Signs of Good Health

Skin – Healthy skin is flexible and smooth, without scabs, growths,
white flakes, or red areas. It ranges in color from pale pink to brown
or black depending on the breed. Spotted skin is normal, whether the
dog has a spotted or solid coat. Check your dog for fleas, ticks, lice,
or other external parasites. To do this, blow gently on your dog’s
stomach or brush hair backward in a few places to see if any small
specks scurry away or if ticks are clinging to the skin. Black "dirt" on
your dog’s skin or bedding may be a sign of flea droppings.

Coat – A healthy coat, whether short or long, is glossy and pliable,
without dandruff, bald spots, or excessive oiliness.

Eyes – Healthy eyes are bright and shiny. Mucus and watery tears are
normal but should be minimal and clear. The pink lining of the eyelids
should not be inflamed, swollen, or have a yellow discharge.
Sometimes you can see your dog’s third eyelid, a light membrane, at
the inside corner of an eye. It may slowly come up to cover his eye as
he goes to sleep. The whites of your dog’s eyes should not be
yellowish. Eyelashes should not rub the eyeball.

Ears – The skin inside your dog’s ears should be light pink and clean.
There should be some yellow or brownish wax, but a large amount of
wax or crust is abnormal. There should be no redness or swelling
inside the ear, and your dog shouldn’t scratch his ears or shake his
head frequently. Dogs with long, hairy ears, such as Cocker Spaniels,
need extra attention to keep the ears dry and clean inside and out.

Nose – A dog’s nose is usually cool and moist. It can be black, pink,
or self-colored (the same color as the coat), depending on the breed.
Nasal discharge should be clear, never yellowish, thick, bubbly, or foul
smelling. A cool, wet nose does not necessarily mean the dog is
healthy, and a dry, warm nose doesn’t necessarily mean he’s sick.
Taking his temperature is a better indication of illness.

Mouth, Teeth and Gums – Healthy gums are firm and pink, black, or
spotted, just like the dog’s skin. Young dogs have smooth white teeth
that tend to darken with age. Puppies have 23 baby teeth and adults
have around 42 permanent teeth, depending on the breed. As adult
teeth come in, they push baby teeth out of the mouth.
To check your dog’s mouth, talk to him gently, then put your hand
over the muzzle and lift up the sides of his mouth. Check that adult
teeth are coming in as they should, and not being crowded by baby
teeth. Make sure the gums are healthy and the breath is not foul-
smelling. Look for soft white matter or hard white, yellow, or brown
matter. This is plaque or tartar and should be brushed away.
Mouth infections can lead to serious problems in the gums and other
parts of the body, including the heart, so it's important to give your
dog's teeth and mouth special attention.

Temperature – A dog’s normal temperature is 101 to 102.5 degrees
Fahrenheit (38.3 to 39.2 degrees Celcius). To take your dog's
temperature, you'll need a rectal thermometer. Put some petroleum
jelly on the bulb of the thermometer. Ask someone to hold your dog’s
head while you lift his tail and insert the thermometer about an inch
or so into the rectum. Do not let go of the thermometer. Hold it in
until the temperature is read (about 3 minutes for a mercury
thermometer), and then remove gently.

Heartbeat and Pulse – Because dogs come in a wide range of sizes,
their heartbeats vary. A normal heart beats from 50 to 130 times a
minute in a resting dog. Puppies and small dogs have faster speeds,
and large dogs in top condition have slower heartbeats. To check
your dog’s heartbeat, place your fingers over the left side of the chest,
where you can feel the strongest beat. To check the pulse, which is
the same speed as the heartbeat, press gently on the inside of the top
of the hind leg. There is an artery there and the skin is thin, so it's
easy to feel the pulse.

Elimination – Urine is a good indicator of a dog’s health, and should
be clear yellow. Most adult dogs have one or two bowel movements a
day. Stools should be brown and firm. Runny, watery, or bloody
stools, straining, or too much or too little urination warrant a call to
the veterinarian.

Weight – A healthy dog’s weight is the result of the balance between
diet and exercise. If he is getting enough nutritious food and exercise
but still seems over- or underweight, he may have a health problem.
Don’t let your dog get fat by giving him too many between-meal
snacks; obese dogs often develop serious health problems. The best
way to tell if your dog is overweight is to feel his rib-cage area. You
should be able to feel the ribs below the surface of the skin without
much padding.

Vaccinations
Regular vaccinations from your veterinarian can keep your dog from
getting serious and sometimes fatal illnesses such as distemper,
parvovirus, hepatitis, leptospirosis, coronavirus, and rabies. A
vaccination is also available for kennel cough, a respiratory problem
that affects young dogs or dogs exposed to many other dogs.
A puppy’s first vaccines ideally should be given at five or six weeks of
age and continue over a period of several weeks, up to sixteen weeks.
Afterward, yearly booster shots provide the protection your dog will
need. Be sure to stick to the schedule your veterinarian gives you to
insure immunity.

blemon44:
where is the DOG

Lol...copy and paste

Thanks for the info.