Pets are family to most owners. When they go, it’s like losing a loved one and the pain never really goes away. Maintaining their health, then, is a priority to ensure they live as long and healthy life as possible. For the most part, owners do a good job by taking care of their diet, exercise and reducing stress. Still, there are warning signs which humans fail to pick up on and that could be hurting your animal. A quick diagnosis, even if it’s an amateur one, is essential to limit the damage which is why you need to understand the alarm bells.

To help, here is a selection which may seem insignificant but are potentially deadly.

Drinking And Peeing More

This is particularly hard to spot when the weather is warm because most people assume pets have to drink more to stay healthy. However, it is also a sign that there is an internal problem such as diabetes. An excess of sugar in the blood forces the kidneys to absorb it and the organs have to work overtime as a result. A common symptom of diabetes, then, is increased thirst and urination because of this process. If the signs are evident in cold weather, take them seriously.

Flaky, Itchy Skin

It’s nothing to worry about, right? Let’s face it – pets, like humans, get dry skin. And, it is wintertime so their skin is bound to be less moist. Still, a few cracks here and there are not much to worry about, but red, blotchy patches are a different matter. For one thing, it could be a sign of a skin condition which will only get worse in the future. Or, it may signal your pet has fleas due to the constant scratching. To combat the latter, you can visit website which caters to a variety of animals. Or, you can self-medicate and hit up the drug store for creams or sprays.

Fatigue

Dogs, in particular, are quite lazy and like to amble around the house with no sense of direction. So, you may put it down to tiredness when they sleep in longer than usual. But, be careful not to gloss over why they fatigued in the first place. Oversleeping can be a symptom for a range of issues, from cancer to depression, and yes: dogs do get depressed. The thing to watch out for is whether they are too tired to go for their morning or evening walk. Usually, that’s a sign something is wrong.

Weight Loss

Some owners wouldn’t be unhappy if their pets lost a bit of timber. However, you have to keep in mind that you are in control of their diet. Therefore, if you haven’t put them on a diet, why are they losing weight? It may be that they ate less and exercised more in the past few weeks, or it could be a tapeworm. The only way to find out is to visit a vet if it gets too extreme.

Noticing these signs before it’s too late could make or break your Christmas this year.