Physical Exam Checklist for Pets: First Aid 2025 🩺🐾

Welcome! I'm Dr Duncan Houston BVSc, here to guide you through a caring, thorough physical exam checklist for your dog or cat in 2025. This article empowers pet parents to gently assess their pet’s health at home—spot subtle signs early, act confidently, and seek veterinary support when needed.

Why Regular Home Exams Matter 💡

As a pet parent, you know your furry friend best! Regular home-based mini-exams help you catch small changes before they become serious issues. Early detection of problems—like infections, dehydration, or lumps—can be life-saving and give you peace of mind.

• **Prevent escalation**: Wallowing in a bump vs. diagnosing early—big difference in outcomes.
• **Strengthen bond**: Gentle handling fosters trust and calms pets during vet visits.
• **Record baseline values**: Track your pet’s normal—pulse, temperature, coat, appetite.
• **First aid ready**: Use findings to guide safe home responses until professional help arrives.

How to Use This Checklist

This guide is designed around key body areas and vital signs. Do your check monthly (or weekly for senior or medically-challenged pets). Record the results and note any changes. Include it in your pet's health journal or app.

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1. **Overview: Appearance & Behavior**

Visual inspection sets the scene:

• Posture: Is nutrition-related weight loss reflected in a bony spine?
• Activity: Normal play vs. unusual lethargy? Panting when resting?
• Breathing: Calm quick? Wheezes? Labored inhaling?
• Coat & cleanliness: Matted fur, debris, dirt on paws?

➡️ Tip: Place your pet on a table under soft lighting to review thoroughly. Hold a digital camera nearby to compare appearances over time.

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2. **Nose & Nostrils** 👃

Why it matters:

• A dry, cracked, or bleeding nose can signal dehydration, allergies, or trauma.
• Discharge—especially thick and colored—may indicate infection, fungal disease, or refrigerator spoiling allergies.

Normal: Moist, clean leather pad; clear or slight serousetry.

Abnormal: Dry/cracked texture, crusts, or green/yellow nasal discharge.

🔎 What to do: If discharge persists >24 hrs or you notice sneezing, fever, consult your vet. Wipe with a clean damp cloth and note time and color for records.

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3. **Skin & Coat** 🧴

Healthy skin = well-being; dull/dry coat = underlying stress.

• Check for lumps—benign lipomas vs. suspicious masses. Note size, mobility, location.
• Assess coat texture—shiny vs. brittle or patchy.
• Smell test—musty or rancid odour could suggest infections or anal gland issues. 🤢

📌 Tip: Run your hands smoothly over the skin. Identify lumps >1 cm or any tender spots. Record findings and check back in two weeks—their growth rate matters.

📅 **Next Step:** If lumps grow, ulcerate, or bleed—book vet visit plus aspirate (fine needle cytology) by a trained professional.

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4. **Eyes** 👁️

Eye health reflects systemic conditions like jaundice, hypertension, or infection.

Normal	Abnormal
Bright, clear, centered	Cloudy, dull, off-center
Equal pupils reacting to light	Unequal, no response, or only one reacts
White of eye (sclera) clear or faint veins	Red, yellow, bloodshot

⚙️ Do a light test: pupils should constrict equally under light, dilate uniformly in darkness. Look for rapid oscillating eye movements (nystagmus)—see veterinarian right away!

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5. **Ears** 👂

Breed predispositions make ear checks crucial—floppy breeds often have chronic ear disease.

• Inspect skin of pinna—no crusts, wounds, or swelling.
• Check ear canal—dry, no debris, minimal odor.
• Note pain—ear rubbing, shaking, sensitivity.

⚠️ If you notice frequent head shaking or chronic itching—get your pet to the vet. For maintenance, gently clean ears with a salon-approved saline flush during home care routines.

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6. **Mouth, Gums & Breath** 🦷

Oral health indicates overall wellness. Gingivitis and halitosis often indicate dental disease or GI problems.

• Teeth: white and clean vs. tartar buildup or broken teeth.
• Gums: healthy pink (or pigmented), not red, pale, inflamed.
• Smell: not rotten; foul breath can signal infection or organ issues.

Capillary Refill Time (CRT): Press gum and release—color should return in 1–2 seconds. >2 seconds can indicate poor circulation or shock. 📌 Note that dark gums may hide changes—look for pale mucosa instead.

Need-to-know: Offer regular dental chews and schedule annual periodontal check-ups with your vet.

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7. **Neck, Chest & Respiratory Health** 🫁

Respiratory distress is an emergency. Be alert to:

• Loud / fast breathing at rest
• Labored chest motion or “heave” breathing
• Elbows pressed outward or unwillingness to lie down

Check resting respiratory rate for home-record—a cat’s normal resting RR is 15–30 breaths/min; dog’s 15–60. Record usual values so you notice spikes early.

If resting rate doubles your pet’s baseline—see a vet asap.

