{"id":399,"date":"2012-07-30T14:35:49","date_gmt":"2012-07-30T21:35:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/?p=399"},"modified":"2019-01-25T14:10:48","modified_gmt":"2019-01-25T22:10:48","slug":"weekly-pet-check-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/blog\/weekly-pet-check-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Pet Check Up"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It is a good idea to get into the habit of checking out your pup health and well-being once a week. What we mean by \u201cchecking out\u201d your pup is: doing a full dog inspection from head to tail and by making note of anything that is out of the ordinary. By doing so, you might be able to catch or stop a problem before it becomes a big issue. Here is a list of some basic things you can do to make sure your pup is in tip top shape.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Head<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Start with the snout; it should be wet but not runny. Run your hand over the top of the dog\u2019s muzzle and check for any bumps or <a href=\"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/files\/2012\/07\/veterinarian.dog_.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-400\" title=\"veterinarian.dog\" src=\"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/files\/2012\/07\/veterinarian.dog_-178x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"178\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/files\/2012\/07\/veterinarian.dog_-178x300.png 178w, https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/files\/2012\/07\/veterinarian.dog_.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 178px) 100vw, 178px\" \/><\/a>irregularities. Then gently lift the dog\u2019s lips to look in the mouth. The gums should be pink (unless your dog\u2019s gums are black) and the teeth should be white with no bad odor. Next check the dog\u2019s eyes, they should be clear with no discharge and they should track movement. Finish up with the ears; they should have no smell or discharge and they not be sensitive to touch.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Neck and Spine<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Run you hand over the dog\u2019s body and neck. Look for any abrasions, bumps, masses, tenderness or sores.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Chest and Ribs<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>You should be able to feel the dog\u2019s ribs under the fur coat, and breathing should be smooth and rhythmic.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Legs and Paws<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Check your dog\u2019s range of motion. The nails should not be cracked, split, or painful. Check between their toes and pads for any foreign bodies, torn pads or excessive hair. In the winter check for ice and rock salt. Note: Some dogs have sensitive feet so go the speed that is most comfortable for you and your dog.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Abdomen<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Use the flat of your hand to gently palpate the dog\u2019s stomach; it should not be sensitive, painful, or rigid.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Tail<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Check the dog\u2019s tail for deformity, range of use, and movement.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Skin and Coat<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Throughout the checkup take note of your dog\u2019s coat. You are looking for texture, color temperature and excessive shedding.<\/p>\n<p>It is best to take the time to understand what is normal for your dog. If you find something that is out of the ordinary contact your vet to discuss any abnormalities you may find. Finally enjoy the experience it can be a great bonding time for you and your dog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It is a good idea to get into the habit of checking out your pup health and well-being once a week. What we mean by \u201cchecking out\u201d your pup is: doing a full dog inspection from head to tail and by making note of anything that is out of the ordinary. By doing so, you&#8230;<\/p>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/blog\/weekly-pet-check-up\/\"><b>Read More <i class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i><\/b><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[135],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=399"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/399\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/portland-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}