How To Diagnose Your Sick Puppy and Treat The Illness Fast

by Jaron Lukas September 9, 2022

Puppies are fragile and prone to illness. While this makes them adorable, it also means that you’re going to have to be careful about how you treat their illnesses. That’s because any misdiagnosis can lead to further complications and make things worse for your puppy. In this guide, we’ll explain how a veterinarian diagnoses a sick puppy, what symptoms indicate that your puppy is ill and what treatments work best for each illness.

Symptoms of Illness in Puppies

I apologize if this section is a bit more technical than others in this guide, but it's important for you to get an idea of what symptoms can be associated with different illnesses. This way you'll know exactly what to look for and when to take your puppy to the vet's office.

If you notice that your puppy has diarrhea or vomiting, he may have picked up an intestinal infection. In addition, if he seems lethargic or cold, has difficulty breathing, or shows signs of dehydration (such as sunken eyes), these are all symptoms that might indicate canine parvovirus (CPV). This highly contagious virus affects puppies between 4 weeks and 6 months old—and while most puppies recover after treatment by their veterinarian within two weeks, CPV can sometimes cause fatal damage to internal organs such as the pancreas or liver.

Other illnesses require different treatment options—for example: Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) is often accompanied by coughing; Leptospirosis involves fever and bleeding from various parts of the body; Kennel Cough (Bordetella bronchiseptica) causes coughing fits and respiratory distress; Parainfluenza may cause sneezing fits during which your puppy may inhale mucus into his lungs; etcetera.

Why Do Puppies Get Sick?

Puppies are prone to getting sick because their immune systems are not fully developed. This is why puppies are often vaccinated for common illnesses and why it is important that you take your new puppy to the vet as soon as possible after adoption. Spaying or neutering also helps prevent illness, as it reduces the hormone levels of your dog and promotes better behavior. In addition, if you have a young puppy with an older dog at home, make sure that both animals are vaccinated: while they may have had the same inoculations (if they were adopted together), there's still a chance that one of them could be carrying something contagious that could affect the other animal.

How To Diagnose an Ill Puppy

Now that you know what symptoms to look out for, it's time to start diagnosing your puppy.

What is the puppy's temperature? If it's over 104 degrees F, this could be an indication of a fever or illness. It's also important to note if there is a difference between the left and right sides of their body (for example, one ear may be hot while the other remains cool) as this can indicate something like an infection or swelling.
Check out their eyes: Are they red? Bloodshot? Cloudy? Do any tears seem excessive? These can all be signs of eye problems related to allergies or infections such as conjunctivitis (pink eye).
Have a look inside its mouth: Are there any sores present around its gums? Any discharge coming from anywhere in particular (like its nose)? If so then these are likely signs that there might have been something poisonous ingested by your puppy recently like pesticides on fruits/vegetables growing outside which could lead them into getting sick later on down the track when they eat those same plants again without realizing what happened before!

How To Treat a Sick Puppy

There are many ways to treat a sick puppy at home, but sometimes it is best to see your vet. If you think your dog may have a serious condition or if their symptoms don't improve within 24 hours of treatment, please take them to see a vet immediately. There are also several steps you can take yourself that can help speed up the healing process:

Administering Vitamin C (500 mg per 10 lbs of body weight) twice daily for 2 days should be helpful in boosting the immune system and fighting off infection.
Using an eye dropper, place 1 drop each of colloidal silver and garlic oil into each eye 3 times per day until symptoms improve or subside. This combination is said to be effective against all types of infections including those caused by bacteria, parasites and viruses such as distemper virus or parvovirus; however there has not been any scientific research performed to support these claims so proceed with caution when using this method on your pet's behalf!

Is Your Puppy Really Sick?

If you're concerned about your puppy's health, it's important to diagnose the problem. Puppies can go from healthy to very sick in a matter of hours, so it's necessary that you are able to recognize signs of illness at first glance. Below are common symptoms of illness in puppies:

Lethargy or lack of energy
Loss of appetite and not eating normally
Diarrhea or vomiting (sometimes blood-tinged)
Fever for more than 24 hours with no other likely cause
A change in behavior such as panting, drooling, agitation or lethargy

Learn how to diagnose your sick puppy and treat their illness fast.

Before you can treat a sick puppy, you need to know what’s wrong with them. Sick puppies tend to show specific symptoms that help us diagnose their illness:

Decreased appetite
Lethargy and difficulty moving around
Fever (the first sign of many illnesses)
Excessive panting or breathing difficulties (because they’re hot)

Conclusion

If you suspect your puppy has an illness, it’s best to see a vet immediately. The sooner they can diagnose and treat the illness, the better chance they have of recovery. If you’re not sure what to do next then contact us today! We have years of experience dealing with sick puppies and can help point you in the right direction."