Now is the time to give your pet a 2017 health MOT

If you’re a new dog owner you’ll need to know what checks to perform on your dog on a daily/weekly basis. Keeping an eye out for early signs of medical problems is one of the most important things you can do for your dog, and could save you a lot of stress, time and money in the long run – not to mention your dog’s health. Here’s a list of 10 checks to perform regularly.

Body Check: On a weekly basis you should be (whilst grooming if appropriate for your breed) performing a full body check of your dog. Gently run your hands over every part of your dogs body and check for lumps, cuts, inflammation and any signs of discomfort.

Eating Habits: f your dog goes off his food or drink for more than 24 hours it’s time to contact the vet, especially if your dog is usually a big eater. Remember, you know your dog better than anyone -- if you think something is up, it probably is.

On Walks: When you’re out on walks, watch the way your dog moves when he walks and runs. Does he/ she ever seem stiff? Overly tired? Or have a limp? Coughing and excessive panting may also indicate problems. Again, if it seems out of the ordinary take your dog to your vet.

Weight Check: Obesity is the cause of a huge number of problems in dogs and of course, should be avoided. Keep your dog on a steady, well balanced diet. If things start to get out of control, seek advice sooner rather than later.

Toilet Habits: Diarrhea, constipation, blood and mucus are the four things to look out for in your pooch’s stool. Similarly if the urine looks dark, cloudy or blooded then this should be cause for concern. Keep an eye on the regularity of your dogs toilet habits and make sure the appearance is consistent.

Mouth Check: Check the mouth for anything out of the ordinary. Gums should be pink, so darker/redder patches may indicate a problem. Check for growths and lumps, and make sure that the teeth are clear and that none are loose. Check the tongue for cuts and sores. Unusually bad breath could be an indication of digestive problems.

Eye Check: Your dogs eyes should be clear and the pupils should be the same size. Check for ingrowing eye lashes or hair that looks like it’s causing a problem. There should also be no excessive discharge or signs of irritation. If there is, visit the vet.

Nose Check: Your dogs nose should be moist and cool. Keep an eye out for excessive discharge, sneezing and that breathing is easy and unobstructed.

Feet Check: Examine your dogs feet for any cuts, grazes or growths. Long nails can sometimes cause problems and should be trimmed, either with dog clippers or a file. Be careful when cutting/trimming your dogs nails as this can sometimes cause bleeding.

Ear Check: Finally, check your dogs ears for wax-build up, swelling and bad odor. Wax can be removed gently with cotton wool but you should never poke anything directly down your dogs ears. Bad odor or swelling will need the attention of your vet.

These 10 basic checks should be performed on a routine basis. Cats

Checking Your Cat’s Ears: Check your cat’s ears is important and should be done on a regular basis so that you pick up on any problems which could include the following: Dirt in their ears; too much wax; bleeding from the ear. Ear mites can be a real problem and although they are not easy to spot, they leave a nasty reddish/brown discharge in a cat’s ear. More often than not the irritation will make a cat scratch at their ears which can make the condition much worse. You will also notice a horrible smell coming from your cat’s ears.

Cat’s Eyes: Cats have gorgeous eyes and they should be clear, bright and alert. If you spot any redness, discharge or swelling around the eyes it could be the start of an infection and would need to be treated as soon as possible with the right veterinary medication.

Cat’s Nose: Your cat’s nose should be nice and moist. By gently check their nose you will soon see if there are any bumps, swellings, lumps or if there are any ulcers that are taking too long to heal. There should not be any discharge coming from your pussy cat’s nose and if there is, it could be the symptom of some sort of infection.

Cat’s Mouth: A cat’s teeth should be lovely and white with no chips, sores or lesions. Their gums should be nice and pink which shows they are healthy and not receding. If you spot any redness, swelling or bleeding around the teeth or gums, then a trip to the vet is needed to sort the problem out. While checking your cat’s mouth, it is the perfect time to gently feel around it too. Like this you can see if there are any ulcers, swellings, lesion or lumps and bumps on their lips and even on their tongues – but be careful when you check the inside of your cat’s mouth because they might not like it and bite you - albeit by accident.

Cat’s Chin: It’s a good idea to check under your cat’s chin – this is something most cats really enjoy. However, if they are not keen on you touching it and the skin around the chin looks dirty – it could be a sign that your cat is suffering from a case of feline acne which would need to be treated with the right veterinary medication.

Cat’s Breathing : Just by watching your cat you will be able to see how they are breathing which should be to be a nice effortless even rhythm. If you notice they are breathing faster or it sounds like they have to make a real effort or they are wheezing, panting, short of breath or coughing, then a trip to the vet is on the cards to check out the root cause of the problem.

Cat’s Coat: Your cat’s coat should look shiny and healthy and their skin well toned. If you gently pinch your cat’s skin at the shoulder and then release it, the skin should spring back into place straight away which is a good indication your pet is not dehydrated. However, if the skin goes very slowly back to its normal shape when you pinch and let go of it – they are dehydrated and would need to go to the vet to find out why.