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There are times when you know without a doubt your dog or cat needs to be taken to the veterinarian. He or she has open wounds or has been in an accident.  Or your pet is obviously in extreme pain, has a hard abdomen, or is bleeding.

But other times it may be hard to know if a trip to the Vet is warranted.

Martha’s schnauzer had always been a very energetic little dog. Martha loved the way her Timmy greeted her every day when she got home from work. Timmy jumped up and down, wagged his tail non-stop, and sometimes was so happy he ran in a circle.

Then one day Martha came home and was puzzled when Timmy wasn’t right inside the door waiting. Martha was instantly afraid something was wrong. She looked around until she found Timmy in his bed. Rather than jumping up to great her, he simply raised his head and wagged his tail.

Martha didn’t know what to think. Was something wrong with Timmy? Or was he just tired? She shrugged it off and decided to give him a little more time.

By later that night when Martha was ready to go to bed, she knew something was definitely wrong with Timmy. He wasn’t visibly ill, just completely out of energy. His usual enthusiasm was totally gone.

The next morning Martha took Timmy to the Vet and was glad she did. He was running a high fever due to an infection. With some medication, lots of water, and a few days of rest, Timmy was back to his energetic self.

A sudden and dramatic change in behavior can be a pet’s way of telling you he or she isn’t feeling well. It might just be a temporary virus or they ate something bad. Those things pass relatively quickly. But a prolonged period where your dog or cat clearly is not themselves merits a visit to the Vet.

Have you noticed your pt isn’t interested in food? During the hottest days of summer, this isn’t unusual and is not a sign of illness. But if your pet passes up their favorite food and snacks two days in a row, that’s a signal something could be wrong.

There are even diseases that cause animals to do strange things, like get into the garbage and people food in the pantry, something they may never have done before. These are times to take your pet in for an examination.

Rough, dry coat can be a sign of trouble as is excessive thirst and vomiting.

It’s a good idea to bring your pet in for a checkup once per year just to make sure all is OK. The Vet can spot problems or potential risks.

It’s even better if you can bring your dog or cat in every 6 months. This can head off health problems that may be lurking just below the surface. Your pet will be healthier, happier, and probably live a longer life because of it.