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8. **Abdominal Palpation** 🧭

Gently run your hands behind the ribs toward the pelvis—watch for:

• Lumps or masses (note size, shape, mobility)
• Pain/groaning during palpation
• Rigid or bloated abdomen

📌 If you feel a tense, painful, or distended belly—this is a critical red flag. Contact your vet—can indicate bloat, obstruction, or peritonitis.

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9. **Skin Turgor (Hydration Test)** 💧

Gently tent skin over shoulder/back and release—normal skin snaps back. If it remains tented or returns slowly, your pet may be dehydrated (or elderly/undernourished).

🔎 Immediately offer water. Dehydration signs: tacky gums, sunken eyes, lethargy. For moderate/severe dehydration—seek vet care for fluids and diagnostics.

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10. **Pulse & Heart Rate** ❤️

Check heart rate via femoral artery in the groin:

• Cat normal: 100–160 bpm; dogs: 60–160 bpm.
• Calculate heart rate: count beats for 15 sec × 4.
• Must be regular, strong, easily palpated.

⚠️ Irregular, weak, or very fast/slow pulses require prompt vet evaluation.

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11. **Temperature** 🌡️

Use a lubricated digital rectal thermometer (insert gently 1–2 inches). Leave until beeping (~2 minutes), then read. Normal range: 101–102.5 °F (38.3–39.2 °C).

If temperature is below 100 °F or above 103 °F—this is a fever or hypothermia situation; seek veterinary attention ASAP.

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12. **Recording Your Baseline Normals** 📝

Create a monthly record—sample format below:

Normal Values for My Pet on ______________ (date)
Pet’s Name: ____________________________
• Weight: ___________ lb / kg
• Resting Heart Rate: ___________ bpm
• Resting Respiratory Rate: ___ breaths/min
• Rectal Temperature: ___°F / °C
• Gum Color: ____________
• Eye Whites: ____________

Tracking over time allows you to spot trends—weight loss, weaker pulse, respiratory changes, or outbreaks during heatwaves.

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13. **When to Contact the Vet** 📞

Contact immediately or within 24 hours if you observe:

• Persistent nasal/eye/ear discharge or bleeding
• Rapid growth in lumps or bellies
• Apparent pain on palpation or vocalization
• Labored breathing, respiratory distress
• Fever (<100 °F or >103 °F)
• Irregular/weak pulse; prolonged CRT (>2 sec)
• Dehydration signs: slow blinks, suntanned dry gums

👉 Quick action may make all the difference in outcomes.

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14. **Emergency First‑Aid Tips**

• Minor cuts: Clean with saline, apply light dressing. Monitor for infection.
• Dehydration: Offer water. Use syringe if needed. Vet-level: subcutaneous fluids at home (after vet training).
• Heat stress: Move to cool area, apply wet towels, offer chilled water. Monitor temp, vet care for heatstroke symptoms.

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15. **Breed‑Specific & Senior Pet Considerations** 🎯

Certain pets need extra attention:

• Short-nosed breeds: Watch for snoring, breathing difficulty.
• Large breeds: Monitor joint swelling, hip/shoulder mobility, weights closely.
• Senior pets (<8 years): Check eyes for cataracts, dental health, weight changes, coat condition.
• Long‑haired breeds: Trim mats regularly to avoid skin infections.

Pro tip: Use grooming sessions to combine brushing, skin, and ear checks—ticks, fleas, or red spots often hide under fur.

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16. **Integrating Ask A Vet Support** 📱

After your exam, share your recorded findings and questions via the Ask A Vet app or website. We’re here to:

• Review concerning data and advise next steps
• Recommend treatments or clarify when a vet visit is urgent
• Provide guidance on wounds, hydration, first‑aid basics

Download the app at AskAVet.com for live chat, article library, and veterinary care scheduling.

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17. **Professional Check‑up vs. Home Exam**

A home physical exam is an excellent foundation. Vet exams complement by:

• Performing full diagnostics (blood, x‑rays, ultrasounds)
• Conducting comprehensive dental inspection under anesthesia
• Detecting silent conditions—heart murmurs, early metabolic diseases
• Administering vaccinations, parasite checks, and advanced treatments

As your at‑home “first line,” this checklist ensures you notice warning signs fast. The vet is your specialist—for full diagnostic insight and treatment plans.

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18. **Wrapping Up 2025 Pet Health Principles**

Keeping pets healthy in 2025 means blending gentle regular home checks with expert veterinary collaboration and accessible support from Ask A Vet. Empowered pet parents lead the way in preventive care. Remember:

• Be consistent—monthly baseline exams reduce stress and improve noticeability of changes.
• Record values—track trends; share data.
• Act early—don’t wait for things to worsen.
• Use Ask A Vet—swift guidance, same-day options, peace of mind.

👉 Download the Ask A Vet App Today!

For personalized guidance, vet-backed care plans, and first-aid advice whenever—visit AskAVet.com. Your pet’s health is our priority.

—Dr Duncan Houston BVSc, Professional Veterinarian & Founder of Ask A Vet