Unfortunately your dog is not able to speak but as his owner, you will be more aware of changes in his mood or routine than anyone else. He may be less alert, sleeping more than usual or eating less. When you take him to the vets clinic make sure that you have written down everything relevant to your dogs condition, so that the vet is in a more informed position to make his diagnosis.

Listed below are the six routine examinations your vet will carry out when assessing the general health of your dog:-

1. Mouth: By looking into your dogs mouth the vet can gather a mountain of information about the general health of your pet. The first thing your vet will look for is any sign of inflamed gums or bad teeth. It is possible that he will also measure the dogs blood pressure by placing a finger against the gum and feeling his pulse. The vet will be interested in the color of your dogs gums too. If they are not a healthy pink or red, then your dog could be anemic. There could be a liver malfunction if the gums have a yellow appearance.

2. Eyes: Depending on the breed of dog, you may find that your dog has problems with his eyes inherited from his ancestry, but if you notice any unexpected or acute differences in his eyes, this may be an indication of something other than an ophthalmic disease. Your vet will be able to carry out a series of tests on your dogs eyes to more easily ascertain whether your dog actually has an eye problem or whether he needs to look elsewhere.

3. Nails: The nails and nail bed of a dog provide the vet with clues as to the dogs general health too. If the dog spends a considerable amount of time licking his paws, or is not able to walk properly it may be that he has damaged a nail bed. If the nails are weak or powdery this could indicate problems with the dogs metabolism in which case the vet will carry out further tests and examinations to identify the cause.

4. Coat & Skin: The condition of your dogs coat is a clear indication as to the state of your dogs health, as is the skin. Your dogs coat should be shiny; if it isn't your dog may be carrying fleas or parasites. If this is not the case, a coat in bad condition can be a sign of some other type of infection in the dogs system.

5. Nose: Your dog needs his nose to be in top condition as it is one of his most important senses. If he has a runny nose or the nose is not cold and wet your vet will want to test your dog for possible infections.

6. Genitalia: In a general health check the vet will routinely carry out an examination of your dogs penis and testicles to ensure that there is no urine infection or inflammation. If you have a bitch the vet will look for signs of infection or leakage around the vulva to rule out any possible ovarian, vulva or vaginal problems.