What's going on with your dog?
Common dog symptoms, common causes, and whether you need a vet or not.
Itching & Scratching →
Chronic scratching, licking, or biting at skin — often a signal of allergies, parasites, or a skin infection.
Paw Licking & Chewing →
Persistent paw licking or chewing — almost always allergies, sometimes boredom or anxiety.
Ear Scratching & Head Shaking →
Frequent ear scratching, head shaking, or ear rubbing — usually infection, allergies, or mites.
Limping →
Favoring a leg, reluctance to jump, or stiffness — could be joint, injury, or paw issue.
Bad Breath (Halitosis) →
Strong or foul breath in dogs usually signals dental disease, sometimes GI or kidney issues.
Excessive Panting →
Panting beyond what makes sense for temperature or exercise — can signal heat stress, pain, anxiety, or heart issues.
Loose Stool & Diarrhea →
Soft or liquid stool — dietary indiscretion is most common; chronic cases point to food sensitivity or inflammatory disease.
Anxiety & Separation Stress →
Whining, destruction, house-soiling, or panic when left alone — a real and treatable behavioral issue.
Hot Spots (Acute Moist Dermatitis) →
Moist, red, painful lesions that appear quickly and spread fast — usually triggered by allergies, moisture, or minor irritation.
Weight Gain & Obesity →
Noticeable weight increase, visible rib disappearance, or vet-flagged obesity — the most common preventable health issue in dogs.
Coughing →
Dry hacking, wet cough, or gagging — causes range from kennel cough to heart disease to collapsing trachea.
Eye Discharge & Tearing →
Watery eyes, crusty discharge, or colored goop — common in flat-faced and toy breeds. Usually mild but sometimes signals infection.
Stiffness After Rest →
Dog is stiff or slow getting up from sleeping or lying down, then loosens up after moving — classic early arthritis signal.
Vomiting →
Throwing up food, bile, foam, or fluid — often simple stomach upset, but repeated vomiting can become urgent fast.
Lethargy & Weakness →
Unusual tiredness, weakness, or reluctance to move — a nonspecific sign that can range from mild illness to emergency.
Loss of Appetite →
Skipping meals, refusing treats, or eating much less than normal — often a sign of pain, nausea, dental disease, or systemic illness.
Excessive Thirst & Urination →
Drinking more, asking to go out more, larger urine clumps, or new accidents — classic signs that need medical workup.
Weight Loss →
Losing weight without trying, visible ribs or spine, or muscle loss — especially concerning when appetite is normal or increased.
Hair Loss & Bald Patches →
Thinning coat, bald spots, or patchy hair loss — often allergies or parasites, but endocrine disease is also possible.
Shaking & Trembling →
Whole-body shaking, tremors, or trembling legs — can be cold or fear, but pain, toxin exposure, and neurologic disease are on the list.
Scooting & Butt Dragging →
Dragging the rear on the floor or licking under the tail — most often anal gland irritation, but allergies and parasites can contribute.
Urinary Accidents →
Peeing indoors, leaking urine, or asking out more often — can be behavioral, but medical causes are common.