First, always observe the dog's condition before starting the check

Whether for humans or dogs, looking, smelling, asking, and touching are always the most basic steps. To help a dog undergo an examination, the first thing to do is to observe the dog's condition, see what abnormalities the dog is showing, and then perform a detailed check. Common diagnostic methods for dogs include visual inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. Each method has corresponding precautions. So let's talk about the respective diagnostic methods.

1. Visual Inspection: Visual inspection uses our naked eyes to directly observe the dog's overall condition, local condition, secretions, and excretions.

1. Overall Condition: Observe the dog's body shape, sex, age, and nutritional status.

2. Mental State: See whether the dog is excited or depressed.

3. Surface Condition: See if the dog has any external injuries or coat conditions.

4. Physiological Activities: Check whether there is rapid breathing, drooling, swallowing, and other related actions.

Auscultation usually requires the aid of a stethoscope

2. Palpation: Palpation involves using fingers, palms, etc., to roughly understand the dog's physiological functions and whether there are any injuries or abnormalities.

1. Surface Condition: Feel the dog's temperature, whether the skin has elasticity, if there are scabs, lumps, or swelling.

2. Heartbeat: Feel the intensity and frequency of the dog's heartbeats, and whether there is any rhythm disorder.

3. Abdomen: Check if the dog's abdomen feels tense, painful to the touch, or soft.

3. Percussion: Percussion can be divided into direct and indirect percussion. Direct percussion means tapping the part to be examined directly with fingers or a percussion hammer. Indirect percussion involves placing a resonance enhancer on the part to be percussed.

During percussion, it should be done in a quiet environment. Choose the percussion area carefully and do not perform blindly. The plexor or the finger being percussed should be placed on the area tightly but without strong pressure. The tapping force should be moderate, not too strong.

4. Auscultation: Generally, auscultation requires a stethoscope, so it can be difficult to perform at home. Even if one has a stethoscope, most owners may not know what sounds are normal or abnormal, so it is best to go to a hospital for diagnosis.