Pet Symptom Guide: Work Out What to Do Next
A few questions about what you are actually seeing, then a plain read on what it usually means, what people commonly try at home, and the point where it stops being a home-care problem.
Read this first: this is not a diagnosis and it cannot examine your animal. It is a guide to help you decide whether you are looking at something mild or something that needs a veterinarian today. When in doubt, the answer is always your vet.
Everything this guide covers
We currently cover Itchy skin & allergies, Upset stomach & diarrhea, Urinary tract support (FLUTD). These pages stand on their own, so you can read them directly instead of answering questions.
Itchy Skin & Allergies (dogs and cats)
- Seasonal, environmental itchingItching that follows the calendar and concentrates on paws, face and belly.
- Flea-bite itchingItching concentrated over the rump and tail base, with fleas present or unconfirmed.
- Dry, flaky, year-round itchingDull coat, visible flakes, and a mild constant itch that does not follow the seasons.
- A sudden red, hot, swollen flareSkin that came up quickly and is visibly red, warm and puffy to the touch.
- Broken, raw or oozing skinSkin the scratching has already damaged, which changes this from an itch problem to a wound problem.
Upset Stomach & Diarrhea (dogs and cats)
- They ate something they should not haveA sudden upset with an obvious dietary cause, in an animal who is otherwise still bright.
- Upset after a food changeLoose stool that started within a few days of switching food, in an animal who is otherwise well.
- A stomach upset with a stressful triggerLoose stool or a lost appetite that lines up with a clear change in the household or routine.
- A stomach upset that keeps coming backA pattern over weeks or months rather than a single episode, which is a different problem.
- A stomach upset in an animal who seems unwellWhen the animal itself seems wrong, the vomiting is the least important detail.
Urinary Tract Support (FLUTD) (cats)
- Straining or passing only small amountsThis is the presentation that becomes an emergency, and the answer is a vet today.
- Recurring bladder irritation with a stress patternEpisodes that come and go, pass normal volumes, and line up with upheaval at home.
- Going outside the box, but otherwise wellNormal volumes in the wrong places, which is more often about the box than the bladder.
- A first episode, with normal volumesSomething looks slightly off but output is normal, so here is what to watch and when to stop watching.