SOMETIMES, most of the cases that had been lost on the veterinarian’s table could have been saved if only clients had recognised the tell-tale signs of the diseases promptly and had reported them to their vets.

At least, normalcy in a being- be it an animal or a man- can easily be deciphered. And anything that deviates from this should also be known.

Oftentimes, when we are not too close to our animals, we tend to miss this. But we should know our pets could not verbalise whether they hurt or where.

So, we owe as a duty to them to be able to detect ill health or signs of it.

How then do you determine if your pet needs a veterinarian’s attention immediately? Here a few examples of situations that would require immediate veterinary attention. Keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive.
Cats

* Frequent trips to the litter box and straining to urinate.
The “blocked cat” scenario usually in neutered male cats and if not resolved, this situation could cause death within 48 hours.

* Experiencing neurological symptoms, such as staggering, unable to stand, circling, drooling profusely.

* Projectile vomiting and/or having diarrhea and vomiting.

* Extreme lethargy (very tired, sluggish).

* Dragging/not being able to walk on back legs.

* Troubled breathing/getting a breath.

* Difficulty in giving birth.

Since cats are a little closer to the wild than their housemates- the dogs- and since in the wild, the sick are the non-survivors, cats often don’t indicate that they are sick until they are very ill.

Some good indications that they are ill are:

I. A normally well-groomed cat, who stops grooming.

II. Loss of appetite for more than one day.

III. Foul breath or drooling excessively.

IV. Not producing stool.

V. Pain when eating.

VI. Erratic behaviour or hiding.

Seek a veterinarian’s advice as soon as you can for these conditions.
Dogs

Dogs, maybe because they are around us most of the time, usually give pretty good indications when they are not feeling well.

There are situations, however, when they are not just sick, but need a veterinarian’s attention immediately:
* Trying to vomit and not being able to.

This could indicate a serious and often lethal condition called “Bloat.” A dog that is doing this needs to be taken to a veterinarian immediately, even in the middle of the night.

With Bloat or Gastric Dilation Volvulus (GDV), the dog’s stomach fills with gas and sometimes twists, causing a myriad of fatal conditions.

I remember a very good friend of mine who presented his 24 hours late and the very beautiful dog died, sparking a lot of controversies.

* Trouble breathing/catching breath.
* Not being able to get up/not using back legs.
* Limping and not putting weight on a leg.
* Straining to defecate or urinate.
* Difficulty giving birth.

Any of these signs should provoke a quick visit to the vet.