heart and respiration rates than tiny breeds. Changes in heart and respiration rates may be a sign of an allergy (especially if the dog also is wheezing and sneezing), asthma, respiratory infection or heartworm, according to Natural Dog Health Remedies.

    Behavioral Changes

    • Just like people, dogs behave differently when they are sick. You may find that your dog eats and drinks more or less, is more aggressive or isn't as active. According to Natural Dog Health Remedies, these changes may signal a plethora of problems ranging from arthritis to intestinal trouble. Depending on how your dog is acting and what the illness is, you may find that your dog also gains or loses weight, according to Dogs Symptoms Cure.

    Dry Nose

    • One of the easiest symptoms of dog illness to check is whether the dog has a dry nose. Dogs Symptoms Cure says that a dry nose on a dog is a sign of dehydration. Dehydration may be impacted by the environment and age of the dog. For instance, air conditioning units may dry out the dog's nose, and puppies may have dry noses. This test needs to be used in conjunction with evaluation of behavior, temperature, and heart and respiration to better determine whether the dehydration is a symptom of an underlying illness.