Most of them will be bought in pet shops. However, there are also many unpleasant experiences of unhealthy new puppies. Even if the prospective dog owner takes the puppy to the veterinary clinic for examination, it is sometimes difficult for the veterinarian to evaluate the real health status of the pet completely and accurately without enough basic information such as daily life and diet. The author hopes to summarize ten easy-to-master selection rules for reference and help prospective dog owners identify puppies with low health risks.
First, normal appetite Eating, drinking, playing, sleeping and excreting are the four major needs for the normal growth of puppies. A puppy that has just changed its environment, food or motion sickness may temporarily reduce its appetite. However, puppies with severe water shortage, latent diseases, gastroenteritis and physical pain will also lose appetite. In this case, prospective dog owners should keep a wait-and-see attitude. Ask the clerk about the feeding time, and then arrange a visit to observe the changes.
Third, dogs that don't cough will catch a cold, sensitive throat, turbid air environment, bronchitis and bronchitis can all make puppies cough. Severe cough combined with excessive phlegm will lead to loss of appetite and malnutrition.
Fourth, the body is moderate, and the body is fat and thin, which has always been a traditional indicator to measure the nutritional status. Physical weakness and exhaustion will naturally affect the development of immunity, and it is easy to get sick and recover slowly. There are two points that need special mention:
(a) The obesity index is the body under the fur; (2) A big belly is not necessarily fat. The chest ribs of normal obese puppies are covered with muscles and fat on average, and it is not easy to feel them clearly one by one. If you gently touch your hands, your chest is as obvious as a laundry dress. Even if it has longer fur, the dog is too thin. In addition, the dog's fatness can also be measured by the thickness of the abdominal back muscles.
5. Bright eyes The cornea of the eye (the front of the eye) is transparent, so people can clearly see the color of the pigment layer of the eye. Hepatitis virus can turn the cornea blue; Foreign bodies entering the eyes or trauma can cause the eyes to swell and close, or the mucous membrane (the white part of the eyes) turns red or the cornea turns white. Infection with canine distemper virus and other ophthalmia pathogens can lead to abnormal secretion and suppuration of eyes.
6. The sanitary condition of healthy puppies can reflect the quality of environment and nursing. Many infectious diseases and parasites are spread by defecation or body fluids. Therefore, being covered with shit will really increase the chance of exposure to pathogens; Even if puppies are kept alone, if they lick dirt, the chances of gastrointestinal discomfort will greatly increase.
Seven, it doesn't hurt. If the puppy doesn't eat and just hums, it is necessary to check whether it has a stomachache. Abdominal pain is one of symptoms of enteritis and hepatitis. If the puppy is painful when walking, or even unwilling to walk, it is necessary to check whether there is musculoskeletal trauma in the bones and limbs.
Eight, the stool of a puppy with normal stool is like a sticky strip. Just a change of environment, food or overfeeding, bugs and enteritis can make puppies diarrhea. If feces are softer than toothpaste, or contain transparent mucus, you should handle them carefully.
Nine, you can see the color of blood by opening the dog's lips. Severe malnutrition, worms, hematopoiesis disorder or shock can make blood color fade.
Ten, no pustules and excessive dander, dry skin, sensitive skin or ectoparasites will make dogs scratch or throw out a lot of dander. If the environment is not clean or neglected, skin is prone to erythema and pustules. Although these diseases are not very serious, without proper care, they can still seriously affect the appearance and smell of puppies, which makes the owner very worried. Finally, prospective dog owners should check the vaccination records of puppies and check the dog identity information.
According to the law, all dogs kept and sold in pet shops must be vaccinated by registered veterinarians against canine distemper, viral enteritis and viral hepatitis to reduce the spread of common infectious diseases among dogs. It is important to remember that even vaccinated puppies are not immune to all viruses or to diseases that have been prevented. If in doubt, make it clear and ask the clerk before deciding to buy, and try to arrange a visit and observation during the feeding time. If you are still uneasy after observing the basic state, you can consider taking it to the veterinarian for further professional examination.