Top 10 Reasons Dogs and Cats go to the Vet

Top 10 Reasons Dogs & Cats to Visit the Veterinarian

By isak, October 12, 2014

Dogs

  1. Skin Allergies
  2. Ear Infection
  3. Non-cancerous Skin Mass
  4. Skin Infection
  5. Arthritis
  6. Upset Stomach/Vomiting
  7. Upset/Diarrhea
  8. Periodontitis/Dental Disease
  9. Bladder or Urinary Tract Disease
  10. Soft Tissue Trauma (Bruise or Contusion)

Cats

  1. Bladder or Urinary Tract Disease
  2. Periodontitis/Dental Disease
  3. Chronic Kidney Disease
  4. Excessive Thyroid Hormone
  5. Upset Stomach/Vomiting
  6. Diabetes
  7. Intestinal Upset/Diarrhea
  8. Lymphoma
  9. Upper Respiratory Infection
  10. Skin Allergies

Resource: Vet Practice News

6 Comments

  1. Karen says:

    The vet thinks my older dog has “Cushings”. He will need to go back next week to recheck his liver and kidney tests and they will send out one to make the diagnosis. He’s still drinking quite a bit and urinating on the floor when we are gone for any length of time. Thanks again. Karen

    • isak says:

      I imagine that the extra urination is because he is drinking a lot. Maybe put some pee pads down for him?

      Read up on Cushings from various online sources so you have a good idea what it is, what the symptoms are, etc. Sometimes vets become fixated on a diagnosis and once that happens, they may miss something. I’m certainly not saying they are wrong in this case, but I do advocate for learning as much as you can because you know your dog better than anyone and maybe you have insight that will help.

      A vet checked one of my dogs a few years ago because he was losing weight and felt it might be cancer. Long story short, Bosco had eaten an entire sock and it was stuck. Thank goodness. And this isn’t the only time I have received a misdiagnosis. So arm yourself with knowledge.

      Thanks for following up with us and let us know how things go. Best to you both!

  2. Karen says:

    Thank you I will take him. No he doesn’t take any meds. You are a great resource. People need to know they are not just imagining things or taking them to the vet unnecessarily when finances are scarce. My last problem was them with the vomiting and diarrhea, I hope he didn’t develop some kidney problem. Thanks again! Karen

    • isak says:

      I have several senior cats and dogs and have certainly been through things I have never heard of before. Some things you can monitor and treat at home, but some things you need advice based on tests vets can run that we can’t. I believe we know our pets better than the vets, so sometimes we leave their clinic feeling less than adequately served and out a lot of money, but sometimes we need more insight. Sorry I don’t have a cheaper option to offer. Let us know how it goes and what it turns out to be.

  3. Karen says:

    I plan to take my dog to the vet when I receive my next pay. He doesn’t seem to be suffering. My dog is 13 y.o. and other than a benign lump on his backside he has been generally well. For about a week he has been drinking large quantities of water. Also this week I came home to find he had been incontinent of urine and stool. The urine didn’t smell bad like it usually does. Tonight when he had to go out (we usually have time to put shoes on) he was leaking urine as he walked around for the less than a minute of waiting. He has not been incontinent since around 9 months old. We know he is older and probably has a medical issue but is there anything I could/should do before I can afford to take him? They will only take cash and don’t want my credit card, though are very good at what they do.

    • isak says:

      There are a number of things that could be going, even if you just look at his age, but you should get him checked by your vet as soon as you can. The incontinence could be related to the large amount of water you said he has started drinking, so the question is why is he drinking so much water? Is he taking meds, does he have an infection somewhere, is there something else going on? The smell is likely different because what you are seeing is more diluted than usual. He could also be experiencing some pain that he isn’t showing yet. I think a visit to the vet is your best bet.

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