Taking good care of your dog is one of your top priorities. Most dog owners are aware that dogs need to get regular check ups with the veterinarian to ensure that they are healthy. They need to get regular shots, and always need to be checked for ticks. Regular checkups are something that are easy to keep on top of, but it can be difficult to know when there is a medical emergency. Knowing when to take your dog to an emergency veterinarian may be the difference of a scare and a tragedy. Here are a few things to watch out for. 

Eating Habits

Get to know the way that your dog eats and drinks. There are dogs out there that will eat up every piece of kibble that you give them right away. Other dogs do not eat all that often, but as a dog owner it is important that you know the eating and drinking habits of your dog. If your dog has a sudden change in eating habit,s there is a good chance that something is terribly wrong with your dog and it is time to take them to the veterinarian. This is especially true if your dog is also not drinking any water because they can get dehydrated very quickly. 

Trauma

Although dogs are incredibly resilient, they can go through trauma. It is important that if your dog goes through a traumatic experience that they get care from a veterinarian quickly. The trauma does not need to be drastic to actually cause great harm to the dog. Anything from a dog fight at the park, to getting hit by a bicycle, or even falling off a small ledge can do internal damage to your dog. If there is internal damage, then the health of your dog is in jeopardy. Take your dog to the veterinarian immediately if your dog has gone through any trauma.

Bloat 

A common problem in dogs is when they swallow something that does not digest, and gets stuck in their intestines. Sometimes a dog does not even need to swallow something to get the intestines tangled up. If your dog has intestines that are obstructed they can get what is called bloat. This can actually kill a dog if it is not taken care of quickly. Some of the signs of bloat are restlessness, vomiting without success, and bloody stool. 

For more information, contact a company like Bay Street Pet Suite Hotel & Day Spa.