| Sign | Possible Causes or Conditions | What to Do |
| Abdominal pain or hardness | Blocked bladder, severe constipation, pregnancy, intestinal problems, pancreatitis, peritonitis | Consult vet immediately. |
| Changes in eating or drinking habits | Stress or a variety of disorders | Consult vet; if dog hasn't eaten for 24 hours, see vet as soon as possible. |
| Coughing | Allergies, upper and lower respiratory diseases, lung parasites, foreign bodies, heart disease, heartworm, abnormal windpipe | Add water or fiber (bran, pumpkin) to food, or add petroleum jelly to food with vet's OK. If condition persists, visit vet. |
| Dark residue or foul odor in ears, or dog shaking head or scratching ears | Ear mites, ear infection, inhalant and food allergies, foreign objects trapped in ear | Consult vet within 24 hours. |
| Diarrhea | Stress, change in diet, food allergy, intestinal infection or parasites, inflammatory bowel disease, parvovirus, coronavirus | If symptoms persist for more than a few days or are severe, accompanied by signs such as weakness, vomiting or lethargy, consult vet at once. |
| Difficulty breathing; wheezing | Same as coughing, plus heart problems | Consult vet immediately. |
| Difficulty urinating; blood in urine | Urinary tract infection or irritation; stones, tumors | Consult vet immediately. |
| Excessive scratching or licking | Fleas, mites, skin disorders, allergies, wounds | Check for and eliminate fleas. Relieve itch with cold, wet towels. Otherwise, consult vet within 24 hours. |
| Excessive thirst and urination | Diabetes, kidney or hormone disorders, uterine infection, high blood calcium | Give plenty of water. Consult vet within 24 hours. |
| Foul breath | Dirty teeth, gum infection, abscesses, mouth tumors, foreign object between teeth | Brush dog's teeth and feed dry food. If symptoms are severe or persist, consult vet. |
| Inflamed eyes or eyelids | Eye infection, allergy, injury, glaucoma, corneal ulcers | Consult vet immediately. |
| Loss of appetite (anorexia) | Stress, gastrointestinal or other disorders | If dog hasn't eaten for 24 hours, see vet as soon as possible. |
| Loss of balance or coordination; weakness | Injuries, blood loss, brain or spinal trauma, poisoning, inner ear disease, tumors | Consult vet immediately. |
| Pale gums and mucous membranes | Anemia, heart disease, septic shock | Consult vet immediately. |
| Sneezing; runny nose or eyes | Cold or upper respiratory system infection, allergies, foreign object in nose, nasal mites or tumors | If problem persists for more than a few days or if dog stops eating, consult vet immediately. |
| Vomiting | Food allergies, intestinal problems, stress or many other disorders | If symptoms persist for more than a day or are severe, accompanied by signs such as weakness, diarrhea or lethargy, consult vet immediately. |
| Weight loss | May indicate many different disorders | Consult vet for diagnosis within 24 hours. |
