Commonly Missed Signs of Pet Illness

I love cats. And allergies haven’t stopped me from owning several! But there’s one thing I learned the hard way, and I believe every pet owner should know about this before it’s too late. Many pets are quite able to hide an illness or health condition for a long time before their owners even realize that something’s wrong. I wouldn’t wish anyone else to experience the gut-wrenching feeling of hearing your vet say that it’s just too late to do anything.

So, learn about the most commonly missed red flags that your furry friend isn’t doing too well. I encourage you to share this list with other pet owners as well!

Signs Your Dog Is Sick

There are a few general symptoms that are always worth looking into with a trusted vet. If your pooch has 1 or more of the following, don’t ignore it.

General Symptoms to Never Ignore

very bad breath
drooling

constantly drinking water
marked difference in appetite
decrease in mobility (they don’t want to play as much, struggle with stairs or furniture)

sleeping more often than usual
coughing, sneezing and panting excessively
scratching at their skin

vomiting
unusual stool
eyes look red or cloudy

Symptoms of Specific Dog Illnesses

While the above list includes symptoms that can be signs of a few different health issues, if you notice clusters of these symptoms, they can point to a very specific illness that many dog owners aren’t that familiar with.

If your dog has swelling and shies away from your touch, it could be a sign of arthritis, especially when accompanied with a loss of mobility or limping. If your dog is vomiting or has diarrhea, as well as a noticeable fever (above 102.5 F), it could be a sign of canine distemper. This is usually accompanied with a disinterest in food. Vets offer vaccines for this disease, and it’s recommended to get them while they’re still puppies.

If your dog coughs quite a bit, especially after playing, and has a temperature above 102.5 F, they could have contracted kennel cough, which is highly contagious “dog bronchitis”. You may also notice that they have a drippy nose.

Signs Your Cat Is Sick

Once again, there are a few subtle symptoms that could indicate a couple different things from a mild infection to cancer. If your cat is showing these signs, you should take them to the vet to get to the bottom of the problem. Cats are especially known for hiding serious symptoms only until not much more can be done.

General Warning Signs

They meow less or more than usual
loss of appetite

unusual stool or diarrhea
weight changes
constant scratching, flaky skin, or change in grooming habits

“goopy” eyes
sneezing
low mobility

behavioral changes like total isolation, hiding, or aggression

Specific Symptoms

Apart from those red flags, a few symptoms are associated more closely with a single condition. These include a loss of appetite, which could be a sign of liver problems; red tinted urine can mean either blood clots, or more seriously cancer; weakness and decreased mobility are signs of arthritis; excessive shedding can indicate a thyroid problem or worms; and if your cat suddenly starts pooping in random places instead of the litter box or shows signs that he or she can’t find their food bowl, this can indicate an underlying brain problem (unfortunately, cats can suffer from memory loss just as humans do).