Subtle signs that your pet may need to go to the vet (Video)

You know the obvious signs that your pet needs to pay a visit to the vet, but what about the less obvious symptoms? Some signs to watch for include:

• Restlessness is often a sign of pain or stress. One cat that became restless, a normally very quiet and shy cat, was suffering from a brain tumor. While most cats will not have an illness so severe, it's a sign that something is going on with your pet.
• In dogs and cats, frequent barking or meowing that is uncharacteristic for your pet could be a sign of distress. Any time your pet is persistently turning to you for attention and you are unable to satisfy this pleading with food, water or a walk outdoors, you could be looking at a pet who is in need of care. In iguanas, face rubbing is a problem and can lead to injury from abrasive metal cages. Environmental changes, health issues or a small cage can provoke the behavior.

• http://www.myhouserabbit.com/health.php is a link for signs to look for in pet rabbits.

• http://birds.about.com/od/birdhealth/a/signsofillness.htm is a link signs of distress in birds.
• In your older dog an unwillingness to jump or a change in their gate could indicate hip dysplasia or other neurological disorders.
• A sudden change in your pets activity level could indicate something serious.
• Your animal’s bathroom habits are an excellent barometer of health which is why its critically important for pet guardians to observe their pets’ elimination behaviors. Frequent urination can indicate a variety of sneaky and serious health issues ranging from diabetes to urinary tract infection to kidney failure. In fact, in male cats, blockage of the urinary tract can suddenly occur and your cat will be unable to urinate despite desperate attempts. If your litter box is out of sight, you will not notice these red flags. You must see how often your cat is visiting the box. Daily cleaning of the box to look for appropriate quantity of urine is essential, but in multi-cat households, it’s harder to spot illness in a single cat through cleaning alone. Changes in bowel movements can indicate anything from simple parasitic infection to intestinal disease to gastrointestinal hemorrhaging. Black poo, poo with red blood or diarrhea that persists are all reasons to see the vet.

• Bad breath could indicate dental problems.

It's always important to take your pet in for annual wellness checks, have your pet spayed or neutered and be current on vaccinations to ensure your pet a long and happy life.