We’ve all heard that pet owners don’t have the ability to tell us the signs of a problem. Don’t be afraid to trust your gut as a pet owner: If you notice that something isn’t right for your pet, be sure to pay attention. It could be the sign of a medical issue that is serious.

Here are five signs you should be sure to never overlook in your pet.

Heavy Panting

It’s common for pets to pant particularly after playing with toys or going around the house or when they are outside in the sun on a day that is warm.

What’s not normal is the heavy panting. What is the difference? The term “heavy panting” usually refers to deep, labored breathing that could be more prolonged than normal panting that is associated with fun, playtime, and cooling off.

The excessive panting means your pet is suffering and it could be suffering from poisoning, heatstroke Cushing’s disease, lung tumors, or pneumonia.

Drooling

Anyone who has pets like mastiffs, bloodhounds, boxers, or Saint Bernard’s is aware that drooling is part of the package. Drooling excessively, however, could indicate that something is not right with your cat or dog.

Drooling that is sudden and excessive can suggest heatstroke, dental issues such as periodontitis, or an abscess in the tooth — or perhaps your pet has chomped down on something that affected or burned your mouth, consumed a poisonous plant, or has an issue with their brain.

Excessive Consumption of Water

It’s likely that you’ve seen your pet’s paws slurp at the water. Perhaps they even rest on their backs and lean over the bowl of water after play time, particularly during a hot day.

Watching your pet go back to the bowl of water over and over for a long period isn’t usual. Consuming excessive amounts of water could be an indication of kidney disease or Cushing’s disease, diabetes mellitus.

Change in Behavior

Are you aware that your dog or cat’s behavior has changed recently? Changes in your pet’s behavior like unprovoked aggression, unpredictable temperament, moodiness hyperactivity, and fearfulness. Submission, sudden onset of seizures or lack of activity and not playing with toys, preferring to stay in a different space, unable to relax and lie down or even a lack of appetite is an indicator that something isn’t right.

Change in Odor

Don’t take your pet’s smelly breath as a sign of the way of the aging process. Remember: healthy pets don’t stink. If your pet started to smell different such as stinky ears and skin, or smelly gas it could indicate problems.

Bad breath could be an indication of oral melanoma, kidney failure, or diabetes. The smelly ears are generally the sign of an infected ear.

Skin that is swollen and irritated, often accompanied by times by flaking, itchy skin, or lesions on the skin, could be a sign of allergic seborrhea, seborrhea, or yeast or bacterial infections.

If you are used to your pet emitting an unpleasant gas regularly, a change in the strength of the smell could be an indication of digestive illnesses.

If your dog is showing any of the signs listed above do not hesitate to take your pet to the vet to have an exam.