It’s International Dog Day in August and a time to celebrate all things weird and wonderful about our furry family members. At Butternut Box, we exist to deliver health and happiness to dogs everywhere through fresh, human-quality meals. So we thought we’d take this moment to share some ways to make sure your dog stays fighting fit.

Typically, dogs require a vet check up once a year, but there are a few simple things you can do at home in-between visits. We recommend performing these checks on your dog as often as you can. This will help to ensure that anything out of the ordinary is spotted and dealt with quickly.

What Does a Dog Health Check Include?

Remember your childhood? When performing a health check on your dog, think of the beloved song: Heads, shoulders, knees and toes. Not forgetting the eyes and ears and mouth and nose, of course.

From head to tail, here are some of the things that you should be checking:

Checking Your Dog’s Body Condition Score

Four simple steps to check your dog’s body condition score:

1. Stand over your dog and look down at their back. You should be able to see an hourglass figure where the waist is narrower than the chest and hips.

2. Run your hands over your dog’s rib cage. You should be able to feel their ribs without pressing too hard. The ribs shouldn’t stick out too much and should have a thin layer of fat to protect them.

3. Place your hands on your pup’s back and feel for the backbone. You should be able to feel the bones without pressing too hard. Similarly to their ribs, the backbone shouldn’t stick out too much.

4. Look at your dog from the side. The abdomen should be tucked up and you should be able to see a slight upward slope from the ribcage to the hips.

Based on these observations, you can assign a body condition score to your dog using a scale of 1 to 9.

A dog with a body condition score of 5 is considered to be at an ideal weight. A score of 1-3 indicates the dog is underweight, while a score of 6-9 suggests the dog is overweight or obese.

Checking your pup’s heart rate

Place your hand on the left side of your dog’s chest, just behind their elbow, to feel for their heart beat. Count the number of beats you feel in 15 seconds and then multiply that number by four to get your dog’s heart rate per minute. A healthy adult dog’s heart rate should be between 60-120 beats per minute, but this can vary depending on your pooch’s breed, age and level of activity.

Checking your pup’s respiratory rate

Check your dog’s breathing by placing your hand on their side to feel movement, counting the number of breaths they take in one minute. A healthy adult dog’s respiratory rate should be between 10-30 breaths per minute.

By gum…

Lift your dog’s lip gently to check the colour of their gums. Healthy gums are typically pink, although some breeds may have black or pigmented gums. Press a finger against the gum and release to check the capillary refill time. The colour should return to the pressed area within 1 to 2 seconds.

Pale or blue gums and prolonged capillary refill time may indicate an underlying health issue, you should double check this with your vet immediately.

 

Is My Dog’s Skin and Coat Healthy?

Some dogs really have the hair we all envy, full of volume and shine. Keeping their skin healthy is essential for promoting a shiny coat. That’s why our meals are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Here are some steps to follow to check their skin:

1. Your dog’s coat should be shiny, soft, and free of any mats or tangles. Check for any bald patches or areas of thinning hair.

2. Look for any signs of fleas or ticks on your dog’s skin, such as black specks or tiny insects crawling on the skin.

3. Gently part your dog’s fur and examine their skin. Look for any signs of redness, swelling, scabs, or bumps.

4. Feel for any lumps or growths under the skin. Note their size, shape, and location.

5. Observe your dog’s behaviour: Watch for any changes in your dog’s behaviour, such as excessive itching, licking, or biting at their skin.

6. A strong, unpleasant odour can be a sign of skin infection.

Butternut Box’s Free, 24/7 Vet Nurse Helpline

All Butternut Box customers have access to our free, 24/7 vet nurse helpline. Our team is on hand to help you with whatever queries you may have, no matter how big or small they may be.

If you’ve carried out a health check on your dog and there are some abnormalities that you’re worried about, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, or your vet.

Want to find out more?

For the full list of steps to take to carry out these checks on your furry family member, click here.