Symptoms — Pet Health Library

What common signs mean and when to call a veterinarian. Written or medically reviewed by Dr. Susset Diaz Castillo, DVM, PhD.

VestaSoul — My Vet At Home® is a mobile veterinary house-call practice serving select areas of Miami-Dade County and select areas of Broward County.

• Diarrhea in Dogs and Cats — A brief episode of soft stool may be mild in an otherwise well adult pet, but blood, black stool, vomiting, weakness, pain, dehydration, toxin exposure, or diarrhea in a young or medically fragile pet warrants prompt veterinary guidance.
• Increased Drinking and Urination in Pets — A sustained increase in drinking or urination is an important clinical sign that warrants veterinary testing. Keep water freely available, track the change if practical, and seek urgent care if vomiting, weakness, urinary straining, or other emergency signs occur.
• Skin Disorders in Dogs and Cats: Causes, Symptoms, and In-Home Veterinary Care — Skin disorders (dermatopathies) are among the most common reasons pets visit the vet. In South Florida's humid climate, environmental allergies (atopy), flea allergy dermatitis, and secondary bacterial or yeast infections frequently cause severe itching, redness, and hair loss. Early in-home diagnostic testing identifies the root cause while avoiding stressful clinic trips that can worsen skin flare-ups.
• Vomiting in Cats — A single vomiting episode may be self-limited in an otherwise well adult cat, but recurrent vomiting is not something to dismiss as routine. Repeated vomiting, reduced appetite, weakness, urinary straining, or possible toxin or foreign-object exposure needs prompt care.
• Vomiting in Dogs — One vomiting episode may be self-limited in an otherwise well adult dog, but repeated vomiting, inability to keep water down, unproductive retching, abdominal swelling, weakness, or possible toxin or foreign-object exposure requires urgent care.
• What to Do When Your Cat Is Not Eating — Reduced appetite in a cat deserves early attention because prolonged inadequate intake can lead to serious complications. Contact a veterinarian the same day if your cat has eaten little or nothing for about 24 hours, and sooner for other concerning signs.
• What to Do When Your Dog Is Not Eating — A missed meal may be minor in an otherwise well adult dog, but appetite loss can also accompany pain, gastrointestinal illness, toxin exposure, or other disease. Contact a veterinarian promptly if it persists or occurs with other concerning signs.

Browse the full Pet Health Library.

VestaSoul — My Vet At Home® is a mobile veterinary house-call practice serving select areas of Miami-Dade County and select areas of Broward County.