Veterinary Examinations for Dogs

 How does my dog ​​examine my dog?

The physical exam is one of the most important things your vet does for your dog. If your dog is sick, the first thing your veterinarian will do is an examination. Routine checks are also extremely important for healthy dogs so that health problems can be detected before your dog even looks sick.

What happens during a veterinary physical exam?

When your dog is taking a physical exam, the vet will check your dog's health from nose to tail. Here are some key areas to consider:

Eyes: Your veterinarian will look at your dog's eyes for signs of vision loss, age-related changes, discharge, redness, cataracts, etc. Vet can also use a light to ensure that pupils respond to light and that the vessels and retina inside the eyes look normal.

Ears: Your own will check the ears for redness, odor or ear debris. Vet can use a tool called an otoscope (a cone with a light inside) to see the ear canals. Rash, odor or ear can be a sign of ear infection .

Oral and Digestive System: Your health will look at your teeth and gums for signs of dental disease . Your veterinarian will also check the mucous membranes: the color of the gum should be pink, but not red; when the gum is pressed, it should turn white and pink should turn within two seconds. Your veterinarian will briefly look at the anus, the end of the digestive system, to make sure there are no signs of problems.

In some cases, a rectal exam is done if there are concerns about the rectum.

Lymph nodes: Your veterinarian will transform the lymph nodes in the face, neck, axillary area (armpits), inguinal area (where the inside of the back leg meets the abdomen) and back of the knees. Any swelling of the lymph nodes can mean underlying disease.

Heart and Circulation: Using a stethoscope, your veteran will listen to your heart to make sure the rhythm is normal and there is no noise or other abnormal sounds. It will also feel the pulse of your dog.

Respiratory system: Your veterinarian will also listen to your dog's lungs with the stethoscope, making sure the lung sounds are normal during breathing. Your veterinarian will also look at your dog’s nose to check for discharge, redness or a dry, cracked appearance.

Stomach: Your veterinarian will shake your dog's abdomen to feel abnormalities and ensure that the abdomen is not painful. The veterinarian may be able to sense structures that do not belong to him, such as masses or organs that are irregular in size or shape.

Skin and Center: Your self will check for skin issues , such as flaking, redness, and inflammation. The veterinarian will also look for flea signs . The vet will look at the hair coat to make sure it is sleek and full, not dull or fragmented.

Joints, Bones, Muscles, Nervous System: Your vet will feel your dog joints for pain / stiffness and possibly look at reflexes as well. The vet can also watch the dog walk to make sure the gait is normal.

Urinary and Reproductive System: Your veterinarian will briefly examine your genitals to make sure nothing looks abnormal.

The veterinarian will also mark the reproductive status of your pet ( spayed / neutered osetacttact). A colon exam can be done on intact men to palpate the prostate.

General Body Condition: Your veterinarian will assess the general condition of your dog. He or she is likely to assess the outcome of your dog's body condition. The result of the body condition is evaluated on a scale of 1-5 or 1-10. The lower end of the scale indicates that the dog is very underweight; high end means morbid obesity