Dog health symptoms

Seizures result from abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Seizure activity varies from subtle staring to complete collapse and muscle spasms (convulsions).

Estrus, or “heat,” is the period of a female dog’s reproductive cycle when she is most fertile and receptive to breeding.

A skin lesion is any area of skin that is abnormally different from the tissue surrounding it. Sores, blisters, tumors, rashes, skin ulcers, warts, and any other change to normal skin can be referred to as a skin lesion.

A skin lump (cutaneous mass) is a lump within a dog’s skin that makes a nodule, raised area, or discoloration on the surface of the skin.

Sneezing is a common occurrence in dogs, and is not always indicative of a medical condition.

Noisy breathing, or snoring, is common in dogs resulting from resistance to airflow in the nose and throat (upper airways).

Squinting (blepharospasm) occurs when the eyelids are lowered so that there is only a small space for the eye to look out of. Squinting is considered a symptom in dogs if it continues for a prolonged period and is not related to protecting the eyes from bright light.

Straining to urinate (stranguria) in dogs is a serious symptom indicating some degree of disruption of urine flow. Dogs will posture to urinate, with visible pushing. Straining may be productive or unproductive, and may be consistent or intermittent.

Subcutaneous lumps appear in dogs as abnormal growths or masses located under the skin. If the lump is manipulated manually, the feeling of a subcutaneous lump varies depending on the cause but it is a bump separate from the skin.

Sunken eyes (enophthalmos) in dogs is a symptom in which the eyes appear to be recessed into the skull.

Persistent erection can present as priapism, where the penis is persistently erected without sexual stimulation, or as paraphimosis, where the penis is extended but not erected.

Swollen eyes, a symptom where the eye and/or eyelids appear abnormally enlarged, can be caused by a number of different underlying conditions, including allergies, insect bites or stings, injury, conjunctivitis, or glaucoma.

Joint swelling is caused by the buildup of fluid or excessive bone growth within a joint.