Health checks at home

Written By Julian Garcia

A health check for one of Myuna Farm’s guinea pigs

Ever experienced that awful nightmare scenario of heading to the vet with your companion, scared and confused about what's going on, and unsure how you possibly could have missed what lead up to your pet's illness? Perhaps you had some slight feeling something was a little off for the past few days or even weeks, but it didn't seem serious enough to where you began to worry. In this post, I'll let you know of some basic signs you can keep in mind when it comes to health checking your pet. 

To provide an important preface here, if your pet is acting differently, and you're unsure why, please do not hesitate to call on your vet. Always trust your instincts if something seems off. Personally, I'm a huge advocate for restoring the trust between pet owners and the veterinary industry. I am not a vet, and probably won't ever be one, but I know I'll continue to surround myself with animals my whole life. I will always be responsible for the life of an animal, and I know that I feel more capable having some knowledge on their health.

Our pets are often experts at hiding their symptoms. Knowing how to assess certain signs in your pet isn't going to prevent any particular issues from arising, rather it's a tool to help you understand if something needs further attention. It can also be crucial data for your vet in case something does arise. This information is general so as to assist with a few different species, and is meant as guidance only. 

If you need assistance with any part of the exam, consider asking for help! A second brain (and pair of hands) can be preferable. Of course your vet is a fantastic resource, and should be your first point of call for concerns. That said, if you just need some experienced assistance in health maintenance and monitoring tasks, feel free to contact me any time. I'm more than happy to step in to help, or just to answer any questions.

A health check for a lab rat

Depending on their general health status, I'd recommend checking in with your pet every month or so, keeping the information somewhere fairly secure and accessible: think a notes app, or a small notebook you can keep with your other pet supplies. The below Google Form will provide a summary of results which I’d recommend keeping.

Make your close-up exam part of your pet's grooming or cuddling routine, and reward them with their favourite treats for cooperation. Avoid struggling or forcing them to engage with any particular parts of the health check; an animal in distress will skew the results anyway.

Home health check form: https://forms.gle/xRF9XjCp8LBRHPnRA

Pigeon health check!

DISTANCE EXAM

Behaviour, mobility and demeanour

    • Is your pet acting strangely in any way? Any changes in demeanour (eg. hiding more, avoidance of certain things they typically enjoy, vocalising more or less, or vocalising strangely, dramatic changes to routine, to sleeping, eating, drinking or toileting?)

    • How are your pet's energy levels throughout the day? Do they align with their species, breed, and life stage? Any restlessness or lethargy?

    • Does your pet seem uncomfortable with something in or on their body (eg. favouring one side of the body, limping, frequently shaking their limb/s, not letting you pat them in places they usually enjoy, squinting eyes, etc)?

    • Do you notice your pet grooming themselves more or less than usual? Do they focus on particular places on their body for longer than usual?

    • Any signs of your pet's mobility reducing or changing (eg. gait or posture changes, increased difficulty with laying down or getting up, stiffness, moving in strange ways, slowing down, avoidance of exercise or particular actions)?

    • Any signs of pain or discomfort? Assess their facial expression using a species-appropriate grimace scale.

 

Diet and toileting

    • Is your pet eating and drinking as normal?

      • Eating more or less than usual?

      • Eating or not eating at times unusual for them?

      • Becoming "fussy" or avoiding certain foods or treats they usually love?

      • Drinking more or less than usual?

      • Drinking or not drinking at times unusual for them?

    • Is your pet toileting as normal?

      • Going more or less frequently?

      • Eliminating more or less volume than usual?

      • Seeming more or less urgent than usual?

      • Having any accidents?

      • Any discomfort or straining while eliminating?

      • Avoiding or preferring to pee or poo in different locations or times than usual?

      • Pee colour and clarity:

      • Poop colour and consistency:

 

CLOSE-UP EXAM

Body condition, coat and skin

    • How much does your pet weigh?

    • What's their body condition score?

    • What's your pet's coat like?

      • Any signs of excessive shedding, bald patches, matted fur or dandruff?

    • What's your pet's skin like?

      • Check wherever you can, including near the ears, under their collar, on their underside, on feet and paw pads, between their toes, in underarms and inner thighs.

      • Any signs of infection, dryness, irritation, scabs, lumps or bumps?

    • Check your pet's ears:

      • Any foreign objects, dirt, wax or buildup?

      • Any smell?

    • Check your pet's eyes:

      • Any objects in the eyes, discharge, cloudiness, redness, swelling or discomfort?

      • Any strange eye behaviour? For example, eyes not responding to light, misalignment of eyes or pupils of unequal size?

    • Check your pet's nose and mouth. Normal ranges for these depend heavily on species, breed, and markings.

      • Is your pet eating normally? Any drooling, difficulty chewing or swallowing, or reluctance to eat hard food?

      • Is their gum colour within their normal range?

      • Is their nose slightly damp?

      • Any bad breath, irritated gums, damaged teeth, malocclusion (overgrown/misaligned teeth), or food buildup on the teeth or gums?

      • Is their tongue relatively clean and free of any buildup?

Basic vitals

  • Respiratory rate

    • While your pet is still, count their breaths in a minute by watching (or feeling) their chest rise and fall. I'd recommend counting for 15 to 30 seconds at a time, then mutliplying to get the rate for 60 seconds.

  • Heart rate

    • Place your index and middle finger on your pet's pulse point. For cats and dogs, a good spot is usually along their inner hind leg.

    • Count the pulses you feel for 15 to 30 seconds, then multiply to get a BPM (beats per minute).

    • To make taking a heart rate easier, I'd recommend purchasing a basic stethoscope for under $35.

  • Mucous membranes

    • Gently lift your pet's lip to reveal their gums, and note the colour. Depending on species and markings, generally a normal colour is light pink.

  • Capillary refill time

    • Gently pull your pet's lip up to reveal their gums, and use your finger to gently press on their gum. Count how many seconds it takes for the colour to return.

    • The colour should return in under two seconds; any longer may indicate insufficient circulation.

  • Skin turgor

    • Gently pinch a small section of skin on your pet's neck, then release and watch as it returns to it's original state.

    • Depending on species, the skin should return within a about a second; any longer may indicate insufficient hydration.

  • Temperature

    • Taking an animal's temperature accurately requires a thermometer. I'd recommend having a second pair of hands for this task.

    • To use a rectal thermometer, apply a small amount of vaseline to the probe and insert it into the rectum until ready to read. To use a digital thermometer, gently hold your pet's head and place it in their ear until ready to read.

    • Generally speaking, most dogs' and cats' normal range falls between 37.2C and 40C.

Julian Garcia
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