Numerous symptoms can be caused by dog illnesses. A dog owner may attempt to diagnose the dogs condition based on a symptom. However, the symptoms can be misleading as many symptoms can be caused by different dog illnesses.
Behavior changes are often misinterpreted by dog owners. A dog can show signs of dog illness or injury by its behavior. A dog owner may not notice mild changes in behavior or changes may be attributed to normal aging or mood when it could have an abnormal physical cause.
Changes in behavior should be taken seriously. A dog owner should notify the veterinarians office when there are observable changes in the dogs behavior to determine if the change in behavior could be caused by a dog illness or injury.
Dog owners may attempt to diagnose the dog. Many websites offer information to help dog owners diagnose a dog illness. This is not necessarily detrimental, but a dog owner should understand that the diagnosis that they identify could be wrong. Even veterinarians are sometimes wrong about a dog illness diagnosis, but the veterinarian is able to do tests to confirm a diagnosis.
The dog owner is still important for dog illness diagnosis. The dog owner can let the veterinarian know of the physical and behavioral changes in the dog. This helps the veterinarian get an idea of what may be wrong with the dog.
The veterinarian takes the information provided by the dog owner and does a physical examination of the dog. If the veterinarian suspects a dog illness that can be identified by blood tests, the veterinarian will perform those tests and possibly other tests to rule out other disorders.
Other diagnostic tests may be performs. The veterinarian may check the dogs feces or urine. X-rays may be used for a variety of symptoms and dog illnesses.
Once a proper diagnosis has been achieved, the veterinarian may discuss the illness and treatment options with the dog owner. The dog owner should be able to ask questions to the veterinarian about the illness and treatment.
