K9 At-Home Health Examination Guide
A structured step-by-step method to assess your dog’s health, behavior, and physical condition.
🩺 Canine Wellness Assessment Tool
At-Home Examination Guide
Learn how to perform a structured head-to-tail examination of your dog and identify potential health concerns before they become serious problems.
5-Minute Wellness Check
- Energy Level Normal
- Appetite Normal
- Drinking Normally
- Normal Bathroom Habits
- No New Lumps or Injuries
- Normal Mobility
- Normal Breathing
If any of these areas have changed significantly from your dog’s normal baseline, continue with a complete examination.
Head-to-Tail Examination
Eyes
EyesCheck:
- Clear eyes
- No discharge
- Equal pupils
- No redness
Red Flags
- Cloudiness
- Excessive discharge
- Squinting
- Eye injury
Ears
EarsCheck:
- Clean
- No odor
- No redness
Red Flags:
- Strong odor
- Discharge
- Pain
- Head shaking
Nose
NoseCheck:
- Normal appearance
- No excessive discharge
Red Flags
- Persistent bleeding
- Severe swelling
- Difficulty breathing
🦷 Mouth & Teeth
Check:
- Pink gums
- Moist gums
- Healthy teeth
Red Flags
- Pale gums
- Blue gums
- Broken teeth
- Oral bleeding
🧥 Skin & Coat
Check:
- Healthy coat
- No hot spots
- No parasites
Red Flags
- Hair loss
- Open wounds
- Persistent itching
🦴 Limbs & Feet
Check:
- Normal movement
- No swelling
- Normal weight bearing
Red Flags
- Lameness
- Swelling
- Pain
🫁 Chest & Breathing
Check:
- Calm breathing
- No coughing
Red Flags:
- Labored breathing
- Persistent cough
- Blue gums
🐕 Abdomen
Check:
- Soft abdomen
- Comfortable when touched
Red Flags:
- Pain
- Distension
- Vomiting
🚨 Seek Veterinary Care If You Observe:
- Difficulty breathing
- Collapse
- Seizures
- Abdominal distension
- Blue or gray gums
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Sudden inability to walk
- Suspected poisoning
