Your four-legged friend just doesn’t seem right, but does this warrant a visit to the veterinarian?
Chances are, if you’re worried enough to ask, you should schedule that visit. Veterinarians are trained to read our pets’ symptoms and fit the pieces of a health puzzle together.
Every pet is different, but a few signs should always prompt a veterinary visit. Altered behavior, activity or habits are telling, including changes in eating or drinking. These are especially important clues in cats, the masters of hiding discomfort. Massaging your pet can alert you to lumps, swellings or weight gain or loss. Changes in elimination, breathing or gait should also give you pause, as should a pet licking, chewing or favoring a specific body part.
Our pets might not talk, but they send signals all the same.