" HEALTH CHECK LIST FOR YOUR DOG"

Of course, first just be aware of his daily habits. If there is a change in his eating, drinking, excersice, bowel or urinary habits then you need to be concerned.

Here is a health check list to use to examine your dog regularly for problems.

EARS

They should be pink, smooth, clear and with a slight sheen of oil. They should be sweet smelling with no excessive buildup of wax and not swollen. Check for ear mites. If you see him scratching frequently or shaking his head it could be a sign of infection.

EYES

A dog's eyes reflect his health - good or bad. Their eyes should be clean and bright with pupils the same size. There should be no excessive discharge. He could have cataracts if his eyes have a blue cast with silver flecks or a cloudy cast. He could have glaucoma if he has bluish eyes that are blood shot.

NOSE

His nose should be cool to the touch and moist. A hot and dry nose may mean he has a fever. There should be no discharge or blood.

MOUTH & TEETH

Teeth should be white and clean with no tartar build up. Gums should be pink and his breath should be fresh. If not and gums are red and bad breath your dog could have the start of dental disease.

LIMBS & BODY

Their legs should have full range of motion with no clicks or pops. Check for lumps, swelling or sores. Check the abdomen and look for swellings, sores, or ticks.

FEET & NAILS

Check footpads for cuts, cracks or foreign objects. Check between toes for burns, sores or ticks.

FUR & SKIN

Their skin should be smooth, clean and supple with a glossy coat. The fur should be free of rashes, scabs and sores with no dandruff. Check to see if skin is red or flaky. If you see a dark green color in his fur that turns red when wet it's flea feces.

TAIL

Their tail should be healthy looking with no lumps.

CIRCULATION

Check by pressing firmly on their gum above their sharp teeth. Everything is fine if the spot is pale when you stop pressing but then changes to pink in 2 seconds. If the gum doesn't turn pink your dog could have circulation problems.

HEART RATE & TEMPERATURE

Your dog's heart rate should be between 60 -150 beats a minute, of course, this depends on your dog's size. Smaller dogs have faster heart rates then bigger dogs. You can check this by counting the number of beats for 15 seconds and mulitpy by 4. Put your finger on the femoral artery which is under the thigh bone halfway between the knee and hip.

Their temperature should be between 100-102.5 F. Use a rectal thermometer and leave in 2-3 minutes to get reading.

Veterinary Secrets Revealed Dr. Andrew Jones tells you how to solve your dog's health problems at home and stop high vet bills.