Lab Exam Tips
When your Lab is a puppy, get him used to being touched all over his body. He should let you look at his teeth and inside his ears, handle his paws, lift his tail, and roll him over for a tummy rub and belly check. By accustoming your puppy to being handled, you'll ensure that he's still willing to let you — and the vet — examine him when he's bigger and stronger.
It's not unusual for a dog to skip a meal once in a while, but a steady decrease in appetite — or an unusually ravenous appetite — is cause for concern. Stools should be small and firm. Loose stools or diarrhea may indicate a health problem or the need for an improved diet.
Mouth
“Say aah.” Use this phrase (or another of your choosing) to teach your Lab to open his mouth on command. Lift up his lips to check the teeth for tartar (also referred to as calculus) buildup. While you're there, make sure the gums are nice and pink. When you push on the gums, they should regain their color quickly. Pale gums are a sign of many serious problems, including bloat, poisoning, and parasite infestation.
Ears
Lift up the ears and look inside. Do they look clean or dirty? Unhealthy ears may be red or inflamed, indicating an infection, or filled with lots of waxy brown gunk. A small amount of light brown wax is normal, but heavy amounts (or dirt and debris) should be gently cleaned out with cotton balls (not Q-tips) saturated with mineral oil or an ear cleanser, such as Oti-Clens. Never use alcohol, which besides being drying can sting like the dickens. Clean the ears only when they need it; too much cleaning is just as bad as too little.
Give each ear a good sniff. Your Lab's ears should never smell rancid or unpleasant. A bad odor indicates an infection that should be treated by a veterinarian. To finish the ear exam, check for and remove grass seeds or other debris that might have become lodged in or near the ear.
Eyes
Many Labs spend their days crashing through brush or catching tennis balls thrown to them. Both activities can result in eye injury. That doesn't mean you shouldn't let your Lab play, just that you need to pay close attention to his eye condition.
Eyes should be bright and clear, with little or no discharge. Red, swollen, or squinty eyes and heavy discharge are signs that call for a veterinary visit. To tell if an eye is painful, gently press on the surface of a closed eyelid. What seem like minor eye problems can become serious in a heartbeat, so never let an eye injury go without treatment.
Dogs lower their body temperature by panting, which allows water to evaporate from the mouth, tongue, and lungs and exchanges warm air in the body for cooler air from the environment.
Body
Run your hands over your Lab's entire body to check for lumps or bumps, sores, or painful areas. Some dogs are stoic, so a barely distinguishable flinch may be the only response you get if you touch a sore spot. Lift up the paws to check for stickers between the toes or in the pads of the foot. In winter, clean your Lab's feet after he's been outside to remove de-icing chemicals, salt, snow, and ice. Make sure toenails are at a comfortable length. A healthy coat is shiny with no patchy areas or hot spots.
