In order to establish the health of a dog, the true health of a dog, what would a vet need to do? In order to confidently sign off a dog as being 100% fit for 'function' would a physical examination be enough?
How important is it that working dogs are 100 % fit for function and should we be proactive in the health checks for them or should we deal with problems as they arise?
Should cost be a motivating factor?
They are my ponderings for the week...
Are 'aid' dogs vet checked regularly? If not they should be checked every 6 months I think for the safety of the dog and the human it is aiding.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe a physical exam would be enough as my golden checks out great in a physical exam but has many potential underlying issues. For a service dog they should have their hips and elbows x-rayed, hearts and lungs checked and eyes regularly checked. If there are any concerns about a dog's health a full blood work up should be done and things like tick titers, urine analysis and thyroid tests should be done on a case by case basis although a stool sample is always a good idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks. The assistance dogs I am talking about have a physical exam every 6 months, but not much more than that. I am thinking that they should, on an annual basis have routine bloods done and faeces and urine samples checked...just to make sure they are in tip top condition.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Therapy dogs are required to have a fecal not only before they start their therapy dog work but I believe at regular intervals. I know that kidney, liver and pancreas issues can be detected before there are any signs of issues from regular blood panels, which is potentially life saving! :-D
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