Your dog is just not himself today, you notice a few problems but do you take him into the vet and risk looking like a fussy, high strung owner or do you stay at home and watch and worry? A sick animal requires veterinary attention but they can have the occasional off day as well. Here again knowing how your pet normally acts and his eating and sleeping habits is a great help. Following are signs that your dog is sick and should be taken to the vet:

Usually this means your dog has eaten something he shouldn't have, and is not a sign of illness by its self. If you are changing your pet's food and especially in puppies they may have mild diarrhea. Gradually changing the food by mixing the half the new with half the old for a week should eliminate this problem. If the diarrhea started with the change in diet and persists even with the slow change, you may either have to go back to the old or find a new food. Don't continue to feed your pet food that doesn't agree with him.

Shallow breathing or rapid breathing along with a complete lack of energy and movement is a sign of internal damage. Lung, heart and kidney problems can be causes of rapid breathing. Shallow breathing is a possible sign of rib damage. A dog will pant after exercise and to cool himself off, but panting during the night and in cool weather is not normal. If you notice any of these breathing problems your dog needs veterinary attention.

This is a sure sign of illness. But there are also a few other perfectly normal reasons for loss of appetite. During traveling and extremely hot weather dogs do not eat as much. When in season an animal will also not eat as much as normal. Or your pet could be having an off day or just be out of sorts. If loss of appetite continues for a few days your dog has a problem and needs to go to the vet.

Limping, abnormal gait, and a sudden refusal to jump are symptoms of fractures, stings, wounds, or sprains. Difficulty getting up and lying down and going stairs are strong indications of arthritis in older dogs.

A few other symptoms that should concern you are lethargy, dull coat and a sudden change in temperature.