What’s Normal Anyway? 7 Changes Worth Mentioning to Your Veterinarian

You know your pet better than anyone. You know how excited they get for dinner, where they like to sleep, how much water they normally drink, and whether they race up the stairs or prefer to take their time. 

That makes you an important part of your pet’s healthcare team. Sometimes the earliest signs of a health problem aren’t dramatic. They’re simply a change from what’s normal for your pet. 

1. Drinking or Urinating More 

Are you filling the water bowl more often? Is your dog asking to go outside during the night, or are there suddenly larger clumps in your cat’s litter box? 

Increased thirst or urination can be associated with several medical conditions, including kidney disease, diabetes, and hormonal changes. It’s worth mentioning, especially when it’s new. 

2. Weight Gain or Weight Loss 

Small weight changes can be difficult to notice when you see your pet every day. Unexplained weight loss can be an early sign of illness, while extra weight can affect mobility, joints, and overall health. 

That number on the scale gives us useful information, even when your pet otherwise seems perfectly healthy.

3. Bad Breath 

A little “dog breath” may seem normal, but persistent bad breath shouldn’t be ignored. It can be a sign of dental disease, infection, or other oral health problems. (link to dental blog) 

And remember, pets don’t have to stop eating for their mouths to hurt. Many will continue eating despite significant dental pain. 

4. New Lumps or Bumps 

Finding a lump doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong, but we can’t tell what a mass is simply by looking at or feeling it. 

Let us know about anything new or anything that has changed in size, shape, color, or texture. Taking a quick photo and noting when you first noticed it can also help us monitor changes over time. 

5. Changes in Bathroom Habits 

Diarrhea, constipation, accidents in the house, straining, changes in stool, or changes in litter box habits are all worth mentioning. 

For cats especially, repeated trips to the litter box or straining to urinate can be an emergency. If you are unsure whether your cat is able to urinate, call us right away. 

6. Slowing Down 

Maybe your dog no longer jumps onto the couch, your cat has stopped sleeping on the highest perch, or walks are getting shorter.

It’s easy to assume they’re “just getting older,” but changes in activity can be associated with pain, arthritis, or other health concerns. Aging is normal. Living with untreated discomfort doesn’t have to be. 

7. Changes in Behavior 

Sometimes the first sign that something is wrong is simply that your pet seems different. 

Hiding, becoming unusually clingy, sleeping more, irritability, restlessness, decreased interest in play, or changes in appetite can all be clues. You may not be able to explain exactly what has changed, and that’s okay. 

“They just don’t seem like themselves” is absolutely a reason to give us a call. Why We May Ask to See Your Pet 

We understand that bringing your pet in isn’t always convenient. When something seems straightforward, it can be tempting to send us a photo or call hoping we can diagnose the problem and prescribe medication. 

Photos, videos, and a good description are incredibly helpful, but they can’t replace a physical examination. 

Our patients can’t tell us where it hurts, how long they’ve felt poorly, or whether something feels different today than it did yesterday. During an exam, your veterinarian can listen to the heart and lungs, check temperature and hydration, examine the eyes, ears and mouth, feel the abdomen and lymph nodes, evaluate pain and mobility, and look for clues that simply aren’t visible in a photo. 

Many medications also require a current examination and an established veterinarian-client-patient relationship before they can safely and legally be prescribed. More importantly, the exam helps us make sure we are treating the right problem with the right medication at the right dose. Similar symptoms can have very different causes, and the wrong medication can delay treatment or even make the problem worse. 

You Know Their Normal. We Help You Understand the Changes. 

Not every change means something is wrong, but small changes can give us valuable information, especially when we catch them early.

Pay attention to patterns and trust what you notice. Photos and videos from home can be extremely helpful, particularly when your pet behaves differently once they arrive at the hospital. Just remember that they are one piece of the puzzle. 

Something seems different? Tell us. Sometimes the smallest changes can tell us the most.