Dog health check: what to notice at home

Know what is normal for your dog

Normal varies between individuals. A brief check every week or two helps you learn your dog’s usual lumps, appetite, water habits, stools, movement and temperament. Photos, weight records and short notes can make gradual change easier to see.

Choose a quiet moment and pair gentle handling with rewards. Stop if the dog turns away, stiffens, growls, guards an area or seems painful. Safety and trust are more important than completing a checklist.

Body and muscle condition

Run flat hands lightly over the ribcage and look from above and from the side. Ribs should generally be easy to feel beneath a light covering, with a visible waist and abdominal tuck at an ideal condition. The exact outline varies by build and coat.

Feel for muscle over the temples, shoulders, spine and hips. Muscle loss can occur without a large weight change. Weigh your dog consistently where possible and ask the practice to demonstrate a body-condition score.

Coat, skin, paws and lumps

• Part the coat to look for redness, flakes, parasites, damp patches, hair loss or wounds.
• Check between toes and around pads for swelling, cracks, foreign material and broken nails.
• Note every lump’s location, approximate size, shape and whether it changes; appearance cannot establish what a lump is.
• Look beneath collars and harnesses for rubbing and confirm a comfortable fit.

Mouth, eyes and ears

Movement, appetite, drinking and toileting

Watch your dog rise, walk, turn and use stairs or jump into familiar places. Stiffness, limping, hesitation or a changed posture can be useful evidence even when it comes and goes; a short video may help your vet.

Notice changes in appetite, chewing, drinking, urination, stool frequency or consistency, vomiting and weight. More thirst or urine, straining, blood, persistent diarrhoea or repeated vomiting should not be explained away as ageing.

Behaviour is health information

Hiding, restlessness, clinginess, irritability, disrupted sleep, house-soiling, reduced play or reluctance to be touched may indicate discomfort, fear or illness. Context matters, but a new pattern deserves attention.

Changes that need urgent help

Contact a vet urgently for breathing difficulty, collapse, severe bleeding, repeated seizures, a swollen abdomen with unproductive retching, suspected poisoning, inability to pass urine, major trauma, sudden paralysis or severe uncontrolled pain. Call ahead so the practice can direct you.

For a smaller or slower change, record when it began and what makes it better or worse. Early advice is often more useful than waiting for a crisis. Discuss with your vet.