When a Dog Isn’t Quite Right: Professional Pet Care Tips
You know the animals in your care. So when something feels off, that gut feeling is worth listening to.
That was the heart of our latest Ask the Expert session with Rachel Bean RVN. Rachel has spent close to 30 years in veterinary nursing, works at Manchester Dogs Home and teaches canine first aid across the UK and overseas. Her focus was not obvious illness, but the quieter signs that are easy to put down to a bad day.
Start with first impressions
Rachel’s first piece of advice is simple: pause when you walk in. Take a moment to observe: “Is it normal for this pet?”
Ask yourself:
Did the dog greet you as usual, or has it disappeared upstairs?
Is it alert, moving and standing normally?
Is its breathing normal?
Has it eaten, drunk and toileted as expected? A full breakfast bowl, an empty water bowl, accidents indoors, vomit or diarrhoea are all worth noting.
Rachel came back to breathing again and again, because oxygen is so vital. Breathing that looks laboured, or that comes mostly from the stomach rather than the chest, needs attention
Know what normal looks like
You do not need to arrive with a thermometer. Behaviour is usually the first clue. Knowing the normal ranges still helps you describe what you are seeing:
Breathing: roughly 15-30 breaths a minute at rest, with smaller dogs at the higher end. One breath in and out counts as one.
Pulse: roughly 60-140 beats a minute. The smaller the dog, the faster the heart. Fit dogs and sighthounds can sit much lower.
Gums: a healthy pink. Pale, blue or yellow gums, or tiny red or purple pinpoint spots, all need prompt veterinary advice. Rachel added that yellow gums can be linked to leptospirosis, which can pass to people, so keep handling to a minimum.
If the dog is happy to be handled, you can feel the pulse on the inside of the back leg. Count for 15 seconds and multiply by four.
Rachel shared the case of a Rottweiler cross brought in because he was “just not himself”. His pulse was around 200 when it should have been nearer 60, and a scan found a tumour on his heart. He was simply not himself.
Pain is often quieter than we expect
Some dogs whine or yelp, but many hide pain well. Signs Rachel highlighted include panting, lip licking, trembling, restlessness, reluctance to be touched, a tense forehead, squinting, a hunched posture and holding the “praying” position rather than stretching normally. Uneven ear carriage, one ear up and one down, was linked to back pain in one dog she shared. Snapping that is out of character can also be pain talking.
“Dogs do show an awful lot of digestive pain, more than we realise,” she said.
Gastric torsion was a big focus, as the early signs are easy to miss. Watch for a dog that keeps getting up and lying down, cannot settle, has a swelling belly or a tucked tail. Giant, large and deep-chested breeds are most at risk, and Dachshunds and Basset Hounds too. If you suspect it, contact the vet straight away.
One attendee asked about leaving 3-4 hours between a kibble meal and a walk, and 2-3 hours for fresh or raw fed dogs. Rachel agreed those timings are sensible, longer for at-risk breeds, and suggested sharing them with clients on an information sheet they sign.
What to do, and what not to do
If a dog does not seem right, stay calm, observe from a safe distance, give it space and contact the owner promptly. Tell them what you noticed and when, whether the dog can stand, walk and respond, any vomiting, diarrhoea, bleeding or breathing changes, and what you have already done.
Never assume the dog is just tired, give human medication, force food or water, or put your face close to an unwell dog.
Most importantly, do not diagnose. Telling an owner “just leave him and see how he goes” could be read as a diagnosis under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. Rachel recommends reading Schedule 3, which sets out what non-vets can and cannot do.
Get it in writing before you need it
Agree in writing which vet you should use, and ask the owner to let that practice know you may bring their dog in, so data protection does not delay treatment. Keep up-to-date contacts, including a back-up person when owners are away. For older dogs or those with health conditions, ask about their wishes on resuscitation. And screenshot decisions made over WhatsApp. As Rachel put it, “It’s just having that proof really.”
Raising standards together
Rachel closed with a message we can all take on: “Your observations could make a real difference to a dog’s wellbeing. If something doesn’t seem quite right, don’t ignore it.”
Members can watch the full session, including the Q&A, on the members portal. Not yet a member? The Alliance is here to keep you current, competent and compliant, with free Ask the Expert sessions, a legal helpline and assured licensing advice. Find out more at animalfocusedalliance.co.uk.
Rachel’s canine first aid courses are at rachelbean.co.uk.
