Spotting the Signs That Your Pet is not Well

No one likes to dwell on the thought of their pet being ill, but our animal companions, like the rest of us do get sick from time to time – and as a general rule, the sooner you spot that there is a problem, the easier most things are to treat.

That’s all very well, of course – and fairly straightforward if you’re dealing with a pet cat or dog – but when it comes to exotic animals it’s not always just so easy to know that they’re feeling a bit under the weather. So how exactly do you spot a sick snake or an ailing amphibian?

Know Your Animals

One of the most important things the keeper of an exotic pet can do towards keeping it healthy is to get into the habit of regularly checking it over for any signs of disease. Although some illnesses affect a wide range of animal types, many kinds of animals suffer with specific ailments – or may be especially prone to a particular health problem.

Learn the main symptoms of the most likely ones to affect your pet – and keep an eye out for the first signs of them – and you’ll go a long way towards ensuring the animal enjoys the best of health.

Telltale Signs

With particular problems – such as viral papillomas on Lacertid lizards, “mouth-rot” in tortoises or an external parasite infestation – the signs can be easy enough to spot, but sometimes there are no real external symptoms to see. Dealing with the sorts of illnesses and conditions that can develop almost unseen requires you to be awake to the sometimes subtle telltale signs that an animal is not well.

As always, things do differ between the various animal groups, but there are a few general things to look out for:

• General Behaviour - A change in your pet’s general behaviour is often the first sign you notice. This may range from something specific that you’ve spotted to just one of those funny feelings that it’s not quite being its usual self. Any change in behaviour that seems to have happened for no reason – increased aggression, lethargy, or extra skittishness – probably needs further investigation.
• Activity - A change in your pet’s activity can be a sign that something is not right; any alteration in how much it moves around and during which part of the day could be a clue.
• Breathing - With some pets it’s not at all easy to spot them breathing at all, but if you can – and you know what yours does normally – any unexpected rapid breathing or excessive breath holding should prompt further investigation to see if everything’s OK.
• Appetite - Uneaten food is often the first sign that an animal is not feeling well; equally a sudden ravenous hunger can also suggest that there’s something amiss, so it pays to keep an eye on how your pet is feeding.
• Thirst - How much water your pet wants can also be a good indicator of what’s going on; watch out for sudden thirst or a refusal to drink.
• Droppings - Your pet’s droppings give a vital clue as to what’s going on inside; any changes in amount, consistency, colour or smell could mean something is upsetting your animal. Be on particular look out for any signs of blood in the droppings or the presence of parasites.
• Smell - Your nose can be really useful when it comes to spotting problems early; changes in the way your pet, or its breath, smells can be the first sign of trouble brewing.

The trick is to look for changes – especially something out of what you consider normal for your pet. However, do remember that there are often good reasons for changes in many aspects of an animal’s behaviour – especially when it comes to breeding, egg-laying or moulting – so explore these possibilities first.

Keeping exotic pets in good health is not a straightforward task, but if you familiarise yourself with the likely diseases and their symptoms and look out for the telltale signs of illness, you should be able to spot things before they really get a hold. Whatever the species, early treatment really can save lives!