Determining the state of your dog's health can be difficult unless you know whether or not his outward signs are normal. But to know what is abnormal you must first know what is normal.

Dog Temperature: a quiet, calm dog's temperature ranges from 100.5 to 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit. A normal rise of two degrees may be caused by excitement, activity, a hot room, or the sun. A bitch's temperature will drop two or three degrees from 12 to 24 hours before whelping.

Dog Respiration: The normal rate of respiration is between 18 to 28 per minute. Rapid breathing when the dog has been quiet may very well indicate trouble, as may mouth-breathing at rest.

Dog Heart: At rest the normal heart beat ranges from 90 to 100 beats per minute (faster in puppies and older dogs). Also a resting dog's heart normally has an irregular beat (it beats faster on inspiration and slower on expiration). A regular beat in a quiet dog may indicate heart trouble. The heartbeat can be felt rather easily through the chest wall just behind the front legs; also by feeling the inner side of the hind leg. When it is difficult to locate, press your ear to the dog's chest. Puppies born with a very slow heart-rate seldom survive.

Dog Eyes: The white on the top half of the eye should be bright and clear, with a few small vessels. Excitement and activity will cause more vessels to be noticeable. But if the upper half is too white the dog may be anemic. The lower half of the eyeball should be a bright, healthy pink. The cornea (the clear part) should be bright, glistening and perfectly clear.

Dog Ears: The inside of the ear should be smooth and pink under the hair, with the canal perfectly clean (without attention from you), very smooth, and a pale pink. Dust and dirt may form a black or gray deposit around the folds at the top of the canal. A brown or reddish-brown, waxy-looking substance in the ear-canal almost always indicates an ear infection.

Dog Nose: It should be black and smooth. Whether it is moist or dry has little to do with the dog's temperature.

Dog Gums: Should be a bright, clear pink. Some are partially pigmented. Puppies' gums may be slightly paler.

Dog Tongue: Bright pink and clean. Spots or areas of pigment are normal.

Dog Stool: The stool should be well formed. Slight diarrhea may be treated with a kaolin mixture; but frequent, watery eliminations or signs of blood or mucous, or a repulsive odor, indicate trouble.
Eating, drinking and toilet habits vary with the individual, but significant changes in any of these areas are grounds for suspecting trouble.