Physical Examination

How do you tell if your dog is unwell? He can't tell you how he is feeling, so it's your job to get to know your dog so that you can see if there are any differences to how he is normally.

How to check his pulse

You should practice checking your dog's pulse when he is healthy so that you can determine what is abnormal and what is not.

Move your dog to, or get your dog to lie on it’s side.
Put your hand under the top back leg.
Find the crease that divides the leg from the body.
Put your index and middle fingers alongside the crease, that is where a main artery is located.
Count the pulse beats for a full minute. If you have difficulty you can count for twenty seconds and multiply by three.

Healthy pulse rates

The smaller the dog, the faster it’s pulse will be. If you believe your dog is in pain, or is ill, and their pulse rate varies significantly from the chart below, take your dog to the vet for medical assistance.

Take the pulse at least two or three times over an hour’s time, as the first few times your pet may get excited or upset at the unfamiliar handling, and that would change a normal pulse.

Do Not wait an hour if it is an emergency. Get them to the vet ASAP.

Allow at least a 5 to 10 beat variance due to generality of sizing chart

Obesity and age of pet are both factors in gauging answer

For dogs weighing 30 lbs. or less, the average heart rate is 100 to 160 beats per minute
For dogs weighing more than 30 lbs., the average heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute
A puppy up to 1 year of age has an average heart rate of 120 to 160 beats per minute

How to check his respiratory rate

You should pratice checking your dog's respiratory rate when he is healthy so that you can determine what is abnormal and what is not.

Have your pet stand or lie down.
Grab a stopwatch or a watch with a second hand.
Look for signs of inhalation, such as the chest rising and falling.
Put a tissue or mirror by your pet's nostrils and look for tissue movement or fogging on the mirror if it's difficult to determine when the animal is breathing.
Count the amount of times your pet breathes in 15 seconds.
Multiply the number by 4. This number will be rate of respirations per minute.
Contact your veterinarian if your pet's respiratory rate is out of normal range.

Average respiratory rates

Average respiratory rate of dogs is 10 to 30 breaths per minute.
A dog can have up to 200 pants per minute.

Signs and symptoms questions

The following questions give a guideline for what you can look out for.

Regarding the eyes:

Have you noticed an increase or decrease in tear production?
Do the eyes appear cloudy or red?
Have you noticed any discharge coming from the eyes?
Do the eyes appear bloodshot?
Are the pupils the same size in both eyes?
Have you noticed your pet rubbing or pawing at eyes?
Is your dog squinting his/her eyes?
Do the eyes appear to be sunken or excessively protruding?

Regarding the ears:

Do you notice any swelling or discharge from the ears?
Are the ears drooping when they normally stand erect?
Are the ears red and inflamed?
Do you notice any odor to the ears?
Is your dog rubbing or pawing at the ears?
Have you noticed a lot of head shaking?
Have you noticed any pain or crying when you rub or scratch your dog’s ears?

Regarding the nose:

Have you noticed any congestion, sneezing or coughing?
Have you noticed any blood coming from the nose?
Have you noticed any nasal discharge?

Regarding the mouth:

Have you noticed any swelling of the lips or tongue?
Any bleeding from the mouth?
What color are the gums – tissue just above the teeth?
Is your dog able to open and close the mouth normally?
Is there any pain involved in opening or closing the mouth?
Have you noticed any excessive drooling or foaming at the mouth?
Is your dog able swallow food normally?
Looking inside the mouth, are there any foreign objects such as bones or sticks stuck on the roof of the mouth or around the teeth?

Regarding the chest:

Is your pet experiencing any difficulty breathing?
Have you noticed any panting?
Is there any pain when the chest area is petted?
Have you noticed any recent coughing?
What is the heart rate?
Is the heartbeat steady and consistent?
Place your hand or your ear on the left side of your dog’s chest, just behind the elbow. You should be able to feel or hear the heartbeat. Count how many beats the heart pumps in one minute.

Regarding the abdomen/stomach area:

Has your dog been having any diarrhea or vomiting?
Is your dog able to eat and drink normally?
Does the abdomen/stomach area appear swollen or distended?
Does your dog appear in pain when the stomach area is petted?
Is your dog known to chew on non-food items such as clothing, towels, strings, etc.?

Regarding the urinary and reproductive systems:

Have you noticed any difference in urinating?
Does your dog seem to strain when urinating or cry in pain?
Does your dog repeatedly try to urinate with no urine produced?
Is there any blood in the urine?
How frequently does your dog urinate?
Is your female dog speyed? If so, at what age?
Did your female dog ever have puppies? At what age?
If unspeyed, when was her last heat cycle and was she bred?
Do you notice any discharge from the vaginal area?
Is your male dog neutered? If so, at what age?
Do you notice any discharge from the penis?
If your dog is not neutered, do you notice any swelling of the testicles?
Have you noticed your dog excessively licking or grooming the genital area?

Regarding the musculoskeletal system – bones and joints:

Have you noticed any limping?
Are any legs or joints swollen?
Has your dog been excessively licking at one area of his/her legs?
Does your dog show signs of pain when walking?
Is your dog able to walk normally?
Does your dog walk on his/her knuckles?
Does your dog drag any legs when walking?
Have you noticed any pain when petting your pet?