A dog health check up for your German Shepherd is a good routine to get into.

Shepherd Dogs growth and development. All types of dog training can aid in this process as well.

For all German Shepherd owners, regular monitoring and “examinations” of your GSD will give you a better idea of the dog’s overall health and prove as good “quality” time for both you and your dog.

Also, this may help you catch a problem in the early phases and certainly before it becomes life threatening.

The list of things you can do during this dog health check up could be very, very long but below we’ve taken the time to list a few of the most basic and easy to read signs of your GSD being “off”.

In addition to all the usual, these dog health check up steps may help you in deciding your German Shepherd’s current actual state of health.

IN YOUR OWN DOG CHECK UP, CHECK YOUR GSD FOR:

1) Build up in the tooth area. Also bad breath- which may suggest gingivitis or other tooth/gum problems.

2) Clean ears. Do you see wax build up, ticks, mites or other parasites inside? Is a bad odor present?

3) Are the eyes discolored or irritated? Is extensive matter present?

4) A ”greasy” coat? Is the skin grey white or red and irritated? Do you find evidence of fleas or other parasites? Is the smell of the animals coat on your hands, after checking it with your fingers, fishy, rank or offensive?

A doggy odor, while common, is still a sign of a low level of health. If your answers to many of the above check up areas are “YES”, then you should plan some type of action to discontinue this cycle of bad health for your dog.

First and foremost, diet is the best place to start. Consult with your veterinarian and/or check into possible alternative therapies. In the end, your pet’s overall health is up to you, so these early warning signs should not be overlooked.

A clean bill of health is the most valuable gift you can present to your dog - next to your love and attention.

Return Dog Health Check Up to Bloat and the GSD