Your Dog’s Physical Examination at Home

How to Examine Your Dog at Home

Your dog cannot explain his symptoms, so it’s the responsibility of you and your veterinarian to take care of him. You can help speed the diagnosis and recovery by having the answers to the following questions ready.

Questions to Consider Before Examining Your Dog

Start by having the answer to some general questions.

After answering some general questions, more specific questions need to be answered. As you examine your dog, look of the following questions so you can answer them as much as possible.

Examine the Dog’s Eyes:

Examine the Dog’s Ears:

Examine the Dog’s Nose:

Examine the Dog’s Mouth:

Examine the Dog’s Chest:

Examine the Dog’s Abdomen/Stomach Area:

Examine the Dog’s Urinary and Reproductive Systems:

Examine the Dog’s Musculoskeletal System – bones and joints:

By being able to answer these questions, your veterinarian will be in a much better position to help your dog. Additional tests may be necessary to find out what the problem is but the answers to the above questions can greatly narrow the area of concern.