Pet

Recognizing Illness In Your Older Dog
By Jason Beachy

After many years of companionship and joy with your Japanese chin dog the time will inevitably come when he will show signs of aging. Unlike humans, dogs do not often whimper or cry to indicate pain or discomfort. And with a considerably higher pain threshold than humans, you likely won't know that something is wrong with your pet until the problem is severe. It's now necessary for you to observe your dog and quickly detect any abnormal behavior. You should adopt the following habits of observing yourchin.

1. When you first see your pet in the morning, watch him closely for a minute or two, while allowing him to move freely and as he wishes.
2. If you take him out before work in the morning and after each evening, observe him as he climbs stairs, gets out of his pen or bed, and walks in front of you.
3. Every day observe him as he eats and sleeps. This observation doesn't need to be very long, only a half minute is really necessary. You should also observe him once a day when he urinates and for a complete bowel movement.

When you observe your pet's normal patterns, you're not looking for anything specific, only for those little changes which may be signs of an illness or disease. These changes will help you give a more accurate report at the veterinary clinic and an observant owner is just as important to a Japanese chin's health as his vet. While it's not easy to remain calm and under control when your pet is suffering, try not to get excited and upset when a drastic symptom occurs. The more rational and calm you are, the better you'll be able to observe and describe what happened.

Only a short amount of time is necessary for this observation pattern. At first it may take a longer time as you learn to recognize the normal habits of your pet, but after a few days it should only take a total of five minutes out of your day. Generally speaking, symptoms of illness in dogs are vague and nonspecific. Not much can be learned from a single symptom and they are often misleading or even meaningless. Very few symptoms indicate a specific illness or disease and even less often will you see them.

For more information on Japanese chin puppies and dogs visit http://www.ultimatechinpuppies.com You will find articles, videos, and pictures on Japanese chin puppies and also details on availablepuppies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Beachy
http://EzineArticles.com/?Recognizing-Illness-In-Your-Older-Dog&id=898991